The Ould Triangle

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 16 Jun 00 - 07:37 PM

Just found this in Kathleen Behan's (mother of Brendan and Dominic, among others) memoirs:

[1984:] Our Brendan spent so long in jail, he wrote a lot about it. He wrote a lovely song to go with his play 'The Quare Fellow', and called it The Old Triangle, after the metal triangle that used to be rung to call the prisoners to their tasks. (Kathleen Behan, Mother of all the Behans 108)

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 02:54 PM

I didn't intend the "alarm clock" reference to be treated quite so literally! Just that it was much more general than in use than for executions.

Regards

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 03:47 AM

I used to know a guy years ago who appended this disrespectful verse:

Now, Dominic Behan, he was standin' peein',
And his brother Brendan was just pretendin',
And his other brother Ryan, he was standin' tryin'
To pee o'er the waters of the Royal Canal!

Steve

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Abby Sale
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 05:43 PM

I'm just finished reading "The Quare Fellow" for which Behan wrote (and, on tape, sang) "The Old Triangle." If anyone wants the words as per the play, let me know. All the action takes place just out side the punishment cells. Picture solid-door cells similar to a Western showing 1880's prisons. All the terms are explained by context of the play and, clearly, MacColl picked up his use of criminal's slang from Behan (or at least partly.) MacColl's rendition is closest.

Sandy, I'd really like to know if you remember Behan singing in any particular accent. Generally when the song text is given, an almost comic/music-hall implication is given in the spelling. Behan spells all in standard English & that leads me to wonder how he sang it. The play's script offers no clues.

In fact, nearly all the singing is done off stage by a prisoner inside a cell. He sings a verse or two -- or a line or two and is interupted. Perhaps by the screw yelling at him (it's supposed to be a silent cell-block but this is little observed.) to shut up or eles _I'll_ give you weep about -- or more often just by the curtain. As a result the play opens and closes on the song.

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 01:37 PM

Triangles were certainly used as dinner bells on farms and ranches all over the U.S. When I heard Dominic Behan sing this song in London (1958), I just assumed the function was the same. Never occurred to me to ask, dammit!

Sandy

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 12:58 PM

On the back of the album I have it on, it was explained as a dinner bell kind of thing, like the musical triangle. Could also have been an alarm clock, but that isn't what they said. Will look for the album and re-read.

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 12:20 PM

I am glad someone asked. I wondered what the lyric refered to and assumed every body else knew!

Roger

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 12:09 PM

Then the other sort must be the new triangle?

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: MartinRyan
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 07:45 AM

Steve's alarm clock theory is right.

Regards

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Brendy
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 07:44 AM

That was why I wasn't sure. Kilmainham prison may have had different uses for the 'ould triangle'. It certainly, in the context of this question anyway, relates to a prison bell of some sort.

B.

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 07:38 AM

They used to lash peiople to a big triangle for flogging, but these would usually have been wooden structures, and I wouldn't expect them to make a noise! I always assumed the triangle in the song was to wake everyone up at some ungodly hour of the morning, or to mark the hours or periods of the day; but I don't actually know.

Steve

Subject: RE: The Ould Triangle
From: Brendy
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 06:55 AM

The execution bell, wasn't it?

B.

Subject: The Ould Triangle
From: GUEST,Irish Rover
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 06:43 AM

In this song, (also in Never Let Your Braces Dangle), what is the triangle referring to?