Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs

Subject: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: GUEST,Rich_and_Dee
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 02:49 PM

Catters,

I've been asked to play a gig on December 23rd at an Irish-style pub here in the US of A. It's a private party.

The individual hiring us has asked if we know any Irish Christmas songs.

Not counting Frank Kelly's "Christmas Countdown" I can't think of many carols or more contemporary Christmas songs that are Irish in origin.

Can you help us out and recommend some Christmas songs of Irish origin?

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: Wolfgang
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 03:13 PM

Irish Christmas songs (listing three)

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: GUEST, GEST
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 03:54 PM

Many songs from Newfoundand have their origins in Ireland. Anything HERE look familiar? :-)

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 04:52 PM

The Clancy's have done some Christmas songs that at least sounded Irish in the hands of the Clancy family. A couple I remember are the Carol of the Birds and the Wren song. Coulter's Candy might not be a Christmas song or Irish in origin, but it goes nicely at this time of year.

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: PoppaGator
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 04:57 PM

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
Who'll put a penny in the old man's hat?
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do
If you haven't got a ha'penny, God bless you.

My father always recited this as a Christmas "song" his parents brought over from County Mayo. Dad wasn't much of a singer, so I never learned the tune.

I asked about this in a fairly recent thread, and was told that there's a "Muppets" recording (or video?) featuring John Denver and Miss Piggy.

There *must* be more Irish Christmas tunes out there; the link provided by Wolfgang reveals only three or four tunes, one of which ("Christmas in Killarney") I recognize as a Bing Crosby movie ballad that may or may not be sufficiently traditinoal for the event in question.

There are some songs about "The Wren," celebrating an old Irish tradition enacted, I think, on the day after Christmas (Boxing Day, aka St Stephen's Day). So, that's not exactly Christmas, but Christmas *season*, I suppose.

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 06:15 PM

For Boxing Day, St Stephen's Day - The Boys of Barr na Sráide.
When the Boys of Barr na Sráide went hunting for the wren.

The Wexford/Enniscorthy Carol -
Good people all, this Christmas-time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved Son.

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas song
From: GUEST,St.Stephens day song
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 07:24 PM

We used to sing this song on St. Stephens morning as we went from door to door and collected a few pence.
The wren the wren the king of all birds
St.Stephens,s day he was caught in the furze,
up with the kettle and down with the tae
give us our answer and let us go , way.
Knock at the knocker ring at the bell
please give us a copper for singing so well,
singing so well singing so well
please give us a copper for singing so well.
I have a little box under me arm
tuppence or thruppence will do us no harm
up with the kettle and down with the pot
give us our answer and let us be gone
Knock at the knocker etc,

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Dec 03 - 08:25 PM

The Wexford carols
Bells of Dublin (Chieftains).
Christmas Time is Here Again.
Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake

Often attributed to the Irish, but not theirs:
The Wren
Twelve Days of Christmas
I Saw Three Ships

Why not say- "these are sung in Ireland" and do what you will?

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 06:15 AM

I've never heard Christmas in Killarney in Ireland
tho' I'll take you home again Kathleen (German-American composer)and Danny Boy (Irish tune, English composer) are popular

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: GUEST,Heely
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 03:29 PM

How about the "Seven Joys of Mary"?

The first great joy that Mary had it was the joy of one.
To see her first born Jesus Christ when he was just her son.
When he was just her son - Good Lord and Happy we will be -
With the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost throughout eternity.

Do you know it?

Another is the "Christ Child Lullaby"

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas songs
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 05 Dec 03 - 07:18 AM

Fairytale of New York?

wr

Subject: RE: Origins: Name traditional Irish Christmas song
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 01:10 PM

My mother's words for the wren song were slightly different to the above

The wren the wren the king of all birds
St.Stephens's day he was caught in the furze
Although he is little his honour is great
So rise up master and give us a treat (pron. trate)
Give us a treat whatever you can
A penny or ha'penny to bury the wren

wren was pron. ran