Lyr Add: Gunner McGee (Pete St. John)

Subject: Gunner McGee & Slasher O' Reilly
From: Mbo
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 08:38 AM

I was looking at a book of photographs of Ireland (I can't remember the photographers name--Tom something, he also does album covers for Celtic Heartbeat Records) and there was a brief reference to part of the Irish countryside being famous for the real-life exploits of Gunner McGee and Slasher O'Reilly. Does anyone know who these men are, or have any information about them? I've searched on-line, and in every Irish history book I can find, but to no avail. Man, they have some cool names! Thanks if you can help!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Gunner McGee & Slasher O' Reilly
From: Mbo
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 08:54 AM

And are there any SONGS about them?

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Gunner McGee & Slasher O' Reilly
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 10:06 AM

I have no specific knowledge of either. However, Gunner McGee could have been an armed highwayman, soldier or patriot. The background of Slasher O'Reilly is even more doubtful because, while he could have been a swordsman or knife murderer, he also could have been just a guy who just had to relieve himself occasionally.

All the best,
Dan

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GUNNER MCGEE (Pete St. John)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 08:25 PM

Lyrics copied from The Balladeers web site:

THE GUNNER MCGEE
(Pete St. John)

When the sun it goes down in old Dublin Town
And the moon took me out for a gargle,
In me old Sam Brown belt and brimmer of felt
I'd go down by the banks of the Dargle.
I was only a boy, and me gun was a toy,
And how I grew up was a marvel;
But history was made of the games that we played
Down by the old river Dargle.

CHORUS: It's one, two and three, I'm the Gunner McGee.
I live by me wits and the gargle,
Yet attained o' a' three, say a small glory be
For McGee and the boys of Dargle.

When the risin' went down in old Dublin Town,
There was none took me out for a gargle,
And the men in the street they just spit through their teeth
At McGee and the boys of Dargle.
They could not understand all the fine things we planned.
It made Lloyd George stand back and marvel,
And they talked of their pride, while James Connolly died
For the dreams that we dreamed on the Dargle. CHORUS

When the sun it goes down in old Dublin Town
And the moon took me out for a gargle,
I'd go down by a drain full of rubbish and shame
That once was the proud river Dargle.
Sure it's one, two and three; I'm the Gunner McGee,
No longer a threat or a marvel;
For what to me is the same thing you see
That's happened the proud river Dargle. CHORUS TWICE

Subject: RE: Gunner McGee & Slasher O'Reilly
From: Emma B
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 08:29 PM

A possible 'Slasher'

Subject: RE: Gunner McGee & Slasher O'Reilly
From: GUEST,KP
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 12:02 AM

Slasher O'Reilly is Myles the Slasher O'Reilly who was the Irish leader of the nine year war against the English in the mid-1600s. He was killed defending the bridge of Finea against overwhelming Cromwellian forces. His action in delaying the English allowed his cousin Owen Roe O'Neill to bring in additional forces and defeat the English.

Subject: RE: Gunner McGee & Slasher O'Reilly
From: MartinRyan
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 04:44 PM

And I suspect THIS is the Gunner in question, rather than Pete St. John's.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gunner McGee (Pete St. John)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 06:35 PM

I just found out that i am related to Gunner McGee, He fought the British and the French and was hanged. The fight was in Ballinamuck, Im still looking for more info on him for my family tree if anyone has somethin.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gunner McGee (Pete St. John)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 11:38 AM

GUEST: If you search for "Gunner McGee" at Google Books, it brings up several books that you might find interesting.

If you follow the links from there, you might find some of those books in a local library.

If you can't figure out how to do that, print out that page and take it and show it to a librarian. They might be able to help you, even if they don't have the books themselves.

The next time you post at Mudcat, please use a name so we know how to refer to you.