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Background info on Craigan White Hare

05 Apr 00 - 02:59 PM (#207189)
Subject: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,radriano

I'm looking for background information on an Irish song called The Craigan White Hare. There's also some question on the spelling of the title.

The song is not in the database - I'll post it once I'm sure of the spelling of the title.

Thanks, everyone
radriano


05 Apr 00 - 03:14 PM (#207200)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan

"Creggan", usually. If its not in the DT, did we have it in a thread some time ago? Karan Casey recorded it about two years ago and started the hare again (sorry!)

Regards


05 Apr 00 - 03:57 PM (#207228)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,radriano

Thanks, Martin. I had Creggan originally and then someone told me it should be Craigan. I'm working on the liner notes for an upcoming CD and I want to be sure I get my facts straight.

Cheers,
radriano


05 Apr 00 - 05:06 PM (#207263)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan

Heres the words, in an old thread:

CLICK HERE

Regards


05 Apr 00 - 07:00 PM (#207358)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,radriano

Thanks, Martin. I already had the words, apparently from the same source in that thread but I very much appreciate you sending me the link. I thought I had searched for previous threads (under Creggan as well as Craigan) - oh well.

Regards,
radriano


06 Apr 00 - 07:16 AM (#207581)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan

Karan Casey, in the sleeve notes to her "Songlines" CD says:

"A song about a witch who changes into a white hare that is too swift and wily for the hunters and hounds chasing her. The hare's fame lies in the fact that she never gets caught. This is a true story. I got this version from Pddy Tunney's book The Stone Fiddle "

I don't know where she got the story from - quite possibly from Paddy Tunney himself.

Me? I hae me doots...

Regards


06 Apr 00 - 11:28 AM (#207700)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: Malcolm Douglas

In Chapter 16 of The Stone Fiddle, Paddy Tunney discusses hares and witch-hares, and then says, "Which brings me to that lovely song of a remarkable white hare that ran, not so many moons ago, on the turf banks of Creggan."  He makes no suggestion that there was anything supernatural about the hare in question, so it may be that Karan Casey's comments were the result of a misunderstanding, or simply romantic wishful thinking, on her part.

Malcolm


06 Apr 00 - 11:34 AM (#207707)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan

Thanks, Malcolm - that sounds plausible alright.

Regards


06 Apr 00 - 12:37 PM (#207744)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,radriano

I am gathering this information for a CD I'm producing of my former band Out of the Rain. I'd like very much to acknowledge those who provided me with song information. To avoid posting personal information at the Mudcat site please contact me at radriano@consrv.ca.gov

radriano


06 Apr 00 - 03:39 PM (#207839)
Subject: RE: Background info on Craigan White Hare
From: GUEST,Annraoi

Martin, I hae me doots as weel. I know the hare was indeed regarded with superstitious reverence / awe / fear etc. in rural Ireland, a perception going back into pagan times when all sorts of animals had supernatural attributes; what my old Prof. Heinrich Wagner called upon to bolster a theory of circumpolar religion involving animal totemism. Paddy Tunney also tells a might fine yarn. Annraoi