The Boys of Mullaghbawn
The Boys of Mullaghbawn
Traditional Ulster ballad
Sung by Mary Smith
One verse: .mp3
(150 KB)
Full Song: .mp3 (600 K)
"The Boys of Mullaghbawn" is performed
by
Mary Smith on her CD
Two Strings
on Every Bow
Sung by Aidan Brennan
One verse: MP3
(272K)
Full song: MP3
(1.4M)
"The Boys of Mullaghbawn"
is performed by
Aidan Brennan (vocals & guitar) and Johnny B Connolly (button accordion)
Sheet music
These two recordings are quite different -- Mary sings it in a very
traditional style (as she learned it up in the area of South Armagh
where the songs comes from), where Aidan has added a nice accompaniment and
given it a cheerful tone. His interpretation is more positive: that the
message of this song is triumphing in adversity rather than just complaining
about oppression, and his up-beat style brings that out.
Notes: Mullaghbawn is a tiny village in South Armagh with a colorful
history much larger than itself. The name is spelled several ways; the Irish
spelling is Mullach Ban, but it's also commonly written as Mullaghbawn,
Mullaghban, Mullachbawn and Mullachban. It's pronounced Mulla-bawn with the
emphasis either on the first or second syllable, depending on your accent.
tourism web site
Notes from Twenty Five Irish Songs (Unfortunately, I only have a
photocopy of the song page, not the title page of the book, so the author
and publication info is missing -- sorry! -Kate)
In the eighteenth century, Mullaghbawn was was part of the
Forkhill Estate, owned by Richard Jackson who was the local Squire. In an
era of absentee landlordism, Jackson lived on his Estate, tilled his land
and encouraged his tenants to do the same. In his will he provided for the
poorest and oldest of his tenants, and to this day people in the district
benefit from his bequests. He died in 1787, and his authority passed over to
someone less acceptable to the people of Mullaghbawn.
Four years after the death of Squire Jackson, the Society of
United Irishmen was founded in Belfast by Wolfe Tone and "Trouble"
broke out in South Armagh. The "heroes" mentioned in the song are
popularly believed to have taken part in Wolfe Tone's struggle for the
Rights of Man [Rising of 1798] -- "the greatest happiness of the
greatest number in this island". But in an article in Ceol (Vol III,
No. 2. April 1968) Thomas Wall suggests that they may have been transported
for the attempted abduction of an heiress.
GIF image of sheet music
On a Monday morning early
As my wand'ring steps did lead me,
Down by a farmer's station,
Of meadow and green lawn,
I heard great lamentation
That the wee birds they were makin'
Sayin' "We'll have no more engagements
With the boys of Mullaghbawn."
[additional verse from the singing of Len Graham]
I beg your pardon ladies
I ask you this one favor
I hope it is no treason
From you I now must go
I'm condoling late and early
My heart is nie for breaking
All for a noble lady
That lives near Mullaghbawn
Squire Jackson was unequaled
For honour or for reason,
He never turned a traitor
Or betrayed the rights of man,
But now we are endangered
By a vile deceiving stranger
Who has ordered deportation
For the Boys of Mullaghbawn.
As those heroes crossed the ocean
I'm told the ship in motion
Did stand in wild commotion
As if the seas ran dry,
The trout and salmon gaping
As the cuckoo left her station
Sayin', "Farewell to lovely Erin
And the hills of Mullaghbawn.
To end my lamentation
We are all in consternation
For the want of education
I here must end my song;
None cares for recreation
Since without consideration
We are sent for transportation
From the hills of Mullaghbawn.
[ALT:]
To end my lamentation
We are all in consternation
None cares for recreation
Until the day do dawn
For without hesitation
We are charged with combination
And sent for transportation
From the hills of Mullaghbawn.
Repeat first verse, but end with:
Sayin', "Farewell to lovely Erin
And the hills of Mullaghbawn.