Origins: The Patriot Mother

Subject: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Thompson
Date: 19 Aug 20 - 12:31 PM

What's the origin and date of The Patriot Mother (sung here by Lori Holland)?

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Thompson
Date: 19 Aug 20 - 12:47 PM

Earliest reference I've found is an 1845 songbook, The Ballad Poetry of Ireland, collected by Charles Gavan Duffy. There it's credited to 'Fionnula'. In 1878 The Emmet Songbook says it's by 'By Mrs. K. I. O'Doherty'.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Thompson
Date: 19 Aug 20 - 01:00 PM

As for who KI O'D is, Trove gives a link from the Queensland Figaro of 26 May 1910:

Death of Mrs. K. I. O'Doherty
The last practical link between Brisbane and the sensa-
tional incidents that marked the year 1848 was severed on
Saturday, when there breathed her last Mrs. Kevin Izod
O'Doherty, relict of the Irish patriot of that name, who,
after passing through vicissitudes that might well have
broken both health and spirit of any but a man of hercu-
lean constitution and indomitable spirit, spent the autumn
of his days in our midst, until, full of years and honour, he
passed away some five years ago. Mrs. O'Doherty, who
survived her husband, had no less a claim to the homage of
her compatriots, for in the 81 years of her life she also had
borne a heroine's part, displaying a faith and steadfastness
of purpose that are only too rare in these days. Those
who have had the privilege of reading her poems realise to
some extent at least the depth and sincerity of the woman
heart that could put aside her dearest loved one for hon-
our's sake, and all rejoice that her noble sacrifice should
not have been in vain. It was in the year 1829 that Miss
Mary Eva Kelly was born at Headford, County Galway, in
her grandfather O'Flaherty's house. Growing to young
womanhood among the beautiful scenery that surrounded her
native county, she was a poet even in childhood, and on the
appearance of "The Nation," a sheet edited by Chas. Gavin
Duffy, she became a more or less constant contributor. Her
first published poem was "The Banshee." After their mar-
riage Dr. and Mrs. O'Doherty arrived in Australia and set
tled in Brisbane, where they had five children, four sons and
a daughter, of whom, however, only Miss O'Doherty sur-
vives. Later, again, the old people returned to Ireland,
where Dr. O'Doherty was elected to represent Meath, and
took his seat in the House of Commons. Discovering dur-
ing his first session that there was but little that he could
accomplish for the cause, he finally resigned, ancl returned
to Queensland, where he died at the age of 81, in July,
1905. Mrs. O'Dogherty and her daughter were left practi-
cally unprovided for, but her splendid work was not forgot-
ten, and the whole Irish community in Australia rose to
establish a memorial fund by which the widow might have
those comforts so essential to old age. The matter being
satisfactorily arranged, she took up her residence at Rosa-
lie, and although in failing health was cheery and coura-
geous to the last. Her last public appearance was at the
concert given some years ago by Miss Marie Narelle, when
Mrs. O'Doherty presented that beautiful singer with a floral
token. The deceased lady was an invalid for some months,
and finally passed away on Saturday. Prayers were offered
in the cathedral on Sunday, but the news did not become
general until later. The funeral left the residence pf the
deceased.at 4 p.m. on Monday for the Toowong Cemetery,
where the interment took place beside her husband and son
Vincent, and close to other members of the family. The
service was taken by the Rev. Father Lee, assisted by Rev.
Father Byrne, and there was a goodly attendance. Mr. L.
O'Doherty, a grandson, was the chief mourner. The casket,
of plain polished wood, bore a silver plate, inscribed "Mary
Eva O'Doherty, aged 81, R.I.P." The arrangements were
carried out by Mrs. K. M. Smith.

==
And Wikipedia says Kevin Izod O'Dogherty was a Dublin medical student transported to Australia for 10 years for treason felony (after three trials) for some newspaper articles he wrote; forbidden to live in Britain or in Ireland on his return, he married his Galway fiancée, Mary Eva Kelly and they moved to Paris where he qualified in medicine, then they returned to Australia where he worked as a doctor and a politician, while she wrote for Charles Gavan Duffy, Thomas Davis and John Blake Dillom's's The Nation under the pseudonym Eva.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: cnd
Date: 22 Aug 20 - 06:30 PM

Here's the song in a songbook from 1843, the oldest one which came up for me on archive.org: https://archive.org/details/acompositevolume04rugg/page/126/mode/2up?q=The+Patriot+Mother

This book (click) attributes the song to Mrs. K. I. O'Doherty.

Several books subtitle the song as "A Ballad of '98" (though a few said '96 or '92).

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Thompson
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 02:02 AM

Ah, it's '98 all right - the 1798 Rising, after which there was mass lynching by the authorities of anyone involved in the United Irishmen even in their most peaceful and liberal-left of forms.

Funny enough, I came across a similar story but with a better ending in the Witness Statements from the War of Independence - a child who'd been brought up to be adamantly anti-republican; the Black-and-Tans burst into the house, took him out and put a gun to his head and demanded to know where some local Volunteers were. He refused to tell them, his mother standing by and watching the while, and eventually they went away without shooting. He asked his mother if she'd been afraid they'd shoot him; no, she said, she was only afraid he'd tell.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 03:02 AM

Hi, folks - remember that we're a lyrics site, and we really like to have lyrics posted.
Here's a recording by Lori Holland:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5agGtKSQQnc

But the album notes are missing from the Smithsonian Folkways Website.

---

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry:

Patriot Mother, The

DESCRIPTION: "'Come tell us the name of the rebelly crew Who lifted the pike on the Curragh with you.'" The captured rebel's mother tells the young man that she would rather see him dead than turn traitor. He holds fast and is hanged
AUTHOR: Mary Eva Kelly (1826-1910) (source: Moylan)
EARLIEST DATE: 1888 (Sparling)
KEYWORDS: prisoner mother children Ireland patriotic execution
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (3 citations):
PGalvin, pp. 85-86, "The Patriot Mother" (1 text, 1 tune)
Moylan 54, "The Patriot Mother" (1 text, 1 tune)
ADDITIONAL: H. Halliday Sparling, Irish Minstrelsy (London, 1888), pp. 393-394, "The Patriot Mother"
NOTES [23 words]: Sparling, re Eva Mary Kelly (p. 502): "One of the poetesses of the Nation." Sparling does not credit her with "The Patriot Mother." - BS
File: PGa085

---

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2020 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: ADD: The Patriot Mother
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 03:19 AM

Looks like maybe I found the whole thing at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4583322/4579692/4649893. But I can't tell if there are more than three verses. And it sure doesn't match the Lori Holland recording.

THE PATRIOT MOTHER

I
Come, tell us the name of the rebelly crew.
Who lifted the pike on the Curragh with you;
Come, tell us the treason, and then you'll be free
Or right quickly you'll swing on the high gallows tree.
A leanbh! A leanbh! the shadow of shame has never yet fallen on one of your name;
And oh! may the food from my bosom you drew.
In your veins turn to poison, if you turn untrue.

II
The foul words - oh! let them not blacken your tongue,
That would prove to your friends and your country a wrong.
Or the curse of a mother so bitter and dread.
With the wrath of the Lord - may they fall on your head!
I have no one but you in the whole world wide.
Yet false to your pledge you'd ne'er stand at my side:
If a traitor you lived, you'd be father away.
From my hearth than if true, you were wrapped in the clay.

III
Oh! deeper and darker the mourning would be,
For your falsehood so base, than your death proud and free.
Dearer, for dearer than ever to me.
My darling you'll be on the brave gallows tree,
Tis holy, a gradh, from the bravest (gallon) and best,
Go ! go! from my heart, and be join'd with the rest.


Could it be that the original is a Poem by Yeats?

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Thompson
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 03:23 AM

From The Ballad Poetry of Ireland, edited by Charles Gavan Duffy

THE PATRIOT MOTHER. A BALLAD OF '98

"Come, tell us the name of the rebelly crew,
Who lifted the pike on the Curragh with you
Come, tell us their treason, and then you'll be free.
Or by heavens you shall swing from the high gallows
tree."

"Alanna! alanna, the shadow of shame
Has never yet fallen upon one of your name,
And oh! may the food from my bosom you drew,
In your veins turn to poison, if you turn untrue.
The foul words — oh! let them not blacken your tongue,
That would prove to your friends and your country a
wrong.

"Or the curse of a mother, so bitter and dread.
With the wrath of the Lord — may they fall on your head
I have no one but you in the whole world wide,
Yet false to your pledge you'd ne'er stand at my side
If a traitor you liv'd, you'd be farther away
From my heart than, if true, you were wrapp'd in the
clay.

"Oh! deeper and darker the mourning would be,
For your falsehood so base, than your death proud and
free,
Dearer, far dearer than ever to me,
My darling you'll be on the brave gallows tree.

"'Tis holy, agra, from the bravest and best
Go! go from my heart, and be join'd with the rest,
Alanna, machree! O, alanna, machree!
Sure a 'stag' and a traitor you never will be."

There's no look of a traitor upon the young brow
That's raised to the tempters so haughtily now
No traitor e'er held up the firm head so high
No traitor e'er show'd such a proud flashing eye.
On the high gallows tree! on the brave gallows tree
Where smil'd leaves and blossoms, his sad doom met he
But it never bore blossom so pure or so fair,
As the heart of the martyr that hangs from it there.

==
Alanna - a leanbh; vocative of leanbh, child
Alanna machree; child of my heart
Agra - a grá; vocative of grá, love

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 03:26 AM

Ah, bless you, Thompson.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Thompson
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 03:48 AM

#Bows

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Thompson
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 03:54 AM

Oh, and 'stag' is an informer, from the Irish term staig (pronounced stag).

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 09:01 AM

Hadn’t heard “stag” used in that sense before, in either language! A quick check suggests the direction of movement is moot - it was in English slang in the 18th C.

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: Thompson
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 02:35 PM

Apparently all words in Irish starting with "st" are of foreign origin, not from Old Irish.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Patriot Mother
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 03:30 PM

Very interesting.

Regards