Tune Req: Geoghegan's Vagary

Subject: Geoghegan's Vagary
From: barrygeo
Date: 12 Jul 00 - 05:44 AM

This is a very old Irish tune. Has anyone heard of it. I understand that there might be a version in the British Lending Library.

HAs anyone heard of it or have the music.

Thanks in advance

Barry Geo

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geoghegan's Vagary
From: SeanM
Date: 13 Jul 00 - 01:17 AM

Refresh

M

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Geoghegan's Vagary
From: barrygeo
Date: 13 Jul 00 - 05:03 AM

Here is an extract from the Geoghegan history which describes the tune "Geoghegan's Vagary". This story dates back to 1750.

Before we leave this branch of the family, we must pause to talk about John Geoghegan (Jack the Buck), son of Kedagh Geoghegan and his wife Anne Brown. John may well be the most famous Geoghegan of us all - he is certainly the most colourful. He never married, preferring a gentleman bachelor life of enjoyment and adventure. His nickname (the Buck) equates to "the toff", "the gent" or "the dandy" and on a portrait of him, he is referred to as "John - Lord of Moycashel". Though he was catholic, he and his brother, Kedagh, often dined with the grand jurors at the time of the Assizes in Mullingar. It was usual for the Geoghegans to drive into town in a grand coach and four and John regarded himself as no man's inferior. So it happened at the Summer Assizes of 1768, one of the jurors, a certain George Stepney of Durrow, offered John £20 for his four fine horses. Under the penal statutes of the time, any "Irish Papist" was considered unfit to own a horse and if he was fortunate enough to have one was obliged to sell it to any member of the established church for £5. So the offer was in line with the law even though the beasts would have been worth considerably more than that sum. John excused himself and retired to the inn stables where the horses were housed. Drawing his pistols, he shot the four of them dead, then returning to Stepney, informed him that he could have them for nothing. Thereafter, it is said, whenever Geoghegan came to town, his coach was drawn by the four finest oxen in Ireland. Another story tells of Jack the Buck's arrival at an Inn where a Jack St. Ledger, a friend of Stepney's, was drinking with his comrades (possibly including Stepney). In an attempt to vex Geoghegan, St. Ledger gave a shilling to the piper and told him to play some tune in praise of the King. The piper, aware of Jack the Buck's reputation was hesitant and the tension mounted. Jack then tossed the piper a guinea and said "we'll have Geoghegan's Vagary" and the piper complied.