Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen

Subject: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: radriano
Date: 23 Feb 04 - 02:55 PM

I came across a cassette tape by Michael Falsey (whistle/flute/pipes) that included only one song, "The Quilty Fishermen." I did a Mudcat search on it and found only one reference to the song but no lyrics. I could not make out the last line of the sixth verse and the last phrase of the thirteenth verse which looks to be the name of a song. The cassette listed only the track titles and a short paragraph about Falsey and there is no date anywhere on the tape.

Any help with the missing phrases or history of this song would be greatly appreciated.


THE QUILTY FISHERMEN
Michael Falsey, "Traditions of Quilty"


You rambling, roving Irishmen
I hope you'll lend an ear
These few and true short verses
I mean to let you hear

It's all about that awful wreck
I now to you declare
Which occurred off the coast of Ireland
In Quilty, in County Clare

On the third day of October
In nineteen hundred and seven
A French crew and their captain
Were praying to God in heaven

Their ship she struck upon a rock
And soon she sprang a leak
The captain raised a signal high
Saying, "We're drowning in the deep"

The fishermen off Quilty
Knew well what that signal meant
And how to save those human lives
It made them discontent

So across the wild and stormy sea
They willingly did go
Without threat or fear made rousing cheer
????

There were eighteen men in six ten-oars
With Pat Boyle in the lead
To save those sinking sailors
With him they all agreed

So they tugged and rowed with all their might
Across the raging foam
Until they drew to that shipwrecked crew
Far away from house and home

But as they rowed with all their might
I have but one regret
That Clancy, Connors, and Tom Steele
Their ten-oar got upset

Then dashing, thrashing like three fish
They swam on o'er the wave
Until their comrades picked them up
These heroes true and brave

They took them in their own ten-oars
And the sailors cried aloud
"You brave fishermen of Quilty
You have made your nation proud"

They saved the captain and the crew
From the sinking ship, The Leon
And took them in their own ten-oars
To our little isle of green

Well beverage flowed spontaneously
To the sound of Irish tune
Just like their fathers played before
The Inniskillen and ???

I now must drop my feeble pen
You see, I am no poet
It's not for gold or silver
These few true lines I wrote

But as I read of those fishermen
I could not it surpass
So help me now and give three cheers
For the men round Quilty Cros

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: Eugene Judge
Date: 23 Feb 04 - 04:18 PM

You'll find the history here:
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/claremuseum/news_events/brave_quilty_fishermen.htm

Subject: Lyr Add: THE QUILTY FISHERMEN
From: Eugene Judge
Date: 23 Feb 04 - 04:22 PM

A version of the poem is here:

http://www.quiltyns.net/asp/section.asp?s=24

---

The Quilty Fishermen 

I

You rambling roving Irishmen, I hope you will draw near,
These few and true verses I mean to let you hear,
It’s all about that awful wreck I’ll have you to beware,
That occurred in the coast of Ireland, in Quilty, Co. Clare.

II

On the fourth day of October it being 1907,
A French crew and their captain were praying to God in Heaven,
Their ship she struck upon a rock and soon she sprang a leak,
The captain raised a signal high as he was drowning in the deep.

III

Those brave fishermen from Quilty town knew what this signal meant,
And for the lives of human flesh, it made them discontent,
To cross the wild and stormy foam, across it did go,
Without dread or fear they gave three cheers, we’ll man our own canoes.

IV

There was eighteen men in six canoes with Pat Boyle in the lead,
To save those sinking sailors, with him they all agreed,
They pulled and tugged with all their might, across the stormy foam,
Three miles out to that wrecked crew, three miles from house and home.

V

And yet they pulled with all their might, alas I must regret,
Clancy, Connors and Tom Stack their boat it got upset,
Dashing flashing like three fishes, they swam right through the deep,
Until their comrades picked them up, those heroes true and brave,
And took them in their own canoes where sailors called aloud,
You brave fishermen from Quilty town, your nation ought be proud.

VI

They save the captain and twelve men from the sinking ship – The Leon,
And took them in their own canoes to our little isle so green,
Where beverage flowed spontaneously, like music of Irish tunes,
Just as the tunes our fathers played, the Enniskillen and Clare’s Dragons.

VII

I now must drop my feeble pen, you see I am no poet,
It was not for gold or silver these few true lines I wrote,
But as I read of those fishermen I could not well surpass,
So help me boys and give three cheers for the men of Quilty cross.

---

Lyrics copy-pasted from the link cited above. You never know when a link will disappear, so we encourage people to post the entire text of music information when they find it, plus a link. For non-music information, a link and a summary is preferred.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: Noreen
Date: 23 Feb 04 - 05:44 PM

Lovely! Happy memories of this song from my childhood.

Note- canoe is pronounced more like can-oh hence you hearing it differently, Richard.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: radriano
Date: 23 Feb 04 - 06:01 PM

Thank you, Noreen and Eugene. Wow, "canoes" it is then.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: radriano
Date: 23 Feb 04 - 06:27 PM

I've looked at the links that you so graciously provided, Eugene, but can find no indication of who wrote the poem. Any idea who the author is?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: Eugene Judge
Date: 23 Feb 04 - 09:14 PM

Joe

Thanks for the reminder on posting lyrics, apologies in a bit of rush!

radriano

Don't know who wrote it (Uncle Google found that one for me!) I'll have a trawl round to see what I can find there should be more out there it seems to be a notable event. Co Clare is my late Mother's home County but I have no contacts there.

Eugene

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 01:37 AM

Is possible to get a copy made? My great grandfather was Tom Stack - one of the Quilty men who rescued the French crew.

-Shawn Stack

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 01:38 AM

my email is [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 08:20 AM

Anyone thinking of visiting Quilty should look out for 4 mosaics depicting the shipwreck of the Leon which were commissioned by the Leon Festival committee last year and were completed by a friend of mine, Richard Sharp who lives in the village, they are magnificient! The mosaics are located on the wall opposite the Quilty Tavern. There is also a description of the incident in the nearby Star of the Sea church, also the ship's brass bell which was recovered.

http://quiltyns.net/asp/section.asp?s=3

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 02:59 PM

Shawn,
Haven't got the CD but you will be able to pick one up via the OAC website. There was a double CD of local music and song and interviews issued for the 100th anniversary celebrations last year.
The celebrations included a canoe (curragh) race.
They were in full working use up to around 20 years ago, when they appeared to fade out of popularity; but now they seem to be making a comeback and can be seen regularly off this coast.
SThe singer/musician Michael Falsey still uses one.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: GUEST,Shawn Stack
Date: 04 Aug 08 - 02:33 PM

Thanks so much for the input Mr. Carroll and Mr. Martin. I'll be in Quilty next week, this time, I am very excited to explore my heritage and this event.

Best wishes, Shawn Stack

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 05 Aug 08 - 02:42 AM

Shawn,
Hope the weather brightens up for you - we could grow rice in the garden here at the present time.
Be sure to look up Michael Falsey if you have time - a nice man with lots of information - I'm sure he would be interested to meet you.
There are two more poems on the wreck of The Leon hung in the porch of 'The Star of the Sea' church in Quilty, and Dwyers' shop has copies of the double CD I mentioned and Michael's CD with the song on.
There is a long account of the rescue in a book entitled 'The History of Kilmurry Ibrickane' by Canon Ryan (1960s). We re-issued the book some years ago through our local history society, but I suspect it may be out-of-print again. If so, let me know and I'll pm you the relevant article.
If you are into the music go into Friel's in Miltown on Friday or Saturday (or the kitchen of The Crosses of Annagh on Saturday) - heaven!!!
Best wishes,
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: GUEST,Yvonne Soan
Date: 03 Oct 16 - 09:56 AM

My great grandfather was also one of the men that was on the rescue on that fateful night - he was Peter Boyle - my grandfather Paddy Boyle (Seafield and later Kilrush) taught us the song when we were only knee high

Great to know our heritage

I often visit Quilty - I love being there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 May 20 - 03:08 AM

David Ingerson sings this one, and he sings it well. He says that Ollie Conway was known for this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 17 May 20 - 04:16 AM

It was one of five songs locally made on the incident, still being sung by local singers, including Ollie
STEVIE O'HALLORAN

The event is celebrated annually in Quilty and the local Church has a display of some of the reliques inside as well as versions of the sings framed in the porch
The Church "Our Lady of the Sea" was named in its memory
HERE
Canoes (curraghs) similar to those used for the rescue are still to be found in people's gardens ut it's a long time since I saw one in use (except during one of the celebratory weekends)
One of the singers we recrded, Mikey kelleher was a noted curragh maker, as was Michael Falsey
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Quilty Fishermen
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 17 May 20 - 04:19 AM

I have an old photograph of a curragh with three men it in it two of them took part in the rescue (I think one of them was named Boyle, Yvonne)
Jim