Lyr Req: French at Killyloo

Subject: French at Killyloo
From: Philippa
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 01:49 PM

I'm seeking lyrics for a song "Learning French in Killyloo". It's a humourous song which I used to hear Eamonn Toland singing in Derry, Ireland. (There's a Killywool in County Derry and I wonder if that should be the correct placename) - anyway- there's a bit about a lad getting upset when his mother is called a 'mere' ('mare') and it ends something like - 'Comment vous appellez vous?, o,that song the Marseillaise-y, we learnt it nice and easy, comment le vent du continent? o we learned at Killyloo'

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Peter T.
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 03:49 PM

Dear Philippa, Can't help you with the song, but it refers obliquely to the late arrival of the French fleet off the West coast of Ireland (Killyloo) in 1798, which contributed to the failure of the Irish rising at that time. There are other songs like Boys of the West commemorating (even celebrating ) this disaster.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 04:35 PM

G'day Phillipa,

The tune Killaloe was obviously popular in Australia in the late 19th century as several Australian songs, from both bush areas and city, use the tune (and much of the structure). In particular there is a song called The Woolloomooloo Lair about a rowdy larrikin and his brushes with the police that start:
"The day that I was born, it was a cold and frosty morn.
In the famous suburb known as Woolloomooloo ...
which is a direct parody of Killaloe's:
I happened to be born at the time they cut the corn,
Quite contagious to the town of Killaloe..."
.

The Original Killaloe song sems to have been one of those English Music Hall songs that make out the Irish to be a pack of violent yokels. I have a set of words collected here in Australia from an old singer/musician named Joe Cashmere. There should also be sheet music around in old collections. I will post the words that I have. I have a few variations of the tune ... folk-processed by old players bending it to their purposes.

Another Australian song using the tune is:
The Drover's dream A drover's amusing dream about a concert put on by bush animals...when he wakes the sheep have all wandered away
. The tune is still used as a dance tune here.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 11:48 PM

Phil Thomas collected a fragment in BC Canada years ago which went: You may talk about McCarty or may talk of Bonaparte Or any other party, and comment vous portez-vous Sure, we learned to sing it easy That song marseillaisie (indistinct line) We learned at Killaloo. (PJT #320) (Anice Halpin, Aug 1963). Might this be the same piece? Jon the offsider

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Philippa
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 06:32 AM

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: KILLALOO (from Cashmere & Meredith)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 04:06 PM

G'day Phillipa,

This is the song Killaloo (Various spellings ... I've tended to use Killaloe because that is how Sally Sloane spelled it). The original music hall song is well documented, but what happens after that is the folk process.

This version is as remembered by Joe Cashmere, in Australia, around 1954/5.

KILLALOO
As collected from Joe Cashmere by John Meredith

Well I happened to be born at the time they cut the corn,
Quite contagious to the town of Killaloo,
Where to tache us they'd a schame and a French Mossoo he came
To instruct us in the game of "parlez vous".
I've a father, that I swear, but he said I had a "pere"
And he struck me when I said it wasn't true,
And the Irish for "a jint" and the French for "half a pint",
Faith, we learnt it in the school at Killaloo.

"Mais oui", Mossoo would cry; "Well of course you can" says I.
Non non, "I know", says I with some surprise.
When a boy straight up from Clare heard his mother called a "mere"
He gave Mossoo his fist between the eyes.
Says Mossoo in much alarm, "Go send for Johnny Darm".
Says I "There's no such name about the place"
Then "comment" was his reply, "Come on yourself" says I
And I scattered all the features of his face.

Then nothing more was said, Mossoo went of to bed.
He mixed no more in Killaloo affairs;
While the papers on the place, said the foreign teacher's face
Had been closed for alterations and repairs.
Frinch may be very fine, it's no enemy of mine;
Our conduct to the teacher they did send.
I've told you what is passed, so this verse must be the last,
That's the reason I have left it to the end.

The original song is an English Music Hall song, written in the 19th century by Robert Martin.

Australian uses of the tune (and song structure) include:
The Drover's Dream,
The Flash Stockman (a 'boasting song', in which an old stockman reckons he's still better than you!) and
The Woolloomooloo Lair.

I've seen a note somewhere that it is also used for the ballad Jesse James!

The first tune I give is what I know from Sally Sloane (1894 - 1982), a lovely old player and singer. This is a very pretty version in schottische time and works well as a dance tune for schottiches and barn dances.

MIDI file: killaloe.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 120 (500000 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0720 1 62 080 0064 0 62 064 0016 1 64 080 0064 0 64 064 0016 1 66 080 0064 0 66 064 0016 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 62 080 0144 0 62 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0576 0 69 064 0144 1 62 080 0064 0 62 064 0016 1 64 080 0064 0 64 064 0016 1 66 080 0064 0 66 064 0016 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 62 080 0144 0 62 064 0036 1 62 080 0048 0 62 064 0012 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 67 080 0048 0 67 064 0012 1 66 080 0144 0 66 064 0036 1 64 080 0048 0 64 064 0012 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064 0144 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 76 080 0144 0 76 064 0036 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 76 080 0144 0 76 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 74 080 0048 0 74 064 0012 1 72 080 0144 0 72 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0576 0 69 064 0144 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 79 080 0048 0 79 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 67 080 0144 0 67 064 0036 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 64 080 0144 0 64 064 0036 1 66 080 0048 0 66 064 0012 1 67 080 0064 0 67 064 0016 1 66 080 0064 0 66 064 0016 1 64 080 0064 0 64 064 0016 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 76 080 0048 0 76 064 0012 1 74 080 0144 0 74 064 0036 1 71 080 0048 0 71 064 0012 1 69 080 0144 0 69 064 0036 1 72 080 0048 0 72 064 0012 1 71 080 0144 0 71 064 0036 1 69 080 0048 0 69 064 0012 1 67 080 0576 0 67 064
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:4/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
D27/4E/2^F3/4|G3/2A/2B3/2A/2G2D3/2D/2|E3/2G/2^F3/2E/2D2B3/2c/2|
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d3/2e/2d3/2B/2A3/2c/2B3/2A/2|G19/4||

The second version is that collected from Joe Cashmere (1872 - 1959), who played it in jig time. His words have been lightly patched with the original sheet music version, where absolutely necessary, and the chorus, which he did not sing, has been omitted.

MIDI file: killaloo.mid

Timebase: 240

TimeSig: 6/8 36 8
Tempo: 180 (333333 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0360 1 57 080 0192 0 57 064 0048 1 57 080 0096 0 57 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 62 080 0096 0 62 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0288 0 57 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 1008 0 64 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 59 080 0192 0 59 064 0048 1 61 080 0096 0 61 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0288 0 57 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 1008 0 62 064 0072 1 64 080 0192 0 64 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 61 080 0288 0 61 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 64 080 1008 0 64 064 0072 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 71 080 0192 0 71 064 0048 1 71 080 0096 0 71 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 62 080 0288 0 62 064 0072 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 0192 0 62 064 0048 1 59 080 0096 0 59 064 0024 1 57 080 0288 0 57 064 0072 1 66 080 0192 0 66 064 0048 1 67 080 0096 0 67 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 69 080 0096 0 69 064 0024 1 69 080 0192 0 69 064 0048 1 66 080 0096 0 66 064 0024 1 67 080 0192 0 67 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 61 080 0192 0 61 064 0048 1 64 080 0096 0 64 064 0024 1 62 080 1008 0 62 064
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:6/8
Q:1/4=180
K:C
A,5A,|D2D^F2E|D3D2D|^F2ED2B,|A,3A2A|A2^FD2E|
^F2^F^F2^F|E6|-E3A2A|A2BA2^F|D3D2^C|B,2^CD2B,|
A,3A2A|A2BA2^F|G2E^C2E|D6|-D3E2^F|G2^FG2E|
^C3A2A|A2BA2^F|D3A2A|B2BB2^F|A2AB2^F|E6|-E3A2A|
B2BA2^F|D3D2E|^F2ED2B,|A,3^F2G|A2AA2^F|G2E^C2E|
D6|-D19/8||

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 04:45 PM

Sorry, Phillipa, that's all there was. Good luck on your quest! Jon the offsider

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Philippa
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 05:50 PM

Merci beaucoup !

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 12:59 AM

G'day, yet again, Phillipa,

The message from Jon reminds me that another Australian descendant of Killaloo does have a chorus - and it is a direct parody of the Killaloo chorus. It also uses the name McCarty (in this case the larrikin 'hero' of the song. (I can still remember

My Name it is McCarty and I'm a rorty party,
(OR:My Name it is McCarty and my father drives a carty)
A larrikin so hearty, strike me blue.
(OR: I'm rough and tough as an old man kangaroo)
Some people say I'm crazy; I don't work because I'm lazy,
And I hang around with the boozy mob, the push from Woolloomooloo.

I will pursue the printed original (and any other collected version ... there must be a few) and pass back anything that might be helpful. I see that Alan Foster has posted a good version of Woolloomooloo in the DT, so you can look at /listen to it ... as long as you can successfully spell Woolloomooloo!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 01:05 AM

Or successfully put all the correct angle brackets around HTML commands.

Regard(les)s,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Roddy
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 08:34 AM

The French landed at Killalla in Co. Mayo. Someway far to the north of Killaloe, Co. Clare. Don't get carried away by the Year that's in it, Peter. Roddy

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Peter T.
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 11:38 AM

Cher Roddy, Est-ce que je screwed up quelquechose, ou pourquoi avez-vous dites cela?

Votre ami qui vous serre la main,

Pierre T. (accent aigue over the T)

Subject: Lyr Add: KILLALOO (alternate verse)
From: Steve
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 02:38 PM

I have an alternative final verse if you're interested.

Jeez boys we had some fun,
You should've seen him when it was done,
His eyeballs one by one did disappear.
And a doctor from the south,
Took an hour to find his mouth,
Which had somehow got concealed behind his ear,
And he swore a terrible oath,
he'd take the law and get us both,
And then he'd leave both Limerick and Clare,
'Cos he found it wouldn't do to teach French at Killaloe,
Unless you've got a face or two to spare.

The chorus/refrain:

You may talk about Descartes, you may talk of Boneparte,
Or any other party, comment que voulez-vous
Sure we learnt to sing it easy,
that song the Marseillesie,
Boulogne, Toulon, le Continent,
we learnt at Killaloe.

Don't know whether this is any good for you, I sing the first two verses identically to the version from Bob Bolton.

Good song.

Steve.

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Roddy
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 03:17 PM

C'est "l'Année des Francais" en Irlande en ce moment. Tout le monde a passé l'année derniere en célébrant les évenéments historiques de la Révolution des Irlandais Unis en 1798 contre les Anglais. La France a débarqué une grande armée dans le Compté de Mayo dans l'ouest du pays pres de la ville de Killala pour aider les insurgents. Tu comprends ca, mon p'tit ?

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Peter T.
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 03:52 PM

Oui certainement. C'est bien ma faute. Je n'ai jamais reconnaitre les similaritees entre les "98"s. Ca doit etre tres amusant.

A bientot, Pierre.

Subject: RE: French at Killyloo
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 Dec 98 - 10:55 PM

G'day all ... and especially Steve,

Thanks, Steve, for the extra verse - I think it should be a separate verse to Joe Cashmere's last one, although Joe could well have shifted a few things about over the years ... he was in his eighties when he sang that version.

I can't really believe that this song - as written - has any connection to the late arrival of the French off Killala in 1798. The song is typical of the sort of musical insult that the English threw at the Irish; making them out to be uneducated, oafish thugs.

Of course, the Irish have always shown great skill at turning that sort of thing back on the English and there could be an unspoken resonance between Killaloe and Killala. I am pleased to see the suggestion that Killaloe is the correct spelling ... I don't need to change my spelling habits!

I had a look for the original sheet music but could not locate a copy locally. I know that there is a copy lodged with the National Library of Australia in the wash-up of the Joe Cashmere book but that will be in Canberra. I will check with some contacts there but only for academic reasons. I prefer the "folk-processed" versions whenever possible.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: French at Killyloo
From: GUEST,Rosyboa
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 05:22 AM

I have been looking for "Killaloe" forever! Like, since I was seven, which is indeed forever. I was very excited to find any version, but none of them is the same as the one I learned, taught to the audience by the Iniskillings at one of those pipes-and-drums with dancers shows, many years ago.

The version in the program went something like "Sure an' I was born about the time..." There was much more dialect written in, and one spot went, "Now, I've but one father, that I'll swear! And when he said I had a pere..." etc.

Still, I am very pleased to find this. Thank you all.

[snake signs off and glides away]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: French at Killyloo
From: ard mhacha
Date: 18 Apr 06 - 04:38 AM

On Amazon look for Great Marches Vol 9 and you can listen to a sample of this tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: French at Killyloo
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 10:33 PM

G'day Rosyboa (if you are still around ... a few snakeskin sheddings later ... ),

Aargh! I must have been elsewhere when this re-surfaced ... nearly 3 years ago ... ! Two thirds of the thread back, on Date: 09 Dec 98 - 04:06 PM, I posted an Australian-collected version of this song, which has (~) the lines you quote in the second half of the first stanza.

It was obviously a popular song in Australia's late 19th century - producing a number of re-writes to suit Australian 'Bush' (country) and city tales ... and it was also widely used as a dance tune.

I hope you (eventually) see this reply!

regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: French at Killyloo
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 01:21 PM

good history etc at this link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killaloe_March

currently I'm searching for pipe music for my daughter if anyone has it or knows where to get it "free" I would love to know

Thanks Ruth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: French at Killyloo
From: AmyLove
Date: 07 Feb 17 - 06:32 PM

You can view the sheet music here:

Killaloe, or, French Taught in Ireland: Comic Song

Recording of Sam Carson singing it here:

Killaloe