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Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy

25 Apr 99 - 08:44 PM (#73370)
Subject: Lyr Add: GALTEE MOUNTAIN BOY
From: Brakn

There's something up with my emails so I'll post it here.

Regards Mick Bracken

I joined the Flying Column in 1916
In Cork with Sean Moylan, Tipperary with Dan Breen
Arrested by Free Staters and sentenced for to die
Farewell to Tipperary said the Galtee Mountain Boy

We crossed the pleasant valleys and over hilltops green
Where we met with Dinny Lacey, Sean Hogan and Dan Breen
Sean Moylan and his gallant band they kept the flag flying high
Farewell to Tipperary said The Galtee Mountain Boy

We crossed the Dublin mountains we were rebels on the run
Though hunted night and morning we were outlawed but free men
We tracked the Wicklow mountains as the sun was shining high
Farewell to Tipperary said The Galtee Mountain Boy

I'm bidding farewell to old Clonmel that I never more will see
And to the Galtee mountains that oft times sheltered me
To the men who fought for liberty and died without a sigh
May the cause be ne'er forgotten said the Galtee Mountain Boy

26 Apr 99 - 08:00 AM (#73472)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: Mick Lowe

Many thanks Mick
Your mail did get through to me, but this needs posting on the database anyway..
I forgot to ask in my mail back whether you'd like to post some/all of your up coming gigs on the publicity pages I've set up on my site..
Catch you later
Mick

26 Apr 99 - 08:46 PM (#73605)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: dulcimer

What is the tune for this song?

27 Apr 99 - 04:24 AM (#73694)
Subject: Tune Add: GALTEE MOUNTAIN BOY
From: Brakn

Here's the air. I hope this works

Mick Bracken

MIDI file: GALTEE.MID

Timebase: 384

Name: Track 2
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Tempo: 170 (352940 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0768 1 55 074 0384 0 55 000 0000 1 48 074 0768 0 48 000 0000 1 52 074 0384 0 52 000 0000 1 55 074 0768 0 55 000 0000 1 60 074 0384 0 60 000 0000 1 57 074 0576 0 57 000 0000 1 55 074 0192 0 55 000 0000 1 57 074 0384 0 57 000 0000 1 55 074 0768 0 55 000 0000 1 53 074 0384 0 53 000 0000 1 52 074 0576 0 52 000 0000 1 50 074 0192 0 50 000 0000 1 52 074 0384 0 52 000 0000 1 48 074 0768 1 47 074 0020 0 48 000 0364 0 47 000 0000 1 48 074 1920 0 48 000 0000 1 55 074 0384 0 55 000 0000 1 60 074 0768 0 60 000 0000 1 62 074 0384 0 62 000 0000 1 64 074 0384 0 64 000 0000 1 62 074 0384 0 62 000 0000 1 60 074 0384 0 60 000 0000 1 62 074 1152 0 62 000 0000 1 64 074 0768 0 64 000 0000 1 64 074 0192 0 64 000 0000 1 62 074 0192 0 62 000 0000 1 60 074 0768 0 60 000 0000 1 60 074 0384 0 60 000 0000 1 57 074 0768 0 57 000 0000 1 57 074 0384 0 57 000 0000 1 55 074 1920 0 55 000 0000 1 55 074 0384 0 55 000 0000 1 60 074 0768 0 60 000 0000 1 62 074 0384 0 62 000 0000 1 64 074 0384 0 64 000 0000 1 62 074 0384 0 62 000 0000 1 60 074 0384 0 60 000 0000 1 62 074 1152 0 62 000 0000 1 64 074 0768 0 64 000 0000 1 64 074 0192 0 64 000 0000 1 62 074 0192 0 62 000 0000 1 60 074 0768 0 60 000 0000 1 60 074 0384 0 60 000 0000 1 57 074 0768 0 57 000 0000 1 57 074 0384 0 57 000 0000 1 55 074 1920 0 55 000 0000 1 55 074 0384 0 55 000 0000 1 48 074 0768 0 48 000 0000 1 52 074 0384 0 52 000 0000 1 55 074 0768 0 55 000 0000 1 60 074 0384 0 60 000 0000 1 57 074 0576 0 57 000 0000 1 55 074 0192 0 55 000 0000 1 57 074 0384 0 57 000 0000 1 55 074 0768 0 55 000 0000 1 53 074 0192 0 53 000 0000 1 53 074 0192 0 53 000 0000 1 52 074 0384 0 52 000 0000 1 50 074 0384 0 50 000 0000 1 52 074 0384 0 52 000 0000 1 48 074 0768 1 47 074 0020 0 48 000 0364 0 47 000 0000 1 48 074 2304 0 48 000 17024 1 64 064 0384 0 64 000 0000 1 57 064 0768 0 57 000 0000 1 61 064 0384 0 61 000 0000 1 64 064 0768 0 64 000 0000 1 69 064 0384 0 69 000 0000 1 66 064 0384 0 66 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 66 064 0096 1 64 064 0012 0 66 000 0084 0 64 000 0000 1 66 064 0384 0 66 000 0096 1 64 064 0764 0 64 000 0004 1 62 064 0288 0 62 000 0096 1 61 064 0362 0 61 000 0022 1 59 064 0090 0 59 000 0006 1 61 064 0096 0 61 000 0000 1 59 064 0096 0 59 000 0000 1 61 064 0480 0 61 000 0000 1 57 064 0768 1 56 064 0020 0 57 000 0364 0 56 000 0000 1 57 064 1974 0 57 000 -28726 1 64 064 0192 0 64 000 0000 1 64 064 0192 0 64 000 0000 1 57 064 0768 0 57 000 0000 1 61 064 0384 0 61 000 0000 1 64 064 0768 0 64 000 0000 1 69 064 0384 0 69 000 0000 1 66 064 1152 0 66 000 0000 1 64 064 0764 0 64 000 0004 1 62 064 0192 0 62 000 0000 1 62 064 0192 0 62 000 0000 1 61 064 0362 0 61 000 0022 1 59 064 0090 0 59 000 0006 1 61 064 0096 0 61 000 0000 1 59 064 0096 0 59 000 0000 1 61 064 0480 0 61 000 0000 1 57 064 0768 1 56 064 0020 0 57 000 0364 0 56 000 0000 1 57 064 6240 0 57 000
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:Track 2
M:3/4
Q:1/4=170
K:C
G,6|C,4E,2|G,4C2|A,3G,A,2|G,4F,2|E,3D,E,2|
C,42|C,6|-C,4G,2|C4D2|E2D2C2|D6|E4ED|C4C2|
A,4A,2|G,6|-G,4G,2|C4D2|E2D2C2|D6|E4ED|C4C2|
A,4A,2|G,6|-G,4G,2|C,4E,2|G,4C2|A,3G,A,2|
G,4F,F,|E,2D,2E,2|C,42|C,6|-C,6|C,6|-C,6|
C,6|-C,6|C,6|-C,6|C,6|-C,6|C,6|-C,6|C,6|-C,6|
C,6|-C,6|C,14/3E4/3|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|
-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E2/3A,16/3|
-A,6|A,6|-A,6|A,6|-A,6|A,6|-A,6|A,6|-A,6|
A,6|-A,6|A,6|-A,6|A,6|-A,14/3^C4/3|-^C6|^C6|
-^C6|^C6|-^C6|^C6|-^C6|^C6|-^C6|^C6|-^C6|
^C6|-^C6|^C6|-^C2/3E16/3|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|
E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E14/3A4/3|-A6|
A6|-A6|A6|-A6|A6|-A6|A6|-A6|A6|-A6|A6|-A6|
A2/3^F16/3|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|
^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F8/3E10/3|-E6|E6|
-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E19/6^F17/6|
-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|
^F6|-^F11/3E7/3|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E6|
E6|-E6|E25/6^F11/6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|
^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F2/3E16/3|-E6|E6|-E6|E6|
-E6|E6|-E6|E6|-E14/3D4/3|-D6|D6|-D6|D6|-D6|
D6|-D6|D6|-D2/3^C16/3|-^C6|^C6|-^C6|^C6|-^C6|
^C6|-^C6|^C8/3B,10/3|-B,6|B,6|-B,6|B,6|-B,6|
B,6|-B,19/6^C17/6|-^C6|^C6|-^C6|^C6|-^C6|
^C11/3B,7/3|-B,6|B,6|-B,6|B,6|-B,25/6^C11/6|
-^C6|^C6|-^C6|^C6|-^C2/3A,16/3|-A,6|A,6|-A,6|
A,14/3^G,4/3|-^G,6|^G,6|-^G,6|^G,2/3A,-14/5EEA,4^C2E4A2^F6E4DD^C2B,/2^C/2B,/2^C5/2A,4^G,2A,133/4||

28 Apr 99 - 04:26 AM (#73945)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: Jennifer Burdoo

I'm a military historian (Leastways I'm majoring in it) so this song intrigues me. What sources can anyone give me to answers to the following questions:

What was the "Flying Column?" (I know what a flying column is, yes, but this sounds like a specific unit.)

Who are Free Staters? Which side? I can't tell whether the song's protagonist is on the Protestant or Catholic side.

And what are all those names? Are they specific people (heroes of the Rebellion) or generic throwaways? Sean Moylan, Dinny Lacey and so on?

Thanks for any help,
Jennifer

28 Apr 99 - 10:27 AM (#73999)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: Brakn

I'm no authority but this song is not altogether correct. I think that the first use of the the term, "flying column" was in 1920 when the IRA set up a unit in East Limerick to combat the highly mobile Black and Tans. The idea then spread to other counties.

A Treaty was signed in 1921, with the British, to split Ireland, North and South. The South was to be called The Free State. So the term Free Staters is the name given to those who no longer wanted to be at war with Britain. There was a civil between anti-Treaty and pro-Treaty supporters. So, this song is nothing to do with Catholics or Protestants.

Dan Breen had a reward of £10,000 put on his head, dead or alive, by the British, in the War of Independence. In January 1919, he fired the first shots in that war, with Sean Moylan, Sean Hogan and others, by killing two policemen in Tipperary in a hold up for gelignite.

28 Apr 99 - 10:32 AM (#74001)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: Wolfgang

Jennifer, go here for information on Dan Breen. In that short paragraph, the terms 'flying column' and (Irish) 'Free state' are alluded to as well. The 'free staters' were supporters of the Irish Free State. Both the Free Staters and their opponents (sometimes called Republicans for they wanted to be Ireland a republic as opposed to a free state) were (in majority) Catholics. In that civil war more Irish people died than in the years before in the fight against the British.

Wolfgang

28 Apr 99 - 08:35 PM (#74171)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: skw@worldmusic.de

Jennifer, Dan Breen also wrote a book - it's called 'My Fight for Irish Freedom'and should still be in print in Ireland. Any History of modern Ireland will help, also Calton Younger's 'Ireland's Civil War' and any biography of Michael Collins, who was the brain behind the guerilla war against the Black and Tans. However, the idea of the 'flying column' came, I believe, from Tom Barry (?) who commanded the first one and has also written a book about their exploits. (I may be behind the times, but I still prefer books for reference. I can't, after all, take my computer to bed with me!)- Susanne

29 Apr 99 - 06:49 AM (#74282)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: Wolfgang

here's another good site for the historical background to that song. It covers especially the brutality that both (catholic) sides in the Irish Civil War used. Even the first two dead in the Irish war of independence (see Brackn's post above) were Roman Catholic.

Wolfgang

29 Apr 99 - 11:22 AM (#74326)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: johnm (inactive)

Two interesting books to read on this are "On Another Man's Wounds"( called "Army Without Banners" in the American edition), and "The Singing Flame" by Ernie O'Malley, a high level IRA commander who refused to accept the treaty. The first book is about the fight against the British, the second about the Civil War. Both are well written and more than just battle stories

05 Nov 99 - 09:18 AM (#132118)
Subject: RE: Tune add:- Galtee Mountain Boy
From: alison

Thanks to a MIDI file from Mick Bracken...

If you'd rather hear the tune without the hassle of translating, it, try Mudcat MIDIs

slainte

alison

16 Oct 01 - 01:19 PM (#573471)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,Paulco

Hi all- I've been looking around this site and the others linked from this thread to try to determine if 'The Galtee Mountain Boy' refers to an individual (as 'The Wild Colonial Boy' does). If so who was he and what do we know of him?

Thanks and regards,

Paulco

16 Oct 01 - 09:26 PM (#573827)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,chrisj

Paulco, I don't think 'Galtee Mountain Boy' is supposed to refer to any particular individual but I could be mistaken. Didn't Liam Lynch the leader of the 'Irregulars'(ie, Republicans) in the Civil War come from somewhere around that area? My favourite version of the song is by John Beag O'Flaherty.

08 Nov 04 - 09:47 AM (#1320411)
Subject: RE: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,amanda

i just saw your website and found the song very interesting. I actually live at the bottom of the galtees near the house where Dinny Lacey lived and near the area he was shot dead.My grear grandmother also had Dan Breen stay in her house when he was on the run

22 Jun 05 - 08:58 PM (#1507559)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST

The song isn't about anyone in particular. Liam Lynch (in response to chrisj) was from Anglesboro in Co. Limerick, which isn't in the Galtees.

10 Jul 08 - 07:30 AM (#2385548)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,Shay

Hi.

My mother's family come from (and many still live in) the parish of Anglesboro and Kilbehenny (or the other way around) which is at the foot of the Galtee Mountains, contrary to the post on June 22nd. I'll be there at the end of the month so I'll check!

PS I was in Ireland 2 years ago and found a book which said that Liam Lynch was born in Anglesboro Co. Cork!!!! It is definately in Co. Limerick.

10 Jul 08 - 10:13 AM (#2385669)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: Mr Happy

Paddy Reilly's version here:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xFmJwKVKXfw

10 Jul 08 - 03:56 PM (#2385980)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: For Mick Lowe - Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,beachcomber

For the further information of Jennifer and Paulco, Guest & Guest Shay are correct in stating that Gen Liam Lynch was born in Anglesboro, Co. Limerick on 9th Nov 1893.The Gaelic name of the place is "Gleann na gCreabhar".It is at the Western foot of the Galtee Mts, so chrisj is also correct.
He joined the Volunteers in 1913 in the North Co. Cork Town, Mitchelstown,( which was only 5miles away) where he was employed.Thereafter he worked in Millstreet and Fermoy so that it was with the Fermoy Battn Vols that he originally came to prominence.
I would say that Liam Lynch probably is the subject of the song "Galtee Mt Boy" because he was involved, between 1917 and his death in 1923, with all the other names mentioned (which are all real people's names) and all the places mentioned in the song.
Jennifer you might also put Florrie O'Donoghue's book "No other Law" on your list.

12 Jun 09 - 08:16 AM (#2654756)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,interested

Galty Mountain Boy refers to Paddy Davern who died about 14 years ago. He worked as a labourer for most of his life. He was illiterate. Recruited one day as he worked with his father he fought in the war of independence and civil war. He was arrested by both British and Free state and sentenced to death by both.

13 Jun 09 - 05:28 AM (#2655465)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,interested

I should add to the above - he escaped his first death sentence by escaping and the second - as I recall - by reprieve at the ending of the civil war.

13 Aug 09 - 04:59 AM (#2699231)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST

Can anyone tell us more about Paddy Davern please.

31 Mar 14 - 01:22 PM (#3614036)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,Galtee mountain boy

My mum grew up in the house where liam lynch was born and reared a mile from anglesboro.it is definely county limerick and is at the foot of the galtee mountains.my uncle neddy hogan still owns the farm where liam lynch was born. The references to Tipperary would mean that the song was not about liam lynch but about paddy davern.

23 Oct 15 - 03:50 PM (#3746210)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,JTT

Is it not about Sean Treacy?

23 Oct 15 - 04:44 PM (#3746220)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy
From: McGrath of Harlow

The Tipperary reference wouldn't at all rule out Liam Lynch. After being shot up in Knockmealdown Mountains he was taken down to Clonmel, which is in Tipperary, where he died. There's a round tower memoral tor Liam Lynch up in the mountains where he was shot where there are often memorial gatherings.

Though I doubt if Liam Lynch actually is the Galtee Mountain Boy, who isn,t necessarily an individual anyway.

23 Oct 15 - 05:30 PM (#3746230)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,Terry Murphy

Christy Moore says he wrote the last verse.

13 Oct 17 - 07:20 PM (#3882152)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Galtee Mountain Boy
From: GUEST,JOHN BREEN

It has made interesting reading on the thread of the mystery of who actually was the Galtee Mountain Boy. I guess the bottom line is we will never actually find the answer. This is my version of the song which was shared by Stair na hÉireann/History of Ireland on 1st October 2017. I hope I have done the song justice

https://www.facebook.com/StairnahEireann/videos/1418872161560574/?hc_ref=ARRHtuWX28bmYOhGUWW1Cfw3y0vYUtxoIJi9yxloOkcREoxZpUZGgrz9m9x2ROvMeb8&pnref=story