any West Cork songs?

Subject: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 10:43 AM

Hey,

I'm looking for songs from West Cork if anybody knows any?

In particular, I'm interested in songs from places such as the Beara Peninsula, Sheep's Head Peninsula, Skibbereen, Ballydehob, Schull, Dunmanway, Drimoleague, Bantry, Ballylickey, Baltimore, Rosscarbery, Clonakilty...that general area of West Cork.

I'm also intrested in songs from the islands off the coast of west Cork as well, such as Dursey, Whiddy, Heir, Cape Clear and Bere Island.

Names of singers and musicians from those regions are also welcome!

Thanks!

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,#
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 12:03 PM

HHey back to you. I guess you want folkish songs?

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 12:11 PM

The well known singer Seán Ó Sé was born in Ballylickey in west Cork.
He has recorded a variety of songs from west Cork, including Bantry Bay, The Beara Spalpeen and The Strands of Ballylickey.

That's a few titles to get the ball rolling!

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Felipa
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 12:51 PM

there is a well known song about the famine called Skibbereen

Jimmy Crowley sings in both English and Irish, and his repertoire is very Cork orientated.

Well-known musicians/singers Peadar O Riada and Iarla O Lionnáird are both from the Cúil Aodha Gaeltacht, which is to the west of Co. Cork, near Co Kerry.

a country-Irish song Beautiful West Cork (Colin Cronin)

https://www.libraryireland.com/WestCorkHistory/Music.php
W O'Halloran, "Early Irish History and the Antiquities and History of West Cork", 1916.

poet J.J. Callanan http://www.deepmapscork.ie/past-to-present/art-literature/jeremiah-joseph-callanan-poet/
https://ajd8.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/gougane-barra-by-jeremiah-joseph-callanan/
Callanan's best known song though is not one of his poems set in W Cork, but rather his translation of Príosún Chluain Meala, The Jail of Clonmala aka The Convict of Clonmel. He also translated an Irish language lyric The Outlaw of Loch Lene, which is in Westmeath. I don't know if any Callanan poems about places (and people in those places) such as Gougane Barra, Gaskinane and Inchidony have been set to music.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 01:06 PM

i wrote a song caled the bantry bay song[ different from the one sean o se sings] which is available from my website.
who are you?
there is a you tube recording where i sing the song about dan o mahony. i know a number of other local songs .
jim bainbridge sang one called the lovely half crown.
the ballad of dan o mahony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVDlRyqXVbw&lc=z22hfrrpnlz0xhzmqacdp433lbxhi3yptkhq2g0fkk1w03c010c

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 01:09 PM

there are a couple of songs about the gracie blue, there is the coves of ross brin. the best ting to do is to make the effort to go to west cork and talk to old people at community centres and collect them

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 01:15 PM

The Boys of Kilmichael, uses the tune of rosin the bow.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: Anne Lister
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 01:22 PM

I have a song called The Hag of Beara, which is available on Bandcamp and YouTube.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Tom Patterson
Date: 06 Aug 21 - 01:35 PM

I have written 2 songs about West Cork which I will be putting on Youtube soon - "Eight Heavy Tons" about the sandboats of Ballydehob and "Roaringwater Bay" about the loss of the lugger Thomas Joseph off Sherkin Island in 1918.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: The Sandman
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 02:43 PM

there was a song i heard in Goleen about the rural electrification of west cork

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Iains
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 03:31 PM

Could that be "The ESB in Colea"
DESCRIPTION: "ESB with 'lectricity is landed in Coolea For to give us light by day or night with bulbs that do not blow." Cullinane "climbs the poles ... watch the sputniks glow." There are jobs digging holes, pegging lines, driving trucks." Not like fifty years ago.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1978 (OCanainn-SongsOfCork)
KEYWORDS: technology work nonballad
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (1 citation):
OCanainn-SongsOfCork, pp. 36-37, "Fifty Years Ago" (1 text, 1 tune)

Other songs would be:Some songs of West Cork, from 1880s 'The Chapel of Charming Rossmore', The Rookery, 'Garnish', 'The Banks of Sullane', 'A Toast to Beara', 'The Shores of Coolough Bay', 'The Strands of Ballylickey

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Iains
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 03:59 PM

Drowning in Dunmanus bay

Collector
    Michael Hegarty
    Dunmanus, Co. Cork


You mariners and fishermen
Come listen to my song
And if you will attention pay
It won't detain you long
How six poor men did lose their lives
It grieves me for to say
Nigh to the shore of Kilcrohane
That lies in Dunmanus Bay
On the 20th of September
All in that present year
That was the night of a terrible gale
Through the country far and near
Just as the sun had gone to rest
They went their nets to cast
They little thought upon that night
That it would be their last.
Those six young men were in their prime
And healthy for to view
Two of them were Mc. Carthys
Tim Spillane and Donovans two
And also Charles Coughlan
As the public papers tell
But I hope for all eternity
In Heaven their souls will dwell

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: The Sandman
Date: 09 Aug 21 - 02:24 AM

iains, I dont think so this was a more local song than that mentioning people from goleen

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Aug 21 - 05:40 AM

Thanks to everybody who has replied thus far.
You've given me plenty of material to follow up on.

Tom Patterson, I look forward to hearing both your songs when you post them to YouTube. Perhaps you can post the links in this thread after you post the videos on YouTube?

For anyone else interested, I have found a few links which mention other songs from West Cork such as 'A Toast to Beara', 'The Shores of Coolough Bay' and 'The Chapel of Charming Rossmore'

I found those titles here:
https://durrushistory.com/2014/08/21/some-songs-of-west-cork-from-1880s-the-chapel-of-charming-rossmore-fifty-years-ago-the-esb-in-coolea-the-rookery-garnish-the-banks-of-sullane-a-toast-to-beara-the-shores-o/

Tomás Ó Canainn's book 'The Songs of Cork' is referenced as the source for the majority of the west Cork songs listed on the website link above. That webpage also contains a direct link to a few scanned pages from Ó Canainn's book related to the said west Cork songs.

https://durrushistory.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/songs-of-west-cork.pdf

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 08:38 AM

It's not neccesarily a west Cork song but the poem/song Mise Éire, written by Patrick Pearse mentions the Hag of Beara (Chailleach Bhéarra).

A performance of the song by Sibéal Ní Chasaide was featured as part of the 1916 Easter Rising centenary celebrations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGhblvkfitk

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Iains
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 11:36 AM

The third West Cork Brigade

We'll (C)raise our (D)voices in (G)Ireland's praise
Glad are our (C)hearts to-(G)day,
For (C)Ireland's sons have (D)proved their worth
In the good old I.R.A.
All (G)parts fought well for (C)Roisin Dubh [ lyrics ]
But we a record made.
In (G)good old Cork, in famed West Cork,
The Third West (C)Cork Bri(G)gade.

At Newcestown we struck a blow
For Ireland and Sinn Fein.
At Ballinhassig next we proved
Our rights we would maintain.
The English foe we twice laid low,
We faced them undismayed.
In good old Cork, in famed West Cork,
The Third West Cork Brigade.

The Black and Tans [ lyrics and chords ]to Ireland came
To send us to our doom.
Their doughtiest warriors sallied forth
In lorries from Macrom.
But at Kilmichael's [ lyrics ] bloody fight
Their conquering course was stayed
By good old Cork, by famed West Cork,
The Third West Cork Brigade.

Then at Crosbarry's battlefield
Our gallant boys saw red.
For ten to one the Saxon host
Before our onslaught fled.
And o'er the hills we made our way
While our gallant piper played
In good old Cork, in famed west Cork
The third west Cork brigade

Our boys fought well in every fight
we need not call a name
But Commandants Hales and Barry
Are now well known to fame
Napoleon like they led us on
with courage we obeyed
In good old Cork, in famed West Cork
The Third West Cork Brigade.

But in our triumphs we shan't forget
Our comrades brave who fell
Some sleep today in nameless graves
But soon their deeds will tell
In grateful Ireland brave and free
We'll have their names displayed
In good old Cork, in famed West Cork
The Third West Cork Brigade

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 11:44 AM

Ballyvourney is a Gaeltacht village in southwest County Cork, Ireland

https://www.itma.ie/features/printed-collections/songs-from-ballyvourney

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Pt
Date: 13 Aug 21 - 03:18 PM

Skibbereen vs Baltimore song I heard way back

Skib it is a dirty town, full of dust and woe
Baltimore is beautiful whichever bar you go

Skibbereen has shops and plenty of bars
But it smells like an old man
And we know how smelly they are

Baltimore has the views, you see
It has the sea, you can see
If you’re looking correctly

Skibbereen is sometimes choked with tractors
And I knew a girl there once I liked
But I couldn’t attract her

This is the song of two towns
One up, one down
One awful, one grand
One pavement, one sand

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: The Sandman
Date: 13 Aug 21 - 05:17 PM

i drove through ballyvourney today and had a good irish breakfast at the mills inn, but the breakfast did not inspire a song.
well that is a lot of bollocks about skibbereen, baltimore is full of yachty types and one pizza place is way overpriced,and is a bit overrated
skibbereen has had music outside in the centre during the lockdown summer some great trad music, it is not awful at all, it is a living town with a distillery, an arts centre and some good trad musicians baltimore is pretty enough but a bit of a clip joint. the best pub is caseys hotel

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Iains
Date: 14 Aug 21 - 04:08 AM

Here is one prepared earlier:

I travelled wide across the tide
And many a place I've been
There's many a place I've been
Switzerland, America and Africa I've been
There's not a spot throughout this world
When clothed in Summer bloom
Like dear old Ballyvourney near the town of sweet Macroom.
I've been to Gougane Barrow and the Pass of Céim an Fhiadh
I've been down to Queenstown and back through Bantry Bay
To the hills of Conemara, Galtee mountains and Slieve Bloom
Agus b'fhearr liom Ballyvourney near the town of sweet Macroom.
Famous Ballyvourney can boast of half a score
Captain of them was Patsie Quill from Inse Mór
He was a man of lofty intelect and nearest to the moon
That shines o'er Ballyvourney near the town of sweet Macroom.
There's doctor Lynch who is loved by every Ballyvourneyite
He is working for the Gaelic cause
From morning until night
His heart it was as big as the biggest rock in Cúam
He was king of Ballyvourney near the town of sweet Macroom.
Ballyvourney is a paradise for strangers going around
No place else in all this world its equal can't be found
And in conclusion let us hope
We will have a railway soon
In dear old Ballyvourney near the town of sweet Macroom

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: The Sandman
Date: 14 Aug 21 - 03:35 PM

in tge mills inn balyvourney there is a wonderful portrait to seamus creagh , the master sliabh luchra fiddler, gentleman and singer, r i p

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 17 Aug 21 - 07:42 AM

John Tom Gleeson was a poet/songwriter from Rylane, Cork, a bit north of Macroom. His best known song is probably 'The Bold Thady Quill'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Tom_Gleeson

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 17 Aug 21 - 08:07 AM

Also, Máire Bhuí Ní Laoghaire was a poet/songwriter from west Cork, near Ballingeary. She died in the mid 19th century but many of the songs she composed are still sung throughout Munster and Ireland.
See links for further information about her:

https://www.dib.ie/biography/ni-laoghaire-maire-bhui-a6189

https://muscrai.wordpress.com/2015/11/13/maire-bhui-ni-laoghaire-2/

BTW: The Muscraí Wordpress site is a great source of information and lyrics from the songs and singers of the Muscraí/Muskerry Gaeltacht in west Cork.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: Vic Smith
Date: 17 Aug 21 - 08:14 AM

I remember being told that Brian O'Rourke's Drumsnot was inspired by Durrus.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 20 Aug 21 - 07:48 AM

Yes Vic- it was when you stayed in our holiday house in Durrus, about   1995- we'd prepared our own local guide to the area & had recognised some similarities between the two!

Another point was that we were all in favour of visitors supporting local crafts, but if you did this by buying a bodhran, to please take it back with you & practice in the privacy of your own home, rather than at the local session.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Aug 21 - 12:00 PM

Thanks to everybody for their replies to this thread so far.

Other songs I have come across in recent weeks while searching online are The People of West Cork and Kerry by Jimmy MacCarthy and a song called The Third West Cork Brigade, of which their is a video on YouTube of Declan Hunt singing.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Aug 21 - 12:04 PM

ps: There is also a song called Glengarrif which was written by Thomas Davis.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Aug 21 - 12:19 PM

the boys of kilmichael

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 21 - 09:17 AM

I've found quite a few West Cork songs in the School's Collection whilst researching a book, Mizen: Rescued Folklore. I've yet to collect the melodies though. See list below.

Crookhaven
The Day Star - about a shipwreck in Crookhaven
The Hoche Expedition - about a shipwreck in Dunmanus Bay
The Wreck of Dunlough Bay - about the wrecking of a ship named the Memphis.
The Parish of Sweet Kilmoe - an emigre song
The Berehaven Regatta - about a regatta between the men of Crookhaven and Berehaven; still sung today
The Loss of the Lady Charlotte - another song about a shipwreck; there are numerous versions

Lissagriffin
The Bold Three Castles Head
The Hipped Old Horny Cow - written by a man named John Donovan from Mileen, Goleen
Dan Hurley's Daughter Han - another emigre song
Old Charlie - about an old but faithful horse
The Land of Canawee - another song about Charlie
Dhurode's Fair Hills and Valleys

There a loads more from other villages and townlands.

Mike
mike-baldwin.net

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 21 - 08:17 AM

Mike Baldwin, thanks for the reminder about the School's Collection!
I will have a look through the material on the Dúchas website.
It should be a good source of songs indeed!
Thanks for the songs you have listed.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: GUEST,Tom Patterson
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 03:10 PM

I mentioned my song about the loss of the Thomas Joseph earlier in this thread. I have since come across, in the Schools' Collection, the words of a song, "Thomas Joseph", presumably written not long after the incident in 1918. The song was written by Dan Mahony, known as "Dan the Fiddler". Apparently he was a well known local musician, poet and songwriter who wrote a number of other songs including "The Island of Cape Clear" which is also in the Schools' Collection.

Subject: RE: any West Cork songs?
From: Thompson
Date: 16 Nov 24 - 04:18 PM

I'm fond of the modern song Gortatagort by John Spillane, a moving celebration of place.
There's The Third West Cork Brigade
And some more.