The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #68504   Message #3607611
Posted By: Jim Carroll
06-Mar-14 - 03:33 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Seven Yellow Gypsies (Dolores Keane)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Seven Yellow Gypsies (Dolores Keane)
As Neill said, the place is Stradbally in County Laois.
Dolores version came from the singing of Paddy Doran who was recorded by the BBC in 1952 under the title 'The Gypsy Laddie, along with another group of Travellers (details below).
The information in the BBC index is somewhat misleading as I'm pretty certain none of those recorded came from the North of Ireland; Paddy and his wife Mary were, I think, from Wexford and Lal Smith was from Caherciveen in Kerry, as was her father, Christie Purcell
All were listed as coming from Belfast, where the recordings were made.
One of the finest pieces of singing from the group was Mary Connor's 'When I Was on Horseback, a stunning version of 'St James' Hospital; she also sang the Irish version of the ballad 'Edward' (What Put the Blood')
Sadly, none of the group were ever recorded again, though we did meet some of their families in London in the 1970s.
Jim Carroll

DORAN, Paddy
Singer,   Tinker's camp, Dan O'Neill's loaning, Belfast. 24.7,52 and 1.8.52
Section 1.
Black velvet band (i): 18578; Blackwaterside (2): 18579; Clahamon Town (with Mary Connors): 18585: Dungarvon; 18573; Gipsy laddie (4): 18579; Kitty from Ballinasloe; 18538; Little Beggarman 18550; Marrowbones (1) with (Mary Connors): 18584; (). Our Goodman (1): (with Mary Connors) 18584; Seventeen come Sunday (4) 18580; Three butchers. (2): 18551.
Section 6,
Blackbird (lilting): Miss MacLeod's Reel (lilting) 18550.