Lyr Add: Only Our Rivers Run Free (M MacConnell)

Subject: Lyr Add: ONLY OUR RIVERS RUN FREE (MacConnell)^^^
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 14 May 00 - 09:40 PM

If I'm right I've only just made the connection between two beautiful songs, Only Our Rivers Run Free and The Tinkerman's Daughter, both written by Michael MacConnell. Does anyone know any more about this great writer and any other gems that I may never have heard of?

My quick search of the DT told me that Only Our Rivers is not in there. Surely I'm mistaken but just in case here are the lyrics. Anyone have the tune please? Is it in Wind That Shakes The Barley? Regards, John

ONLY OUR RIVERS RUN FREE
Michael MacConnell

When apples still grow in November
When blossom remains on each tree
When leaves are still green in December
It's then that our land will be free
I've wandered her hills and her valleys
And still to my sorrow I see
A land that has never known freedom
Where only her rivers run free.

I drink to the death of her manhood
Those men who would rather have died
Than to live in the cold chains of bondage
To bring back their rights we're denied
Oh, where are you now when we need you
What burns where the flame used to be
Are you gone like the snow of last winter
And will only our rivers run free.

How sweet is life but we're crying
How mellow the wine yet we're dry
How fragrant the rose but it's dying
How gentle the wind yet it sighs
What good is in youth when you're aging
What joy is in eyes that can see
That there is sorrow in sunshine and flowers
If only our rivers run free.
^^^

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: alison
Date: 14 May 00 - 09:43 PM

I'm sure I have done the tune before.. if I can't find it I'll do it again...

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: alison
Date: 14 May 00 - 09:46 PM

It's at Mudcat MIDIs

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 14 May 00 - 09:52 PM

Thanks Alison for the reference. Since O posted I checked the Web version of the DT and sure enough the lyrics are there OK. I'm still keen to find out about the writer.

Thread creep, but good to hear you enjoyed St Albans. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 14 May 00 - 10:05 PM

I do not know Michael McConnell personally, although I (and everybody in Edinburgh) know his brother Cathal) fluter extraordinaire and legend in his own time.

Try to get his CD "Peter Pan and Me". Both these songs are on it, along with ather gems. My favourite is the song about Enid Blyton's "Famous Five". Hilarious and shows another side to this multi-talented writer. Also, if you get the CD you have the advantage of hearing "The Tinkerman's Daughter" sung to the melody he actually composed, rather than the bastardized version one hears so often.

Murray

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 14 May 00 - 10:11 PM

Thanks Murray. At the risk of slandering the Catter who submitted the version in Mudcat MIDIs, is that version a fair rendition of the original? I'm in the process of learning it with some prospect of recording it. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: alison
Date: 14 May 00 - 10:18 PM

The version I put in is the one that you usually hear and the one that is printed in song books... I never said that it was the "correct" one.. but if you find the "real" one please let us have it and we'll put it there too....

"The Tinkerman's daughter" is at Mudcat MIDIs too.....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 15 May 00 - 06:55 PM

Alison's lyrics are exactly as Micharl McCommell sings them. The melody on the Mudcat MIDIs is pretty well spot on as well (a couple of flattened notes which are not exactly what Michael McConnell sings, but let's not get pedantic)

What is important is that the melody for the second line of every second verse follows his tune, more specifically for the words "borders his land ", in the line
Along the Faele River that borders his land.

The melody in the Mudcat MIDIs is correct, but many singers ( and well known recorded singers at that) wimp out of what is admittedly not the easiest phrase to sing (four successive semitones)and substitute an anaemic easy- to-sing version which totally ruins the tension of the song.

In Tonic Sol-Fa , the phrase "borders his land" goes :
ta,l, ta , t . In the key of D for example the notes are C,B,C,Csharp. The guitar chords go from C to A.

The wimp-out versions goes:
t, l, t, d. In D, again, the notes are Csharp,B,Csharp,D.

Try it and taste the difference.

Murray

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 15 May 00 - 06:58 PM

Apologies for lack of proof reading above

Murray

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: GUEST,the Archivist
Date: 16 May 00 - 02:56 AM

Peter Pan and Me
ditto
Politician's Song
Tinkerman's Daughter
Only Our Rivers
Ireland
via a forum search for McConnell, easy!
another connection: brother, Cathal Mc Connell, flute and traditional songs, Boys of the Lough

Subject: RE: Michael McConnell - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: GUEST,the Archivist again
Date: 16 May 00 - 02:59 AM

correction to links above; Only our Rivers

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: Wolfgang
Date: 17 May 00 - 05:43 AM

Only our rivers run free as it appears in the DT database.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: GUEST,francesco
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 08:45 AM

Does anyone know what inspired McConnell about "Only Our rivers run free"? (Apart from the need of freedom, which is the main point)

Thanks you all Francesco

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: GUEST,PJ Curtis.
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 01:13 PM

John in Brisbane, You will be happy to hear that Michael McConnell is alive and well and living in Kenmare Co Kerry, still writing, and performing. I actually spoke to him today as we are planning to record a 'live ' album with him in the near future. In the meantime, a Cd is shortly to be released of his new works.(which will inc. his hilarious 'I Drank The Farm') His other talented brother is Cormac(Broadcaster on Clare Fm and writes a col. for the Irish Voice) is also an amazing songwriter. A few years back I produced a spine-tingler song of his, 'A Silent Night(Christmas 1915)' for Jerry Lynch (to be found on a Dolphin Recs. CD 'Dimming Of The Day') PJC

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: Max Tone
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 06:26 PM

Great info, folks. Any body know why Michael is McConnell, whilst Cathal is O'Connell? Have I spelt it right?----------Rob

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 08:21 PM

No you haven't - it's McConnell (said she, having just discovered she wrote Michael MacConnell throughout ...)
Anyway, here is another impressive song by him.

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: civita
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 02:55 AM

Many tnx you all, JP Curtis in particular, of copuse. Great news!

JP, don't you know anything more about "Only our rivers run free"?

---Francesco

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: civita
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 02:56 AM

of copuse = of course. Sleepy fingers.

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: GUEST,Maura MacConnell
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 04:24 PM

Good to see there are people out there talking about Michael -(Mickey to his friends )! . He is alive and well and living down here in Listowel, in Co. Kerry. If you enjoyed his last CD-"Peter Pan and Me", there is a real treat in store for you as his new CD will be released next month. Called "Joined up Writing" it will be launched in St.John's Arts and Heritage Centre,Listowel, on Friday 17th November,and if you are in the vicinity you are more than welcome. I'm Mickey's wife , he says hello and if anyone would like any information about his music or any other way he can be of help just drop him a line at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 05:33 PM

Maura, does that mean my spelling was correct after all?
I'll be looking out for that CD!

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 07:14 PM

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: GUEST,Maura
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 07:16 PM

Sure Susanne-you have the correct spelling...it's amazing how many get it wrong !

Subject: RE: Michael McConnel - Only Our Rivers Run F
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 05:42 PM

Francesco - Only Our Rivers Run Free ws written at the height of the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. Perhaps Maura or Mickey will say more
Rob, Cathal MacConnell, not O', Boys of the Lough

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 07:50 AM

And a spinetingling rendition was given by Christy Moore at the Planxty gig in Vicar Street on Saturday. Christy paid fine tribute to Michael, and the significance of this song to the group. A magical night, it was.

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 08:04 AM

I definitely want that 'live' Planxty album

sandra

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 08:47 AM

I don't know Michael, but I do know that in the time since this thread was started he's become a regular visitor to the Mudcat himself.

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: Daithi
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 08:52 AM

I didn't realise Christy was touring again - What's the Planxty line up these days Skipjack? (I just turned up a few of their early albums on vinyl in the ould shed - Well Below the Valley, Cold Blow and the Rainy Night, etc - great stuff!)
Dáithí

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: GUEST,Skipjack K8
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 08:59 AM

Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Liam O'Flynn and Christy Moore. And what an incredible stage presence they make.

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: GUEST,Skipjack K8
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 09:01 AM

I understand that to be true, Brian, but I didn't want to blow the good man's cover!

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: Big Tim
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 10:16 AM

According to the "Ency. of Ireland" Michael was born in Ballinaleck, Co. Fermanagh, in 1947.

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: Big Tim
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 10:55 AM

BTW -is that "the" Maura O'Connell?

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Feb 04 - 06:06 AM

No, I think you will find that it is "the" Maura MacConnell

Subject: RE: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: Big Tim
Date: 03 Feb 04 - 06:32 AM

Ah.

Subject: RE: Lyr: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Feb 04 - 09:42 AM

OK, folks, this should be definitive. Here's a website called Mickey MacConnell - Official Web Site. I don't know what it takes to designate a website as "Official" but at least this one has lots of information, the kind you'd expect an official site to have. The spelling is consistently Mickey—not Michael—MacConnell—not McConnel, McCommell, or McConnell (all of which have been seen in this thread).

There is a bit of inconsistency about the song title, though. In a couple of places it's called RIVERS and in another, ONLY OUR RIVERS (See the liner notes at the bottom of the page.), but most often, it's ONLY OUR RIVERS RUN FREE.

That means it's wrong in the DT.

Subject: RE: Lyr: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: GUEST,Chordstrangler, with a little help
Date: 03 Feb 04 - 08:16 PM

Subject: RE: ADD: Only our rivers
From: chordstrangler
Date: 03 Feb 04 - 08:05 PM

I'm sitting here blushing and both my ears are bright red with embarassment. I have to confess that Chordstrangler is Mickey MacConnell and that I'm totally gobsmacked at the interest being shown in my work.

Yes- the original word was death.   This makes sense when viewed in the context of being written in 1965 - a time long before the first stone was thrown during the first civil rights march in Derry. The previous republican campaign had been a short lived one which died off at the end of the 1950's.    I was born in 1947 by the way which would have made me a callow youth when the song was first penned.

The song was largely inspired by the claustrophia of South Fermanagh..I was bought up on the banks of the River Erne near Enniskillen and, I'm a River Man.   It is a song that has taken on more and more significance over the years and I have to admit that I'm very proud of it.

I have written quite a lot of other stuff but have to say that "Only Our Rivers Run Free" was the one that attracted all the attention.   Sadly so, in my view.

Thanks for all the interest and if I can help any fellow Catter in any way who wants to know more, I would be delighted to do so. Mickey.....(AKA Chordstrangler)

Subject: RE: Lyr: Michael MacConnell - Only Our Rivers Run Free
From: GUEST,Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 03 Feb 04 - 09:32 PM

On Seamus Kennedy's new album "On The Rocks" you'll find a very fine version of "Only Our Rivers Run Free". I may have missed a reference to this in scanning the above thread.