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Lyr ADD: The Boys of Barr na Sraide
Related threads:
Lyr Add: The Boys of Barr na Sraide (w/RA) (33)
Lyr Req: Boys of barr na sraide (45)
Lyr Req: Boys of Barr na Sraide (Arcady) (3)
Lyr req: The Boys of Barr Na Sraide (5)
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Subject: Irish Rebel Boys of Barr na sraide From: Peadar Date: 29 Jul 99 - 03:13 AM I am looking for the words to a song called "the boys of barr na sraide" about the war of independence. Thanks |
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Subject: Lyr Add: BOYS OF BARR NA SRAIDE (Sigerson Clifford From: Brakn Date: 29 Jul 99 - 05:07 AM Is this the one you wanted? regards Mick Bracken BOYS OF BARR NA SRAIDE (Sigerson Clifford) Oh the town it climbs the mountain and looks upon the sea At sleeping time or waking time, it's there I'd like to be To walk again those kindly streets, the place where life began With those boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren With cudgels stout they roamed about to hunt for the dreolin We searched for birds from every furze from Litir to Dooneen We danced for joy beneath the sky life held no print or plan When the boys of Barr na Sraide went hunting for the wren And when the hills were bleeding and the rifles were aflame To the rebel hills of Kerry the Saxon strangers came But the men who dared the Auxies and who fought the Black and Tan Were those boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren But now they toil in foreign soil where they have made their way Deep in the heart of London town or over in Broadway And I am left to sing their deeds and praise them while I can Those boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren And here's a health to them tonight wherever they may be By the groves of Carham river or the slopes of Bi na Ti John Daly and Batt Andy and the Sheehans, Con and Dan And the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren When the wheel of life runs out and peace comes over me Just take me back to that old town between the hills and sea I'll take my rest in those green fields, the place where life began With those boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren |
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Subject: RE: Irish Rebel Boys of Barr na sraide From: alison Date: 29 Jul 99 - 10:40 PM I have done out the tune for this and as soon as I can get my sequencer to behave and play it back I'll post it...... slainte alison |
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Subject: RE: Irish Rebel Boys of Barr na sraide From: PJ Curtis Date: 30 Jul 99 - 03:19 PM Check out the Kerry Traditional singer, Sean Garvey's new alum' Out Of The Ground' for the definative version of the song. pjc |
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Subject: Tune Add: BOYS OF BARR NA SRAIDE From: alison Date: 31 Jul 99 - 02:43 AM Hi, Here's the tune as taken from the Christy Moore songbook. slainte alison
MIDI file: BOYSOF~1.MID Timebase: 480 Name: BOYS OF BARR NA SRAIDE This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X:1
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Subject: RE: Irish Rebel Boys of Barr na sraide From: Bruce from Bathurst Date: 31 Jul 99 - 04:21 AM The poem was written by Sigerson Clifford, whose son lives right here in Bathurst, although I seem to remember that his father was from Caherciveen in south west Co. Kerry. My brush with fame! Slainte Bruce |
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Subject: RE: Irish Rebel Boys of Barr na sraide From: Peadar Date: 06 Aug 99 - 05:27 AM Thanks to all those who wrote back. I appreciate it. |
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Subject: RE: Irish Rebel Boys of Barr na sraide From: Red Date: 06 Aug 99 - 01:28 PM Peadar, The song that you seek is on an album (I have the vinyl - I'm not sure of the availability on CD)Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, & Jimmy Faulkner Live In Dublin. There was a lyric sheet included with the record. it is a wonderful version. They don't come any better than Christy Moore. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,seamus.a.fleming@aib.ie Date: 18 Dec 03 - 05:20 AM where exactly is 'Barr na Sraide'and what is the story behiend the poem. many thanks seamus.a.fleming@aib.ie |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Date: 18 Dec 03 - 05:44 AM Its in Caherciveen (sp.?). Poem was originally published as "Hunting the Wren in South Kerry". Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Big Tim Date: 18 Dec 03 - 10:43 AM It is not a place name, but is the Irish language name of the street in Cahersiveen (the more common spelling, and certainly the form used locally), meaning "top, or, high street", where Sigerson Clifford (1913-85) was brought up. He was actually born in Cork but his family moved to Kerry when he was but a nipper. I posted quite a lot about him on one of the other Threads a while back. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: MartinRyan Date: 19 Dec 03 - 08:05 AM Ah come on Big Tim .... when is the name of a place not a placename! BG! Regards p.s For some reason, I'm always unsure about that "s" - even though it is perfectly logical |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Date: 19 Dec 03 - 08:33 AM In fact, a quick search shows that both Church and State c i to i on this one! Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Big Tim Date: 19 Dec 03 - 02:33 PM It's a great song anyway! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Big Tim Date: 19 Dec 03 - 03:27 PM Seriously, you won't find "Barr na Sraide" in gazetteers: I tried! Quite simply, it's the name of a street in Cahersiveen, which means "stone fort of Saidhbhin". Locally, it's known as "Caher", but in this context it's probably wise to use the full name, to avoid confusion with Cahir, in Tipperary, sometimes spelt at Caher! Is that clear?! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Date: 19 Dec 03 - 03:29 PM Clare? Who mentioned clare? Regards p.s. How did she get here? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Big Tim Date: 19 Dec 03 - 03:35 PM I said "seriously"! Martin, have you been communing with Arthur G? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Date: 20 Dec 03 - 03:49 AM No Arthurian links, Big Tim - just wandering through the pronunciation of "clear" in Irish placenames or names of places - not all of which are likely to be found in gazeteers. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Big Tim Date: 20 Dec 03 - 11:14 AM Anyway...I have a copy of the lyrics signed by Sigerson Clifford, dated 10 June 1970. At the top of the page is a drawing by local artist Sean O'Shea, captioned "Barr na Sraide, Cahersiveen". It's a street scene (but also a place(!), complete with a little wren. I've also got a street plan of Cahersiveen. "High Street" is on the edge of the Town and runs straight along to the Carhan (not Carham, as in CM's version) River, changing its name as it goes: Old Road, Fair Green, Rocky Road. This is the precise location where Daniel O'Connell was born, in Carhan House. The story behind the song? Been discussed before. It's what you make of it. For me, it's primarly a nostalgic song about childhood and a celebration of place. Others prefer to emphasise the one political verse. In Caher itself it's known as the "Anthem of Cahersiveen" and is seen mainly as a celebration of the Town, the song that put it on the map, as Cahersiveen not Barr na Sraide! (Sorry Martin). PS When I was a boy in rural Ireland, the "street" was simply the area in front of the house. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Mickey191 Date: 20 Dec 03 - 11:50 AM Does this song have anything to do with a song called Banna Strand which I recall from my childhood--lovely melody but I can't recall the lyrics? Some connection to Sir Roger Casement & his trying to get arms from germany to Eire. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Big Tim Date: 20 Dec 03 - 01:50 PM "Banna Strand" is a different song. It is indeed about the capture and execution of Sir Roger Casement in 1916. Whether or not he was bringing in guns or trying to get to Dublin to call off the Easter Rebellion is a subject, still, for disagreement among historians. (I'd be surprised if "Banna Strand" isn't in the DT). |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,uscaper@hotmail.com Date: 25 Jan 05 - 09:03 PM Should go something like this.......phoneticlly....I think. "THE BOYS OF BAWR NHA SHRAWDHE" BAWR/top NHA/of the SHRAWDH/ street. Translated, it is THE BOYS OF THE TOP OF THE STREET, not HIGH STREET. I think the reference probably is to a street that runs up a hill. ???? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST Date: 25 Jan 05 - 09:59 PM I Irish word for village is Sraid baille literally "street town" and almost every village in Ireland had a Barr Na Sraidé. It was the area at the end of the town where the young men would congragate for a bit of sport and amusement after the chores of the day were finished. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Com Seangan Date: 26 Jan 05 - 11:18 AM My own favourite singer of Barr na Sraide was Sean O Siochain, a well known baritone who performed weekly on Radio Eireann's "Aroundd the Fuire" programme. He had a lovely voice and he put great feeling into this song. He later became General Secretary of the GAA. At Sean's funeral some years ago they played Barr na Sraide. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: belfast Date: 26 Jan 05 - 02:29 PM Christy Moore says that he first heard the song from Mick Hipkiss in Birmingham. Elsewhere I have heard him say that he learnt it from Sean Garvey. The tune seems to be a close variant of "The Flower of Sweet Strabane". Unless it's exactly the same tune. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: MartinRyan Date: 26 Jan 05 - 03:22 PM Not a million miles away from it certainly! "Strabane" and "Star of the County Down" cover a multitude! Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Cornelius Sullivan Date: 30 Jul 06 - 01:28 AM Boys of Barr Na Sraide....was written by my Grandfather Dan o curran (courtney) from Maulin Caherciveen you can ask anyone from Waterville/ Dromid area they all know who wrote the song originally its sad to see Clifford getting all the praise for something he didnt do Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Jane Earl Date: 30 Jul 06 - 01:42 AM I do not like you. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Manfred Kleiner Date: 29 Jan 07 - 08:17 AM Pauline Scanlon gives a very impressive unaccompanied rendering of The Boys on "Red Colour Sun", with slight text variations. Well woth listening to! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: MartinRyan Date: 29 Jan 07 - 08:35 AM Niamh Parsons, who recorded this with Arcady some years ago, tells me that, although the poem was only published in the 1950's, it had been written earlier and was already being sung. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Sean Doyle Date: 03 Feb 07 - 09:36 AM A truly fine song that captures the gentleness and courage of spirited men. I can scarcely prevent myself from weeping while listening to Christy Moore's rendition. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Declan Date: 03 Feb 07 - 01:49 PM Niamh has recently re-recorded the song with Graham Dunne on their Live at Fylde Album". At the risk of stirring up a huge controversy on this forum, I think this song is an example of a relatively recent song of known authorship (apart from the claims above) which has already well and truly entered the tradition. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Michael Sullivan Date: 26 Jul 07 - 04:46 PM The Song "Boys of Barr na Staide" Was In Fact Written By My Grandfather Dan Courtney of Caherciveen Co Kerry and NOT by Sigerson Clifford as people are led to believe. It is high time that my grandfather is given the credit that he truly deserved ! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,meself Date: 26 Jul 07 - 04:58 PM I have no opinion one way or the other on the authorship of this beautiful song. However, Michael, it looks like you will have to offer some kind of evidence to convince some of the others here ... If that's impossible, well, at least you've made the statement, and maybe somebody will come across some relevant evidence. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Steve Shaw Date: 26 Jul 07 - 04:58 PM "Live in Dublin" with Christy's wonderful version was indeed released on CD. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Graeme Date: 28 Aug 07 - 08:10 AM In the song, "Wren" (no matter which Irish artist is sining) sounds like - to my ears - Ran, or Rand. Could someone please explain to me what a Wren is? Is it like some kind of game animal: e.g. deer, mountain goat, country bird. What is it? PS - I also first heard this song on a Wolftones album. They do a spirited version as well. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Keinstein Date: 28 Aug 07 - 08:48 AM The only British/ Irish species of wren is a short, fat, stubby bird that sticks its tail up in the air and shouts loudly. It is typically only 2 or 3 inches long, and is as full of life as a spring roll is full of bean sprouts. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Date: 28 Aug 07 - 08:52 AM "wran" is a stylised Irish pronunciation used when referring to the ritual rather than the bird itself. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Elizabeth Date: 28 Aug 07 - 01:38 PM http://www.dingle-peninsula.ie/wren.html |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Caoimhin O Curnain Date: 19 Oct 09 - 09:55 AM It is widely accepted down here in South Kerry that Dan Courtney living 8 miles south of Cahirciveen composed this song. the last verse was changed , Dan originally wrote And when i take my long last sleep and death shall come to me then lay me down by that old town beneath the hills and sea Ill take my sleep in those green fields where first my life began where the Boys of barr na Sraide went hunting for the wren. A new book called Songs of Iveragh has just been published , a no of Dans other songs have now been published. www.binneas.com Dan Courtney / Donal O Curnain ( 1888 - 1963) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: OlgaJ Date: 19 Oct 09 - 10:15 AM In Caherciveen this song is treated as the town's anthem and woe betide anyone who dares to speak while it is being sung. There is some local dispute as to who actually wrote it but it is usually attributed to Sigerson Clifford. The version I have is from a CD by Tim Dennehy called Between the Mountains and the Sea (SRCD004), a collection of songs from the poems of Sigerson Clifford, well worth a listen if you like these sort of songs or are interested in that part of South West Kerry. He tends to sing with quite a strong local accent though. There's a great campsite outside the town called Mannix Point if you are ever down that way. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Big Tim Date: 19 Oct 09 - 03:47 PM Is there any way that the true authorship of the song can be verified? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: OlgaJ Date: 19 Oct 09 - 03:52 PM Probably not as there are at least two families claiming it. I'm an outsider who thinks the song is brilliant but I wouldn't want to get involved in the politics of it. I've got lots of friends in the area and wouldn't want to upset any of them. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Niamh Parsons Date: 25 Oct 09 - 04:28 PM These are the exact lyrics I sing - most of them I got from 'The Ballads of a Bog Man' by Seigerson Clifford, but some I might have changed over the years - the important difference between this and the version just posted is 'to walk again that kindly street' as opposed to plural 'streets' and I sing we 'sang for joy'.... One of my all time favourite songs.... BOYS OF BARR NA SRAIDE (Sigerson Clifford) Oh the town it climbs the mountain and looks out upon the sea At sleeping time or waking, it's there I long to be To walk again that kindly street, the place where life began With the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren With cudgels stout they roamed about to hunt the dreolin We searched for birds in every furze from Litir to Dooneen We sang for joy beneath the sky life held no print or plan And the boys of Barr na Sraide went hunting for the wren And when the hills were bleeding and the rifles they were aflame To the rebel hills of Kerry the Saxon stranger came But the men who dared the Auxies and who fought the Black and Tans Were the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren And here's a health to those tonight, those boys who laughed with me By the groves of Carham river or the slopes of Bi na Ti John Daly and Batt Andy and the Sheehans, Con and Dan they're the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren But now they toil in foreign soil where they have made their way Deep in the heart of London town or over on Broadway And I am left to sing their deeds and praise them while I can Those boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren and when the wheel of life runs down and peace comes over me Oh lay me down in that old town between the hills and sea I'll take my sleep in those green fields, the place where life began With the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST Date: 25 Oct 09 - 04:32 PM Definitely written by Siegerson Clifford -http://openlibrary.org/b/OL12005168M/Ballads_of_a_Bogman |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Liberty Boy Date: 25 Oct 09 - 04:37 PM Can one of the friendly gnomes please combine the two Barr na Sraide threads? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Another Guest... Date: 25 Oct 09 - 04:52 PM GUEST The image in your link is of the original 1950's edition of Ballads of a Bogman which does NOT include the song/poem. That said, as of now, we have no evidence, other than the claim of the Courtney family, that Clifford did NOT write the song. Which is not to reject that claim - just to wait and see if any other evidence turns up. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,O Curnain Date: 05 Nov 09 - 09:10 AM with ref to thread above (definitely written by sigerson clifford) the openlibrary link mentioned is for the ballads of a bogman 1993 edition. The song does not appear in the first edition of 1955. Sigerson had this song earlier than 1955, so why was it not published in the first edition? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: GUEST,Dingle Spike Date: 14 Sep 10 - 10:58 AM Best version of this song I ever heard was sung by a kerryman called Jack McCarthy from Waterville who was part of the group Dingle Spike in London. He still lives there as far as i know and that band were largely responsible for keeping the Folk and ballad tradition alive in the 70s/80s in London, along with a few other smaller Irish groups.They influenced a lot of the bands who came later including The Pogues and Shane McGowan mentions them in his book. In fact several ex Dingle Spike members did play with the Pogues at diferent times and also with the irish based Celtic rock group Zozimus in the 90s. But back to the song and you could hear a pin drop in The Swan in Stockwell London or The Archway Tavern in Holloway when Jack sang his songs from South Kerry and that was one of them. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide From: Rog Peek Date: 11 Nov 12 - 06:00 AM Just looked at Caherciveen on Google maps and it shows "Barr Na Shraide" running from "Old Post Office Street" to "The Old Road"? Rog |
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