The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #159258   Message #3773749
Posted By: GUEST,jim bainbridge
19-Feb-16 - 07:36 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Irish Coal mining songs
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Irish Coal mining songs
John Moulden- you mentioned a mining song from the North Antrim area(were there coalmines there?). I mentioned in my very first post a song collected in Durham 'Johnny Seddon' which is a come-all-ye song about the death of a miner. The late Betty & Norman MacDonald did a fine version on a CD some years back.
The song was collected from a collier (Thomas Mitchell) of Irish descent in Chopwell, Co Durham in 1953.
However, Karl Dallas, in his 1974 book 'Songs of Toil' says...

'Sam Henry collected a fuller version.... from Mrs Sara Morrow of Broughshane, Co Antrim, who called it 'My handsome collier lad'

- is this the song you mean, John?- you mentioned Sam Henry...

'Johnny Seddon' does not seem to be on the Mudcat lyrics list, but it seems was recorded by Jez Lowe 30 years ago