Lyr ADD: The Ducks of Magheralin

Subject: Ducks of Marilyn
From: Tyghress
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 01:24 PM

Okay, it isn't 'ducks' its 'docks' and it isn't Marilyn, its. . .I'm not sure where.

I remember only scraps of this jaunty song, and I'm looking for the lyrics.

"Oh it is the finest....... A credit to the. . . . . The pride of the Emerald Isle! It has the finest harbor for the redcoats to sail in And if ever you go to Ireland you'll sail by "marilyn".

Can anyone help me?

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 01:51 PM

Oh what a shame.........
I was expecting to find a wonderful duck song
Oh well - Never mind.
Quack!!!!!
Geoff the Duck!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN
From: Quincy
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 02:49 PM

Here you go......
THE DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN

It is just about a year ago that I went to see the King,
And on my voyage in Ulster my troubles they were twin;
He decorated me with medals, and they were made of tin,
"Go home," says he, "you kittery. You're the Mayor of Magheralin.

CHORUS

Oh! It is a grand old city in the good old ancient style,
A credit to old Co. Down and the pride of Erin's Isle;
It has an excellent harbour where the breadcarts all sail in,
And when you visit Ireland you will come to Magheralin.

My father he's a tinker and he works among the tin,
My mother she's a weaver and she comes shuttling in;
My brother he's a ploughboy and he ploughs the raging main,
And we all were educated in the town of Magheralin.

The king he came to Ireland and he sailed across the Boyne,
He brought with him a ton of wax and ninety balls of twine,
And then he gave an order for the cobblers to begin
To make ten thousand pairs of clogs for the ducks of Magheralin.

You've heard about Napoleon, Napoleon Bonaparte,
He conquered all of Europe in nearly every art;
He thought he'd conquer Ireland, but he never could get in,
For he died in St. Helena when he thought of Magheralin.


I have it on a tape if you need it,
best wishes, Yvonne

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn
From: Tyghress
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 02:54 PM

I'm shocked and astonished that there really are ducks in this song! I thought my hearing and memory were incorrect!

Thanks, Yvonne. . .can you give me the name/artist so I can track this puppy down?

Subject: Lyr Add:Ducks Ducks of Magheralin
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 03:06 PM

I found this:
Ducks of Magheralin

Barley Bree. Castles in the Air, Shanachie 52010, LP (1985), cut#A.01
Glenfolk 4. Glenfolk 4, London LL 3413, LP (196?), cut#B.01

From:http://folkindex.mse.jhu.edu/D10.htm

(also adding an Add in the subject box)
Before Mario asks, can someone do a tune?

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn
From: okthen
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 03:22 PM

Never has my flabber been so ghasted! I saw the original post and thought "they'll never track this one down" brilliant, my hat's off to you quincy and sorcha.

bill

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 03:28 PM

Hey, don't hat off to me! I looked and couldn't find a blasted thing. I just found the discography after Quincy found the correct title. It is rather incredible! Should we ask that the thread title be changed to the correct spelling or leave as is? I for one, will never remember the correct spelling!

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn
From: GUEST,LynnT
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 03:32 PM

And here I thought you were talking about a Marilyn Monroe rubber duckie among the flock at celebriducks.com!

If you haven't seen these yet, they're just wonderful: Queen Elizabeth, Shakespeare, James Brown (complete with mike and gold chain), Carmen Miranda, Dracula, and many more, all done up as rubber duckies. But they don't have Marilyn yet.

Nothing to do with either Ireland or songs, though, so I apologise for the thread creep.

LynnT

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn
From: MMario
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 03:36 PM

previous thread here ---

and yes, does any one have a tune for EITHER version?

Subject: Tune Add: MINER'S LOCKOUT / CASTLES IN THE AIR
From: Snuffy
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 08:04 PM

From Sorcha's post, Castles in the Air is a very common tune, and seems to go to this. I'm sure it's in the DT several times already, but here it is again:

X: 8
T:Miner's Lockout, The
T:Castles in the Air
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:1/4=120
K:D
P:A
A,3|
DD2 D2F|A,2A, A,2A,|D2D D2E|F3- F2F |
G2G G2B|A2F D2E |FF2 E2D|E3- E2A,|
D2D D2F|A,2A, A,2A,|D2D D2E|F3- F2F |
G2B BB2|A2F D2E |F2G F2E|D3 ||
P:B
|:A3|
BB2 B2A|A3 F2D |EF2 E2D|B,3-B,2A,|
D2D D2E|F2G A2G |F2G F2E|D3 :|

And anything that can be sung to Castles in the Air is often also sung to 'Tramps and Hawkers' (tunefile [PADWEST in the DT).

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn
From: MMario
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 08:17 PM

thanks snuffy!

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST,McGrath
Date: 17 Dec 01 - 09:36 PM

Spelling it Marilyn is more likely to get people closer to the right kind of pronunciation than Magheralin is.

But is there any history to it?

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: Aidan Crossey
Date: 18 Dec 01 - 07:45 AM

I was brought up not that far (geographically) from Magheralin but a quare distance spiritually from the place. If oul' ard mhacha's readin' this post he'll have a rare laugh at thon!

Anyway ... I think somebody somewhere's a wee bit confused as to the tune in the posting above. "Castles In The Air" is another song which Barley Bree perform.

Most people in my neck of the woods could whistle or lilt you the air, if not give you the words and it's been used for other songs (e.g. the late Jimmy Creaney's "Going To The Dogs" ... there you go Jimmy, another plug ...Ni bheidh ar leitheidi aris ann!"). If I have time I might be able to write it out in abc ...

It's one of those songs, like Lurgan Town, which is claimed by both loyalists and nationalists. You'll hear it played by any amount of Billy bands ... but at the same time you'll hear taigs giving it a golder on the grounds that it takes the piss out of the Billy boys.

However if ard mhacha is watching this thread, maybe he'll give us a wee bit more Lurgan gen on the song?

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 18 Dec 01 - 07:56 AM

Well QUACK!!!!!!!
It WAS a duck song after all!
I'll have to learn it.
GtD!

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: Aidan Crossey
Date: 18 Dec 01 - 07:58 AM

Oh and by the way, if people are interested in other songs emanating from the same part of the world as The Ducks Of Magheralin, they could do worse than check out the following sections in the web page whose link appears below - "The Ghost Goes Home", "The Lurgan Tarry", "More Stuff From Creaney", "Give Us An Oul' Song There", "Lurgan Braes", "Songs and Tunes From Lurgan", "The Bonny Green Tie", "More Parochial Excellence From Jimmy Creaney", "The Derrymacash Meeting" and "Three Songs From Jimmy Creaney". Sure, when you're there why not take a look around the rest of the site. It's good stuff (but then I might be biased!).

Pay The Reckoning's Rants and Raves

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN
From: MudGuard
Date: 18 Dec 01 - 01:51 PM

Some more verses I got (the given verses are slightly varied in my recording) as a recording by "The Glen Folk Four":

Oh you've heard of Cleopatra
The treasure of the Nile
And how she conquered Tony
With one adoring smile
She tried to conquer Ireland
But they would not give in
And they beat her rife with cabbage leaves
From the town of Magheralin

Oh you've heard of good king William
King William crossed the Boyne
With a hundred thousand balls of wax
And a thousand balls of twine
And then he gave the order
For the cobblers to begin
For to make a thousand pairs of boots
For the ducks of Magheralin

Oh you've heard of Mussolini
That great Italian bum
And how his troops in Africa
Were always on the run
You've heard of Winston Churchill
He always wore a grin
For he knew the Ulster rifles
Was all born in Magheralin

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 18 Dec 01 - 06:36 PM

Is Magheralin the same place as Magherally in the song 'The Flower of Magherally'?

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: Aidan Crossey
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 04:40 AM

Susanne ...

They're not a million miles apart, but they're not the same place ... Magherally is nearer to Banbridge, Co Down than to Lurgan, Co Armagh in whose hinterland Magheralin lies.

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 05:56 AM

OK, I've got a peculiar sense of humour but this thread title conjures up a vision of Ms Monroe singing "I want to be loved by you, quack quacka quack" or "Quack quack Mr President" or "Running Wild, quack quack quack".
RtS(all ideas freely available to Geoff and the rest of the Ducks to take and run with!)

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 01:09 PM

My old A Chara Derrymacash directed me to this thread and there is very little more to add. The "song" has been around a time longer than my three score and three years, I heard it crucified when a boy,by many an ancient drunk as he bodyswerved his way home to"the hole in the hedge"Maheralin in the County Down. It is seldom if ever sung to-day, and as Derrymacash says the only time you will hear it now, is when the local Billy Boys belt it out on their "kick the Pope bands". That really insured its death. Slan Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 01:13 PM

Sorry Sorcha, it is spelt Magheralin.Slan Ard Mhacha

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 01:58 PM

The Billy Bands play all kinds of tunes that survive the experience. The best tunes cross the divide and turn up with songs in both traditions anyway. Even the Sash (which is a Scottish tune to begin with)is used for a good Scottish Republican Song.

Leaving aside the hate songs, songs from both traditions should be celebrated. Especially by anyone who believes that at the end of the day there's one Ireland.

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: Aidan Crossey
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 05:19 PM

ard mhacha, a chara

Is the fount dried up?

Is there nobody back in Spadetown that knows where the ducks originated. For my part I think the docks/ducks wordplay is significant and I reckon it's the product of a handful of tims attempting to deflate a few wiliamite egos by mocking some of their pretensions ... but I could well be wrong. I often am!

What about the likes of Francie McCorry? Would he be a good source for info on song origins or is his local history bent a bit more serious?

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Dec 01 - 06:21 PM

Someone send for Frank Harte.

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 03:55 AM

I realise this Mudcat Site probes into the whys and wherefores of each and every folk song, but I ask you, The Ducks of Magheralin?. I remember it being sung by old men who had served in World War 1, and it was usually sang to amuse children, since that time numerous verses have been added to it by anyone who took the fancy,The Glenfolk Four etc. And as for Frank Harte adding to this, I very much doubt it, it didn`t travel too far, as Derrymacash says he was surprised to see it on the Mudcat. I am willing to bet that the origins of this song are forever lost in the mists of time and I wouldn`t be unduly worried. Slan Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 04:28 AM

The song has certainly penetrated throughout Ireland. Over the years, I've heard a good few singers (and a few good singers) produce it on occasion. Not sure if I've heard Frank do it - but its a fairly safe bet he has. I'll ask him if he knows anything about its origin. For that matter, John Moulden is also a likely source of info.

Regards

p.s. I've never heard the ducks/docks theory before.

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 06:18 AM

THE DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN
From "The Best of Barley Bree", Shanachie 52039
Copyright 1995 Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

It was just about a year ago I went to see the Queen
She decked me out with medals, and the trimmings they were green.
She decked me out with medals, but they were made of tin,
"Ah, go home," says she, "ye rascal, you're the Mayor of Magheralin."

CHORUS:
Oh! It is a grand old city in the fine old country style,
A credit to the County Down, the pride of the Emerald Isle;
It has the finest harbour for the red [carts? Turks? trucks? ducks?] to sail in,
And if ever ye sail to Ireland, you'll sail by Magheralin.

You've heard of Cleopatra, the treasure of the Nile
And how she conquered Tony with one alluring smile,
She tried to conquer Ireland, but they would not give in,
And they beat her out with cabbage leaves from the town of Magheralin.

CHORUS

You've heard of great King William, that boy across the Boyne
With a hundred balls of sealing wax and a thousand yards of twine.
And then he gave the orders for the cobblers to begin
For to make a thousand pair of boots for the ducks of Magheralin.

CHORUS

You've heard of great Napoleon, Napoleon Bonaparte,
He conquered half of Europe and tried the other part,
He tried to conquer Ireland, but we would not give in,
And he died in St. Helena when he thought of Magheralin.

CHORUS
(Repeat)

MIDI file: MAGHERAL.MID

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 2/4 24 8
Tempo: 120 (500000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0360 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 60 064 0144 0 60 064 0036 1 60 064 0048 0 60 064 0012 1 62 064 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 064 0144 0 65 064 0036 1 69 064 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 064 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 064 0192 0 65 064 0168 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 064 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 064 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 064 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 064 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 064 0288 0 72 064 0072 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 064 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 064 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 74 064 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 064 0225 0 72 064 0015 1 65 064 0113 0 65 064 0067 1 67 064 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 60 064 0144 0 60 064 0036 1 60 064 0048 0 60 064 0012 1 62 064 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 69 064 0057 0 69 064 0003 1 69 064 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 064 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 064 0225 0 65 064 0015 1 65 064 0144 0 65 064 0036 1 67 064 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 60 064 0144 0 60 064 0036 1 60 064 0048 0 60 064 0012 1 62 064 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 064 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 064 0288 0 65 064 0072 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 064 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 72 064 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 74 064 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 064 0057 0 69 064 0003 1 69 064 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 65 064 0057 0 65 064 0003 1 65 064 0048 0 65 064 0012 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 064 0288 0 72 064 0072 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 70 064 0096 0 70 064 0024 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 74 064 0096 0 74 064 0024 1 72 064 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 72 064 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 064 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 72 064 0096 0 72 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 72 064 0192 0 72 064 0048 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 064 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 69 064 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 60 064 0144 0 60 064 0036 1 60 064 0048 0 60 064 0012 1 62 064 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 69 064 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 064 0096 0 65 064 0024 1 64 064 0113 0 64 064 0007 1 67 064 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 65 064 0192 0 65 064
End

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
T:
M:2/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
F8|A2A2C3C|D2F2F3A|G2F2E2G2|F6A2|^A2^A2^A2c2|
d2c4cd|c2A2F2A2|c6c2|^A2^A2^A2c2|d2c4d2|c2A2F2A2|
c4F3G|A2A2C3C|D2F2F2AA|G2F2E2G2|F4F3G|A2A2C3C|
D2F2F2A2|G2F2E2G2|F6A2|^A2^A2^A2c2|d2c2c3d|
c2AAFFA2|c6A2|^A2^A2^A2c2|d2c4cd|c2A2F2A2|
c4F2G2|AAA2C3C|D2F2F2A2|G2F2E2G2|F3||

jOHN

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: Aidan Crossey
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 06:23 AM

Do the ducks of marilyn roost near the cliffs of mohair?

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 06:31 AM

Fair play to you John in Kansas, that`s me torpedoed, I must tell my Magheralin mates they are World famous. It`s still a bloody awful song. Slan Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 07:49 AM

The words look harmless enough, and I like the idea of the ducks - Quincy's version look better to me. As for the tune, I'm curious - but that link for the abc programme in John's post doesn't seem to work.

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 07:48 PM

McG

The link is embedded in the program, and unfortunately isn't any good - but can't readily be removed. I guess we should look at whether the link can be deleted before posting.

I'm told there is a new link (that does work) in the mudcat FAQ.

We're on the way to a session, but I'll try to look it up when we get back - if you can't find it.

John

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 03:41 AM

McG

The link in the tune posting - as you noted - doesn't work.

You can download the miditxt files directly from MIDITxt

If you lose this thread, you can go to the FAQ - do a search on the FAQ page for "miditext" and it should take you to this same link at New Link to Miditext

If you'd really rather work with the ABC notation, you can get the software from The abc Homepage.

John

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 07:41 PM

Marin Ryan appeals to my knowledge of this. Unfortunately I have none save that I sang it in my youth when it was innoccuous and when I and my Scout companions learned it from the Ulster Student Song Book. It's one of those songs with variable verses; updated by every new folk group and why not. It has the stamp of a student or "party song" (NOT in the Ulster sense of "Party song"! - a song for a party)- Julius Caesar, Cleopatra and Boney in one song is a bit much. I have no idea of its authorship but the famous "Ballad of William Bloat" was written by one Raymond Calvert for a student party in the 20s or 30s and I suspect a similar origin for this one. But then the people took over. I have a recollection though of Richard Hayward! Anyone able to back or deny this?

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: GUEST,John MOulden
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 07:55 PM

I see I've lost my cookie. I posted the comments just above.

Subject: RE: Ducks of Marilyn (MAGHERALIN)
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Dec 01 - 09:28 PM

Thanks there. If you ask for help here you normallly get it pretty quickly, don't you!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Magheralin
From: GUEST,Roy, Belfast
Date: 09 Mar 13 - 11:58 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Magheralin
From: GUEST,Roy, Belfast
Date: 09 Mar 13 - 12:12 PM

I recall two sdditional verses;

Oh you've heard of Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer of the Reich
went riding all round Europe on a big two wheeler bike
he tried to conquer Ireland but they would not give in
and they bate him out with cabbage leaves from the farms of Msagheralin

oh you've heard of Herman Goering, the Chancellor of Berlin
a head like a cocoanut, a belly like a bin
he came over to Ireland but they would not give in
and they kicked him up the a*sehole when he got to Magheralin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Magheralin
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jan 23 - 07:40 PM

don't know the accuracy, but I read somewhere that ducks is a reference to the local weavers who greased their looms with duck fat. Which would make the Willim verse with clogs (in the version I know) make some degree of sense).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Magheralin
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jan 23 - 07:42 PM

source for my comment above:
https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Ducks_of_Magheralin