The Ballad of the Fair of Turloughmore (1843)
Sarah Hession
Sarah Hession is a professional vocalist from Galway and has recently graduated with a degree in Music Performance from Essex University. She completed a one year course in Musical Theatre prior to her degree. Sarah is also an experienced & qualified vocal coach with extensive experience in teaching within the performance industry. Along with teaching & performing, Sarah finds time to direct and conduct the Youth Gospel Choir in Lackagh Village. To hear more of Sarah's beautiful music
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Lyrics
The Fair of Turloughmore
Also known as The sorrowful lamentation of Callaghan, Greally and Mullen
Come tell me, dearest mother, what makes my father stay
Or what can be the reason that he's been so long away?
Oh hold your tongue, my darling son, your tears do grieve me sore
I fear he has been murdered at the fair of Turloughmore.
Come all you tender Christians I hope you will draw near
It's of this dreadful murder I mean to let you hear
Concerning those poor people whose loss we do deplore
The Lord have mercy on their souls, they died at Turloughmore.
'Twas on the first of August the truth I will declare
Those people they assembled that day all at the fair
But little was their notion what evil was in store
All by the bloody Peelers at the fair of Turloughmore.
Were you to see that dreadful sight 'twould grieve your heart I know
To see those lovely women and the men all lying low
God help their tender parents, they will never see them more
For cruel was their murder at the fair of Turloughmore.
It's for that base bloodthirsty crew remark the word I say
The Lord he will reward them against the Judgement Day
The blood they've taken innocent for it they'll suffer sore
And the treatment that they gave to us that day at Turloughmore.
The morning of their trial as they stood in the dock
The words they spoke were feeling, the people round them flock
"I tell you judge and jury, the truth I will declare
It was Brew that ordered us to fire, that evening at the fair".
Now to conclude and finish this sad and doleful lay
I hope their souls are happy against the Judgement Day
It was little time they got, we know, when they fell like new-mown hay
May the Lord have mercy on their souls against the Judgment Day.
Source: Charles Gavan Duffy, Editor, The Ballad Poetry of Ireland, (Dublin, 5th Ed., Published by James Duffy, 1845), pp.196,7.
The Ballad Poetry of Ireland Review
The Spectator Newspaper published a review of The Ballad Poetry of Ireland in 1845. It features some interesting comments on the above ballad!
THE SORROWFUL LAMENTATION OF CALLAGHAN, GREALLY, AND MULLEN, KILLED AT THE FAIR OF TURLOUGHMORE.
• STREET BALLAD
This is a genuine ballad of the people, written and sung among them. The reader will see at once how little resemblance it bears to the pseudo Irish songs of the stage, or even to the street ballads manufactured by the ballad-singers. It is very touching, and not without a certain unpremeditated grace. The vagueness which leaves entirely untold the story it undertook to recount, is a common characteristic of the Anglo-Irish songs of the people. The circumstance on which it Is founded took place two years ago, at the fair of Derrymacloughny held at Turloughmore.
A faction-fight having occurred at the fair, the arrest of some of the parties led to an attack on the police ; atter the attack had abated or ceased, the police fired on the people, wounded several, and killed the three men whose names stand at the head of the ballad. They were Indicted for murder, and pleaded the order of Mr Brew the Stipendiary Magistrate ; which was admitted as justification. Brew died before the day appointed for his trial.
THE SORROWFUL LAMENTATION OF CALLAGHAN, GREALLY, AND MULLEN, KILLED AT THE FAIR OF TURLOUGHMORE.
• STREET BALLAD
This is a genuine ballad of the people, written and sung among them. The reader will see at once how little resemblance it bears to the pseudo Irish songs of the stage, or even to the street ballads manufactured by the ballad-singers. It is very touching, and not without a certain unpremeditated grace. The vagueness which leaves entirely untold the story it undertook to recount, is a common characteristic of the Anglo-Irish songs of the people. The circumstance on which it Is founded took place two years ago, at the fair of Derrymacloughny held at Turloughmore.
A faction-fight having occurred at the fair, the arrest of some of the parties led to an attack on the police ; atter the attack had abated or ceased, the police fired on the people, wounded several, and killed the three men whose names stand at the head of the ballad. They were Indicted for murder, and pleaded the order of Mr Brew the Stipendiary Magistrate ; which was admitted as justification. Brew died before the day appointed for his trial.
The Cuala Press Broadside Collection
This print of the song is taken from an almost complete collection of limited editions of books and broadsides printed by the Cuala Press (formerly the Dun Emer Press).
This Dublin press published many important writers from the early twentieth century. Digital Library@Villanova University |