A Civil War Lament
Author: Tom Williams, Taghmon
The meadow grass has not been mown and the headland’s overgrown
And from the woods of Gurteencrin the pheasant cock has lately flown.
The soft red apples lie despoiled, on my mother’s orchard ground,
And Autumn’s sun, its short day done, casts shadows all around.
The old folk tend the pastures now for the young men have all gone
To fight with grief for their belief, ‘twas a bitter feud and long;
My brother, with his Thompson gun, faced me across the moor
And against God’s will, I shot to kill, my sorrow will endure.
The crossroads where the dancing feet sent echoes down the lane
Are empty now, and many a brow is creased with grief and pain.
Oh, who will cross the wide divide, and take my brother’s hand?
Oh, who was with him when he died near Slaney’s shifting sand?
How can we heal the broken rifts that separate us now,
For friend fought friend until the end, can we smile again, and how
Can hate and fear of yesteryear diminish in our minds?
Oh, the Civil War was a cruel war to break the ties that bind.
But the ash tree lives, and its seedlings give a hope to boy and man,
And the GAA once more held sway in the fields where the hurlers ran;
And the verdant spring a hope did bring, and the fields were tilled again,
And the carefree sounds from the sporting grounds came echoing down the lane.
The song was passed from the Wexford singer, Paddy Berry, to Tony Malone
A New Dawn
Author: John Candy
John celebrates the Good Friday Agreement with its potential for a new and happy state of living for all people in Ireland.
Address to Clonmore
Author: J. McCall
Theme: pride in place
John McCall was father of the more famous P.J. He wrote this in praise of the ancient monastic settlement of Clonmore and its hinterland.
All Lives Matter
Author: M. Power
Martin reflects on the sad reality of so many lives in America: where are the ideals of the USA gone to?
ÁR GCULTÚR BEO / OUR LIVING CULTURE
Air: Óro Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile
Author: Dave Barron
Theme: A celebration of how our oral cultural heritage has survived and is now growing again.
The Celtic Irish oral tradition of music and song has faced many challenges to its survival, from Penal Laws to changing trends and fashions. At one time mocked and derided, it was always kept alive in the Rambling Houses and by people who loved their traditions. Now, the ancient culture is growing strong again, not only holding its own but growing in popularity.
The song Óro, Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile was about restoration of freedom and culture; it seems appropriate to match these words with the old melody.
CHORUS
Óro, Ár gcultúr gleoite, (our beautiful culture)
Óro, our culture’s growing,
Óro, ár gcultúr beomhar, (our living culture)
Alive, beomhar in Carlow. (well)
They tried to take our culture from us,
Tried to force their culture on us;
Our fathers placed a geasa on us: (obligation)
To save our ancient ways.
CHORUS
They told us that we had to change,
To leave our past on a previous page;
We’ll save our ways for the coming age:
We’ll save our ancient ways.
CHORUS
The rambling house was the place to meet
But in recent years its fate looked bleak;
Some kept our old Way’s heart abeat
And saved our ancient ways.
CHORUS
They thought we’d fade with modern fashions
We love our culture with great passion;
We’ll always care for our great tradition
We’ll save our ancient ways.
CHORUS X 2
Ár gCultúr Beo / Our Living Culture
Air: Oro Se do Bheatha Abhaile
Author: D. Barron
Singers: Carlow Storytellers
Theme: Pride in our native culture
Location: County Carlow
CHORUS
Óro, Ár gcultúr gleoite, (our beautiful culture)
Óro, our culture’s growing,
Óro, ár gcultúr beomhar, (our living culture)
Alive and beo in Carlow. (well)
They tried to take our culture from us,
Tried to force their culture on us;
But our fathers placed a geasa on us: (obligation)
To save our ancient ways.
CHORUS
They told us that we had to change,
To leave our past on a previous page;
But we’ll save our ways for the coming age:
We’ll save our ancient ways.
CHORUS
The rambling house was the place to meet
But in recent years its fate looked bleak;
Some kept our old Way’s heart abeat
And saved our ancient ways.
CHORUS
They thought we’d fade with modern fashions
We love our culture with great passion;
We’ll always care for our great tradition
And we’ll save our ancient ways.
CHORUS
________________________
The Celtic Irish oral tradition of music and song has faced many challenges to its survival, from Penal Laws to changing trends and fashions. At one time mocked and derided, it was always kept alive in the rambling houses and by people who loved their traditions. Now, the ancient culture is growing strong again, not only holding its own but growing in popularity.
The song Óro, Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile was about restoration of freedom and culture; it seems appropriate to match these words with the old melody.
D. Barron
From Carlow Streams
Battle of Carlow
Author: Bill Nolan, Ballon
Theme: Patriotic heroes
Location: Carlow town
Poem about the massacre of the rebels in 1798, in Carlow town; more than 600 bodies were buried in the Croppies' Grave in Graiguecullen.
Battle of Kilcumney
Singer: Tony Malone
Battle of Kilcumney / Teresa Malone
It was in the year of ’98, a time of blood and woe,
When many a Saxon soldier fled ’neath the rebels’ vengeful blow,
When British troops before them flew like chaff before the gale
When they heard the dreadful war cry of the sons of Graine Mhaol.
The Summer’s sun was shining bright, a lovely afternoon,
Like burnished gold it glistened on each helmeted dragoon.
Nine mounted English soldiers stopped outside John Murphy’s gate,
They burst the wicket open, no answer would they wait.
Four were posted outside, the other five within,
With short delay and hellish work, the fiends did begin.
They heeded not the women’s’ cry but struck a ready match
And soon the blazes mounted high o’er rafter, beam, and thatch.
Grimly smiled the bloodhounds, on each bearded face a grin,
Little thinking of the vengeful foe that lay concealed within.
Four of the bravest rebels who were in the fray that day
Sought shelter in the barn and lay hid beneath the hay.
Said the leader of those Wexford boys as he peeped out through the door,
‘Nine English soldiers are without, within we’re only four,
But many the time we beat them when outnumbered one to two,
Another blow for Ireland,’ and the door they burst in two.
Five horses without riders soon prancing in the yard,
Four beneath the whip and cord were flying fast and hard
To seek the shelter of the camp on yonder hill below,
No head was turned to see if come pike man quick or slow.
Till a maiden from a house she came, her hair was raven black,
Picked a trooper’s pistol, jumped on a horse’s back
And as fast as any racehorse or a jockey ever rode
She spurred the noble charger down the Ballyellen road
Until she came close to a stream that ripples by the mill,
Turning around she saw quite close beside her on the hill
One of those English soldiers and he called on her to stand:
She gave him ready answer from the pistol in her hand.
Dashed she then o’er ditch and dyke until she reached the heights
Where the rebels’ silent watch fire was burning through the night.
From yon green woods and ivy towers in fright the birds had flown
When they heard the cheers that greeted Teresa Malone.
She is buried ‘neath the green sod in Ballinkillen Chapel yard.
She saw the dawning of the day that nothing can retard.
She lived till old and passed away, God rest her soul I pray.
We have maidens still like her, thank God, and plenty here today.
The song captures the violence and the heroism of a young woman during one of the battles of 1798
Battle of Kilcumney
Theme: patriotic heroes, local event
.
Location: South Carlow
The historian can give a macro description of what happened. This micro description of a 1798 local incident of bravery and defiance is remembered and saluted
Battle of the Wheat
Theme: Local event, patriots
Location: County Carlow
The farmer was also a patriot, working hard to feed the people.