MikeL;
Sorry Mike, meant to reply. "I am not really into ballads but are monologues ballads ????."
No- I don't think they are, they don't take ballad form but stand on their own.
They were extremely popular over this side of the country - local man, Partrick Lynch specialises in them and has some wonderful ones about farm-life.
My particular favourite is called 'Fogarty's Threshing' which takes place at the old country custom of 'Methal', when farmers who had harvested their own crops would all row in and help with their neighbours work.
Jim Carroll