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Help: The Rising of the Moon--when?

09 Mar 00 - 09:39 PM (#192798)
Subject: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Uncle_DaveO

The last verse of The Rising of the Moon in the DT refers to "the ninety-eight", which I take to be those who fought and maybe died in '98. But 1898? 1798?
I note that the patriot-soldiers are to report "with their pike upon their shoulders", which seems to suggest an earlier time than 1898.
Anybody know what time this GREAT song refers to?
DAve Oesterreich


09 Mar 00 - 09:53 PM (#192805)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Joe Offer

Hi, Dave - I've been working up the same song to sing for song circles in March, and the very same question came to me. I found an interesting history of Ireland here (click), and it says that in 1798, there was a major uprising involving Wolfe Tone and others.
-Joe Offer-


09 Mar 00 - 09:55 PM (#192808)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: fulurum

on the clancy bros. "live on st patricks day" album, tom clancy leads into the song by saying,"heres one from the revolution of 1798.


09 Mar 00 - 10:07 PM (#192815)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Sorcha

Another interesting essay about Robert Emmet one of the leaders of the 1798 rising, is here.


09 Mar 00 - 10:54 PM (#192837)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: paddymac

"Rising of the Moon" is probably the best known song about the rebellion of 1798, but "Boolavogue" would run a close second. Pikes were the most common weapon of the rebels for several reasons; mostly economic and relative ease of manufacture by the village smithy. The only time that the various small village units could come together for practice or manuevers was at night "by the rising of the moon". There are many songs which use the same tune. "Wearing of the Green" is probably the most widely known.


10 Mar 00 - 02:59 AM (#192941)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Billy the Bus

Patrick Galvin's "Irish Songs of Resistance" gives John Keegan Casey as author of "Rising of the Moon"

It certainly was the 1798 Rebellion of the "Society of United Irishmen", in which Wolfe Tone (mentioned above) was involved. Interestingly, he was a Dublin Protestant, who was asked by the Catholic Committee to represent them with the "United Men".

Now for a quiery about an Irish group.... the...

"Wolfe Tones"

I have one record of theirs..

"Rifles of the IRA"

Released in New Zealand - ca 1976 by Hoghton Hughes Enterprises - under licence to Dolphin Records (Ireland) - can anyone help with further info on the group - they were damned good by the sound of that record.

Cheers - Sam


10 Mar 00 - 09:08 AM (#192983)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: AndyG

Billy,
here's a link to:
The Wolfe Tones Website

AndyG


10 Mar 00 - 09:58 AM (#192999)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Uncle_DaveO

Paddymac:
Since reading your post above, I've tried, in vain, to fit _Rising of the Moon_ to _The Wearing of the Green-. The meter is all wrong, as I try to sing it.

Am I all wet? Wouldn't be the first time!

Dave Oesterreich


10 Mar 00 - 10:12 AM (#193004)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Wolfgang

Dave, the DT used identical midis for these two songs. Play it and listen.

Wolfgang


10 Mar 00 - 10:44 AM (#193026)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Abby Sale

You could do much worse that buy the Galvin book cited above. And far worse than to but his two "Rebellion" rrecords from Stinson. "The 1798" was distinguished by its ardor and its blood...but the really important thing about it is that it's generally referred to as the single military activity in history that prduced the most good songs. (Some might it's insist only in re. European history.) I think most or all of them that are in DT note that they are 1798ers.


10 Mar 00 - 01:19 PM (#193103)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Uncle_DaveO

I checked the tune out in the DT, and you're right. However, two comments:
(1) I learned _Rising of the Moon_ to another, slower, more emotional, more moving minor tune which I got from Richard Dyer-Bennett.
(2) The DT's tune is recognizably similar to but different in some major details from _The Wearing of the Green_ as I have known it for many (50?) years.
In any case, thanx to everybody who has contributed to this thread and the other thread about the pronunciation of "bhuachail".
Dave Oesterreich


10 Mar 00 - 01:41 PM (#193123)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: John Wood

Perer,Paul and Mary did a version of this on their album ``See What Tomorrow Brings´´(1965).
They also use a different tune than ``The Wearing of the Green.
The notes I have say........This song relates to the Rebellion of 1798.The air is the Wearing of the Green and the lyrics were written by J.K.Casey(1846-1870) a Fenian from Mullingar.
Greetings John,


10 Mar 00 - 03:11 PM (#193168)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan

John Keegan Casey (a.k.a. "Leo")was from Tang, near Ballymahon - a few miles west of Mullingar. I think I have a biography of him somehwere - he died very young and left several great songs.

Regards


10 Mar 00 - 04:52 PM (#193207)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: GUEST,Bruce O.

The song appeared in 'The Rising of the Moon, and other Ballads, Songs, and Legends', by John K. Casey, Glasgow: Cameron and Ferguson. The book is undated, but I think it's of 1865 or slightly later. The song is on p. 66, and is headed "The Rising of the Moon A.D. 1798. Air-The Wearing of the Green". On p. 94 is a memorium to something or other dated May 13, 1864.


10 Mar 00 - 04:57 PM (#193212)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: Kim C

There is a good recording of this by a Civil War-period band called the 97th Regimental String Band - I think the cassette's called Chantey Irish. You may be able to find them on the Internet.


12 Mar 00 - 04:43 PM (#193910)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan

bruce

"memoriam to something or other" ? Not like you to be so vague! Clues?

Regards


12 Mar 00 - 07:28 PM (#194002)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: GUEST,croninfc@tinet.ie

Hello, The reference to '98 is to a republican uprising in Ireland in 1798, led by Wolfe Tone. The rising was supported by revolutionary France, which sent an expeditionary force to Ireland, which was defeated. The failure of this rising led to the Act of Union two years later , in which Ireland became part of the U.K. The song, the rising of the moon, belongs to a later period of Irish nationalism, when the Fenians planned another uprising in the 1860's, which also failed.


12 Mar 00 - 07:58 PM (#194012)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: GUEST,Bruce O.

Martin, that all I copied into my notes. The date was all I was interested in. The book is in the Library of Congress.


12 Mar 00 - 07:59 PM (#194013)
Subject: RE: Rising of the Moon--when?
From: McGrath of Harlow

The Fenians of Cahirciveen, about which there has been a recent thread, is another song about the same kind of thing. The Rising of the Moon both is and isn't about the Ninety-Eight. It's about an envisaged Fenian uprising in the middle of the 19th century, but written in terms drawn from the memories of the Ninety-Eight. You could say it's a Time Warp song.

For a site that gives a very helpful run down of many aspects of Irish history, with links to lots of other versions, try the Irish Times Pathto Peace Special