Tom Moran - one of the all-time great Irish tradition bearers.
Jim Carroll

MORAN, Thomas
Singer and storyteller. Mohill, Co. Leitrim. December 1954.
Aged 79. Lived in a Townland called Drumrahool, near Mohill, Co., Leitrim. Had been a farmer all his life. The collector suspected he might have travelled: "No", he said, "I learnt that song from a neighbour who hardly ever crossed a cow-track in his life". "Were you ever in Scotland or in England?" "I was once in England, on a couple of week's foolishness". The singer also made the remark: "The songs came in by these by-roads, and the condition of the roads would not let them out again".

In writing of this singer in JEFDSS 1955, where several of his songs are published, transcribed from the BBC recordings, Seamus Ennis said: "Certain repertoires of folk song in Ireland are greater than Thomas Moran's repertoires, which include both Gaelic and English, and both Anglo-Irish ballads and purely Irish songs, but Moran is the one in all my experience who has excelled in preserving the ballads of England, and particularly those of older vintage".

Section 1.
Airy little tailor: 22025; Barbara Allen (2): 22017; Blind Beggar's daughter (1): 22036; Boat that first brought me over 22015; Bonnie bunch of roses (8): 22024; Bonnie lass of Fyvie (3): 22014; Brian O'Lynn (3): 22025; Broken token (8): 22023; Captain Thunderbold: 22014; Captain Wedderburn's courtship (3): 22026; Cherry tree carol (2): 22024; Cruel mother (3): 22035; Drumhullogan Bottoms: 22023; Edward (3): 22015; Elfin Knight: 22026; Farewell my friends: 22027; Farewell Nancy (2): 22016; Farmer's curst wife (3): 22035;. Fox (5): 22013; Frog and the mouse (6): 21900.
Green bushes (5): 22038; Grey Cock (3): 22036; Green Wedding (2): 22016; Greenmont smiling Ann; Hag of Timahoe (2); Hammering cold iron: 22027; Herring song (6): 22025; I'm going to be married next Sunday morning (l): 22036; In the highlands of Scotland: 22037; Indian lass (3): 22018; Jackie Eraser (2): 22015; Kinlough Cow: 22036; Lord Bateman (2): 22033-4; Lord Gregory (2): 22016; Lord Leitrim {political ballad) (2): 21899; Lord Rendal (3): 22015; Lover's ghost: 22036; Maid of Magheracloone: 22013; Man in love he feels no cold (5): 22036; Marrowbones (4): 22013; Old man rocking the cradle; 22023; Our Goodman (2): 22029; Seventeen come Sunday : (11 ): 22035; Tinker (2): 22013; Up to the rigs of London Town (2): 22038; Van Dieman's Land (4): 22029; Village pride: 22037; Wonderful musician in Germany did dwell: 22027.
Section 9 (a)
Folk tales: Bill the robber: 22850; Bruno and the Devil: 22017-8; Monaghan Moe and Monaghan Beg; Paddy and Holly;
Three Redcaps: 22850.