Origins: Who is the song about?

Subject: Origins: Who is the song about?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 10:43 AM

Hi
I was wondering does anyone know who the 'Stór' in Stór mo Chroí might be. I have heard a rumour it may be about a missionary priest, Fr Hugh Sands, from Co Down who was tortured in China and returned home but nothing definite.

Thanks

Subject: RE: Origins: Who is the song about?
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 01:32 PM

It's an all-purpose emigration song, written by Brian O'Higgins in 1929.

Hugh Sands was the uncle of Tommy and Colm Sands and was tortured in China, but I think this happened in the 1930s and, in any case, news of what happened to Hugh only emerged when he returned to Ireland later in that decade (some time after O'Higgins had composed the song).