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Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society, Volume 6, Issue 26, Page 37

Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society, Volume 6, Issue 26, Page 37
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periodical Publisher
Irish Folk Song Society
periodical Editor
[Periodical]
periodical Title
Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society
volume Number
6
issue Content
5859this has been followed by later writers it appears to be a mistake, as both Walkerand Hardiman (I, p. 337) give it as Murphy.The Viscounty of Mayo was, created in 1627, and it is distinct from the stillexisting Earldom of Mayo, though the family name is Bourke in both cases. Thesubject of our song was the 6th Viscount, Theobald Bourke, who was born on the6th January, 1681 and died on the 25th June, 1741. On the 8th July, 1702 hemarried his first cousin Mary, the daughter of Colonel John Browns, of Westport,and she is the Lady Mary of verse IV. Their children, with the exception of twodaughters, Maud and Mary, who died in infancy, are all mentioned in verse V, andwere as follows :Theobald, 7th Viscount, the subject of song no. 79A infra,.John, 8th Viscount, who succeeded his brother. He died in London on the12th January, 1767, leaving an only daughter; and on his death the title becameextinct.Joan, who married Murrough OFlaherty, Esq., of Lemonfield.Elizabeth, who according to Sir Bernard Burke became Abbess of ChannelRow Nunnery, Dublin. But according to Lodges Peerage she married WilliamMitohel, of Carshalton, Surrey and held the post of Upper Housekeeper of SomersetHouse at the time of her death on the 9th June, 1770.Bridget, the youngest, who married on the 11th Octoher, 1731 Barnaby Gunning,Esq., of Castle Coote, County Roscommon. Two of her daughters were the beautifulMiss Gunnings, whose arrival in London caused a sensation and whom HoraceWalpole describes as the handsomest women alive. They were so poor that theyhad to borrow clothes from Peg Woffington the actress in order to be presentedat Court, but within a year of their arrival in London in 1751 Maria had becomeCountess of Coventry and Elizabeth Duchess of Hamilton and Argyll. WhonElizabeth got married the noble mob climbed upon tables and chairs to look ather. It is pleasant to think that the mother of these famous beauties was MissBiddy, pearl of the golden hair, mentioned in this Irish song.As Miss Biddy can hardly have been born earlier than 1712, and as she wouldhave been at least four or five years old when the song was composed, we may fixits date as about 1717. It will thus be seen that the statement in Floods Historyof Irish Music, p. 205 that it dates from about the year 1690 is another ofthat authors inventions.THE AUTHOR OF THE SONG.Bunting, Walker and Thompson (bc. cit.) attribute the air to Thady Keenan,a harper contemporary of Carolan, of whom nothing else appears to be known. Butit is at least possible that David Murphy was the author of both air and words, sincehe refers to the song (III, 8) as mo mhitir is mo cheol. It is likely that he isidentical with a harper named Murphy whom Arthur ONeill, who was born in 1737,speaks of as one of his predecessors (MS. 46, pp. 20, 21) :I never heard in my travels so much praise given to any harper by all themusicians that heard him. He was well aware of his abilities, and never spared anopportunity of boasting of them. He was in France in the reign of Louis XIV, andMurphys fame reached the ears of that great monarch, who sent for him, and wasso well pleased with his performance that Murphy was rewarded in a kingly manner,as himself said. He came home in the dress and style of a great Count. His fatherheard of his being in Dublin, and at last made out the place where young Murphyw as in high company, who was so vexed at his fathers shabby appearance, that hevery dutifully kicked the poor old man downstairs.ONeill goes on to say that Carolan could never abide Murphy on account ofhis lofty impudence. Carolan was one night in Castleblayney, in a public house, andMurphy strutts in, and after some acrimonious remarks of his against Carolan, hesaid that his compositions were like bones without beef. Aye, aye, says Carolanin a fret, Damn me, says Carolan, but Ill compose a tune before I quit you, andyou may put what beef you please on the bones of it. With that he left his seat,and cautiously stole behind Murphy, then seized him by the hair of his head, dragged,and kicked him through the room unmercifully, during which time Murphysscreeches could be heard at a great distance; Carolan saying to him while he wasroaring, Put beef to that air, you puppy! And its likely that if it was notthrough some interference he would not leave a drop in Murphy.David Murphy would appear to have been a more accomplished poet than hisConnacht contemporaries, and it is a pity that more of his poems have not survived.Others which are attributed to him or of which there is some reason to believe hewas the author are printed below as follows79A. Sir Tiobid A B1!Lrcach.79B. Maim Brn.790. Soon Bthn.7 D. Buadh agus Biseach.
issue Number
26
page Number
37
periodical Author
[Periodical]
issue Publication Date
1967-01-01T00:00:00
allowedRoles
anonymous,guest,friend,member

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