When Chesterton wrote of the Irish “All their wars were merry and all their songs are sad” he was sacrificing accuracy for the sake of a paradox. The wars themselves were ruthless savage campaigns of destruction on the one hand and desperate struggles for existence on the other. The British fought as conquerors with scant regard for the rules of war, the Irish fought for something ancient and good, and they fought as crusaders. Their songs reflected their attitude, full of sadness for previous defeats, but convinced of the justice of their cause and confident that the final battle would be won.
Tudors, Stuarts, Commonwealth and After
1. Follow me up to Carlow – Arthur Kearney
2. Sean O’Dwyer a Gleanna – Paddy Tunney
3. Jackets Green – Arthur Kearney
4. The Battle of Aughrim – Frank Kelly – violin, Joe Tunney – melodeon
The United Irishmen and the Rebellion of 1798
5. The Ribbon Blade – Paddy Tunney
6. General Munro – Arthur Kearney
7. The Memory of the Dead – Frank Kelly – violin, Joe Tunney – melodeon
The Young Ireland Movement and the Fenians
8. The Bold Fenian Men – Paddy Tunney
9. John Mitchel – Paddy Tunney
10. The Felons of our Land – Arthur Kearney
The Sinn Fein and the War of Independence
11. The Dawning of the Day Frank Kelly – violin, Joe Tunney – melodeon
12. The Song of the Dawn – Arthur Kearney
13. The Valley of Knockanure – Paddy Tunney
14. The Grand Oul’ Dame Britannia – Paddy Tunney
15. Kevin Barry – Paddy Tunney
Listen / buy on:
Spotify, Apple Music / iTunes, Amazon
