Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society, Volume 1, Issue 6, Page 5

Irish Folk Song Society

[Periodical]

Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society

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7Sonci V or(lS br Irlsb JIIrs.IN the JanuaryApril, 1905, Number of this Journal there was published an articleentitled, Irish Lyrical Poetry, by Mr. ONeill Russell, which I would recommendthe members to re-read in connection with the contents of our present number. Butfor the benefit of new subscribers and chance readers it is well to quote a paragraphcontaining the substance of Mr. Russells arguments :It is very strange that so few of the ancient airs that have been preserved areaccompanied by words. Most of them must have originated in times when the Irishlanguage was spoken all over Ireland. Of the eighteen hundred and odd airs collectedby Petrie, and which I have been told are now being published, only an insignificantminority have words either in English or Irish.Mr. Russell went on to urge that Irish words should be provided for the airs,and pointed out the suitability of th Irish language for vocal purposes.At the outset of this introductory article, and in commencing to deal with thissubject, we deeply regret that we have to record the death of Mr. ONeill Russell,which occurred in Dublin this spring. This is a fitting place to acknowledge his ownservices to Irish singeL s. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than the task of teachingby careful phonetic methods the pronunciation of the Irish to any singer who desiredto attempt to interpret some beautiful old Irish air in the native tongue of the Gael.ONeill Russell was a man of hot enthusiasms, of strong prejudices, which he wasaccustomed to express in unusually vehement language. But, strange to say, hisvehemence and strong language were never accompanied by a trace of temper. Incontroversy he found many to differ from him, even among his intimates, but henever lost a friend. With this brief allusion to the passing of a notable Irishmanwe return to the subject introduced by his article.It would seem from the paragraph we have quoted that even such a scholar asMr. Russell was not in possession of certain facts with regard to Irish Folk Song,which it is now our duty to set forth plainly.(With specia l reference to the Bunting MSS.)4 11 i1 iitt 4 vc$zj -i t ,1om 4 41It cic \ in & ? oc1nt dttte qiti t bl Ofl tt 41 1 &t j r4 in 1 t- - c\ 1l 1U4 1 be t 4:; edl t &M C U4TiI 4 o e an1n n i 114iIt bo tu s * i if110 t)0 ii t a 1 t 4 4 t I 5 U 4 b 1t i ine11191 C\ tt tfl -, b O 50 10b\%4 11 e 1(4111(1t turttt e 1t c e 1k - i t t 4 1 1 W4 c t ljn kt 1d tc Lt flt1( 4t 1 1d t C4( 4n4it t 4c4 lt n oI t 4 t oin1ii J4 4TtI A ti \ui - It I4 fl1 1 1i i 1U \ b j4 1l 4n 4n -11 o i 1 itt4 b4 1.i14t t4 114 CUwj m C 4t b uot ( t Au 1u4n.1T# tqt lflt 4 %d ) 4 ii t4 5 I.e mb 1 -t t t t \ uApn1114 eol ti - t t fl t1 i 4CCqi %t t i 411 lc4 1 C11u41 61i;tcii ii e 1110 t4\ .C \)e411 ftix .rc FACSIM1L MS. PoEM, THE RED-HAJBED M s Wn .(See page 18 .

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[Periodical]

1967-01-01T00:00:00

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