Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes

Subject: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Laura Plummer
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 02:21 PM

Does anyone out there have any information on the history of this song or who might have written it?

Subject: RE: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Big John
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 02:38 PM

At this URL, where it is called "Sliabh Gallen Braes", it just says "From Songs of the Irish in America, Meek":

http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=5403

Subject: RE: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 03:12 PM

That's Bill Meek, Songs of the Irish in America (Dublin: Gilbert Dalton, 1978). Unfortunately, though sections of his book have been copied into the DT, any background information he gave has not been included. The file spells "slieve" inconsistently.

The Roud Folk Song Index lists a few examples, all from the North of Ireland, the earliest having been recorded in 1953. The tune usually used by revival performers is from Francis McPeake; that also is the tune with the DT file. Whether Bill got the song from an American source I can't say, but on the whole I suspect not. I expect he says in his book. There is a set in Colm O Lochlainn, More Irish Street Ballads (1965, p 18) which may have helpful information attached: I don't have a copy of that, but there are plenty of people around the Forum who do. The Slieve Gallen Brae in Sam Henry's Songs of the People (1990, pp 172-3) does name a writer, but that's a completely different song, though with the same title.

Subject: RE: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Jim McLean
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 04:54 PM

I have an LP by The McPeake Family and the notes say '....Slieve Gallen Brae. One of the airs Carl Hardebeck arranged. An exile song, associated with Slieve Gallen in the Sperrin Range. Romantic writers have associated the air with the Ossianic 'Enchantment of Fin Mac Cool', but there's no firm ground for this'.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Laura Pluumer
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 07:59 PM

thanks to Big John, Malcolm Douglas & Jim McLean for all titbits!
Slan!
Laura

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 08:25 PM

Carl Gibert Hardebeck (1869-1945) was German-Welsh, but moved to Ireland in his early 20s. He published quite a few arrangements of Irish songs; Peter Kennedy (folktrax) lists this one as published 1910, "with a Gaelic text". His lists aren't always reliable, but it seems at any rate to give us an earlier print source.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: masato sakurai
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 11:08 PM

X:1
T:SLIAV GALLION BRAES
M:2/4
L:1/8
S:Colm O Lochlainn, More Irish Street Ballads ([1965], 1968, p. 18)
K:Bb
B,|F2FG|(_AF) CD|({F/}ED) B,3/2B,/|B,3 F|
w:As I went a-walk - ing one morn - ing in May, To
B2 Bc|(dB) cA|F2 GA|B2 FG|
w:view yon fair val - leys and moun-tains so gay, I was
_AF GE|CB,2 (D/E/)|(F3/2E/) DB,|B3 (B/c/)|
w:think-ing on those flow-ers all_ doomed_ to de-cay, That_
dB cA|B/F3/2 G/E3/2|(CD) E/C3/2|B,2-B,||
w:bloom a-round ye, bo-ny, bon-ny Sliav_ Gal-lion braes._
W:
W:How oft in the morning with my dog and my gun,
W:I roamed through the glens for joy and for fun,
W:But those days are now all over and I must go away,
W:So farewell unto ye, bonny, bonny Sliav Gallion braes.
W:
W:How oft of an evening and the sun in the West,
W:I roved hand in hand with the one I loved best:
W:But the hopes of youth are vanished and now I'm far away,
W:So farewell unto ye, bonny, bonny Sliav Gallion braes.
W:
W:O! it was not the want of employment at home,
W:That caused poor exiles in sorrow to roam,
W:But those tyrannising landlords, they would not let us stay,
W:So farewell unto ye, bonny, bonny Sliav Gallion braes.

Commentary (p. 204):
This also from Dr. Ó Ceallaigh. He had given tune and words to Carl Hardebeck who arranged and published it in Gems of Melody: Seóda Ceóil (Pigott, 1910) with Gaelic words by Torna (Prof. Tadhg Ó Donncha). Dr. Séamus made a better Gaelic rendering himself. See Appendix where I print another song of same name. See also Biii [Bunting's third collection], 24, 'Slieve Gallen'.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 12:27 AM

According to Derek Bell (late of the Chieftains), and Liam O Conchubhair in Folk Songs Of The North Of Ireland, this is possibly the best Northern Ballad. By John Correy's cousin (?)
the poet asserts authorship in the verse.

As I went a-walking one morning in May,
To view yonder valleys and mountains so gay,
I was thinking of yon flowers soon a-going to decay,
That grow around you, bonny, bonny Sliabh Gallen's Brae.

My name is James McGarvey and I'd havve you understand,
I come from Derrygennard and I own a farm of land;
But my rents are getting higher, and I can no longer pay,
So farewell unto you bonny, bonny Sliabh Gallen's Brae.

Oft o'er these mountains with my dog and my gun,
I wandered these mountains for pastime and for fun,
But those days they are all over, and I must go away;
So farewell unto you bonny, bonny Sliabh Gallen's Brae.

It's not for the want of employment at home,
That causes the sons of Old Ireland to roam,
But our rents are getting higher, and the rates we cannot pay;
So farewell unto you bonny, bonny Sliabh Gallen's Brae.

Farewell to Old Ireland, that island so green,
To the parish of Lissan and the cross of Ballinascreen,
May good fortune shine upon you while I am far away,
So farewell unto you bonny, bonny Sliabh Gallen's Brae.


Many's the time I heard the late Tony McAulay and the McPeakes sing this beauty.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: nutty
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 03:50 AM

I have heard another verse sung in this song but am not sure where it comes from.

It's not for the want of employment at home
That causes the sons of dear old Ireland to roam
It's the taxes getting higher and I can no longer pay
So , Farewell unto you bonny, bonny Sliav Gallion braes.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: ard mhacha
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 02:45 PM

Dolores Keane also sings this song, and sings it beautiful, a lovely song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Big Mick at the library and cookieless
Date: 02 Sep 04 - 03:22 PM

It is a beauty, isn't it Seamus? I absolutely love singing this song, but haven't done so in several years. I wish I had hauled it out in Toronto when I was on the Acoustic Workshop show. But I think I will do it in my mini concert at the Getaway. It is a stunningly beautiful piece of work.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: JulieF
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 05:01 AM

A friend was absolutely convinced that I sang this which I didn't, so just to confuse hime I do now. I agree it is a wonderful song.

Julie

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 03:40 PM

By the way, the "taxes getting higher" bit is probably a famine thing - at that time there was no all-Ireland funding of care for the unfortunate, it was all done locally, so middle-class farmers in areas badly hit by the famine found their taxes going higher and higher until they were driven to sell up and leave, side-by-side with those of their starving neighbours who survived.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Abby Sale
Date: 04 Sep 04 - 11:03 AM

Nutty:

I don't know the origin but on the LP Jim McLean cites, McPeakes sing:

Slieve Gallen Brae

As I went a-walking one morning in May,
To view yon fair valleys and mountains so gay,
I was thinking on these flowers, all going to decay,
That grows around ye, bonny, bonny Slieve Gallen brae.

Not for the want of employment at home,
That causes the sons of dear Ireland to roam,
It's the taxes getting higher and I can no longer stay,
So farewell unto ye, bonny, bonny Slieve Gallen brae.

Oft o'er these mountains with my dog and my gun,
I've rambled these mountains for joy and for fun,
But these days are now all over for I am far away,
So farewell unto ye, bonny, bonny Slieve Gallen brae.

(I won't swear it's 'these' and not 'thuse.'

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Malachy
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 02:55 AM

I come from Slieve Gallion and tell you all you want to know.
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 07 - 08:05 PM

Is this the same locale as Slieve Gullion near Dromintee, South Armagh?
-Tina

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: mg
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 12:14 AM

About the taxes...I read that people came out of the woodwork so to speak for food and suprised everyone with their shear numbers..they were expecting to feed 60 on their books and got 400 who had not registered before for various reasons...which may mean the famine totals may be much higher than previously thought. mg

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Declan
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 03:43 AM

Sliabh Gullion is in the Mourne Mountains. It has been mentioned above that Sliabh Gallion (or however it is spelt) is in the Sperrins, which are mainly in County Tyrone.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Brakn
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 04:05 AM

I thought Sliabh Gullion was in the Cooley Mountains.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Brakn
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 04:28 AM

Sliabh Gullion is the third highest in the Cooley Mountains. Sliabh Foye and Black Mountain are higher.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 05:05 AM

This would seem to disagree

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Brakn
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 08:09 AM

Oh dear. There is another page on the same site showing another Sliabh Gullion as being in the Cooley Mountains. You live and learn.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Declan
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 01:56 PM

Apologies Slaibh Gullion is indeed in the Cooley Mountains. It is just about across the Boder into Armagh. The Cooley Peninsula is in County Louth. The Mournes are not a million miles away in County Down.

THe link confirms that Sliabh Gallion is in Tyrone.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 02:58 AM

Yes, it's down to whether you're a Gullion or a Gallion. I go for Sliebe Gallion, in the Sperrin Mountains in the region they call Derryveagh. The hill itself is the most southerly and easterly in the range, so I guess that puts it in Tyrone.

Unfortunately the link changes frequently so you have to use the search to find the actual hill.

The name apparently means "Mountain of the Heights" so it's a bit disappointing to find it is 150 meters lower than the highest in the range, and only the 397th highest in Ireland! It sounds much higher in the song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Lighter
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 10:41 AM

I first heard this sung by the fine Belfast singer David Hammond. Musta been 1967.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,roisin
Date: 05 Jul 08 - 08:26 AM

hi, beautiful song. older version is more beautiful. I live on SLiabh Gallion Mountain, County Derry. Brackaghslievegallion being my townland. beautiful part of the world

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Lighthorseman
Date: 11 Oct 08 - 08:50 PM

Is Gallion an Irish surname?

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 11 Oct 08 - 08:58 PM

Colin McAllister (formerly of Setanta - before it became a football channel on TV) does a fair rendition of this lovely song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Melinda
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 07:32 PM

I'm interested to see the queries on this page about who wrote this song and when...it must be pretty old as I know my great grandfather Robert Ferguson loved this song and he was born in 1845 at Ballybriest on the banks of Lough Fea, at the base of Slieve Gallion, in County Tyrone.   As a young man he travelled to New Zealand and the USA for work before returning to the same area in 1881 and raising 11 kids on a 'parcel of land' in Letteran Road, Tullynure in the Parish of Lissan on the lower slopes of Sleive Gallion, before coming to N.Z. in 1913.   

He & his children always pined for Ireland and their friends & family that were left behind. So great was their sadness that they wrote poems about the land of their birth including a poem Robert wrote in his dottage (He died in 1939 aged 95) about the Lough Fea & the area around Slieve Gallion which he set to the tune of Slieve Gallion Brae.   

When Robert & his family left Ireland in 1913 accompanying them on the ship was the young son of their neighbour, James McGarvey, years later this James's son married old Robert's granddaughter (interestingly named Fea after Lough Fea),

Today, realising that a song that was close to my great grandfathers heart 70 years ago has been recorded brings tears to my eyes as the tales of his home mountain, Lissan and Ireland have continued to be passed down to Robert's decendants on the far side of the globe!

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 07:40 PM

Further to my note above on 4 June 2009.   Does anyone know how I could get hold of an early recording (I've heard mention of 1910 & 1960's in the comments above mine)   or where I could get the sheet music from?    I've listened (countless times) to the song on You Tube sung by Makem & Clancy, Gemma Hasson & Dolores Keane & John Faulkner...fantastic but I'd love to have an early recording if one is out there? Anyone got any suggestions?

If you can help please reply to [e-mail]

Thanks so much

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 04 Jun 09 - 08:11 PM

See my post of March 8, 2007. The album is called "David Hammond Sings Songs of Ireland" and was released on the American "Request" label (RLP-8061). The jacket says only, "An emigrant song referring to thbe slopes of Slieve Gallon in County Derry, overlooking the waters of Lough Neagh."

I thought the date was "1967," but it could have been a year or two later. The album is undated.

Hammond died recently. He was one of the best Irish singers around.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 05 Jun 09 - 10:14 AM

Compared with the version in OLochlainn's book, mentioned by masato in 2004 above, Hammond's version lacks stanza 3. There are some verbal differences as well. The first line of Hammond's melody also differs noticeably.

I don't see the song in Sam Henry's _Songs of the People_.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sliabh Gallion Braes
From: GUEST,Karen O'Rawe
Date: 11 Apr 10 - 07:57 PM

If Guest Melinda is still reading this forum, I'm a direct descendant of James McGarvey from Letteran, Lissan. Please could you contact me by email? I just wondered if we could chat about your great grandfather Robert Ferguson and my great grandfather James McGarvey? You can contact me at [e-mail]
Thanks
karen