The Irish
folk song "Mursheen Durkin" tells the story of an emigrant from Ireland who goes to mine for gold in California during the
California Gold Rush, 1849. The song is about emigration, although atypically optimistic for the genre. The name "Muirsheen" is a good phonetic approximation to the pronunciation of "Máirtín" (Martin) in
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
; it could alternatively be construed as a diminutive of "Muiris" (Maurice). A pratie is a potato, the historical staple crop of Ireland. "America" is pronounced "Americay", as was common among Gaelic peoples around Ireland.
The air to which it is sung is "Cailíní deasa Mhuigheo" (pretty girls of
Mayo Mayo often refers to:
* Mayonnaise, often shortened to "mayo"
* Mayo Clinic, a medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, United States
Mayo may also refer to:
Places
Antarctica
* Mayo Peak, Marie Byrd Land
Australia
* Division of Mayo, an Aust ...
), which is a popular
reel
A reel is an object around which a length of another material (usually long and flexible) is wound for storage (usually hose are wound around a reel). Generally a reel has a cylindrical core (known as a '' spool'') with flanges around the ends ...
dating from the 19th century.
Performers
The song reached prominence when
Johnny McEvoy's recording reached no. 1 in Ireland in 1966.
It has been
covered by the following artists (and others):
*
Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore (born 7 May 1945) is an Irish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. In addition to his significant success as an individual, he is one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts. His first album, ...
*
Sharon Shannon
Sharon Shannon (born 8 June 1968) is an Irish musician, best known for her work with the button accordion and for her fiddle technique. She also plays the tin whistle and melodeon. Her 1991 debut album, '' Sharon Shannon,'' was the best-sellin ...
*
Four to the Bar on their live album
Craic on the Road
''Craic on the Road: Live at Sam Maguire's'' was the first full-length album by Four to the Bar, released in 1994.
Track listing
#I'll Tell Me Ma (Traditional)
#Waxie's Dargle/The Rare Old Mountain Dew (Traditional)
# My Love's in Germany (Tra ...
.
*
The Pogues
The Pogues were an English or Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan and others, founded in Kings Cross, London in 1982, as "Pogue Mahone" – the anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic ''póg mo thóin'', meaning "kiss my arse" ...
*
The Irish Rovers
The Irish Rovers is a group of Irish musicians that originated in Toronto, Canada. Formed in 1963'Irish Rovers are Digging out those old Folk songs', By Ballymena Weekly Editor, Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, N. Ireland – 20 August 1964 and na ...
(both as "Muirsheen Durkin" and as "Goodbye Mrs. Durkin")
*
Johnny McEvoy
*
The Dubliners
The Dubliners were an Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in personnel over their fifty-ye ...
* The
Poxy Boggards
*
Golden Bough
*
The Mollys
The Mollys were an American folk-rock quintet, influenced by Celtic and Tejano music, and based in Tucson, Arizona. For most of their run, their members were Nancy McCallion, Catherine Zavala, Kevin Schramm, Dan Sorenson and Gary Mackender. The ...
on their album ''
Hat Trick''
*
Off Kilter on their album ''Celtic Armadillo''
*
Darby O'Gill
*
The Wolfe Tones
The Wolfe Tones are an Irish rebel music band that incorporate Irish traditional music in their songs. Formed in 1963, they take their name from Theobald Wolfe Tone, one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, with the double meaning of ...
* 1916 on their album ''
Last Call for Heroes''
*
Na Fianna
Variations
"Molly Durkin" is an Irish folk song made popular by Murty Rabbett in the 1940s in the United States. It is a derivation of "Mursheen Durkin".
The song has a lively tempo and a man who decides to give up his work as a mortar shoveler (probably an asphalt shoveler as well) to take up shoveling gold in California is whimsically described. The song is not so much a song of leaving Ireland as it is an Irishman's response to a woman's scorn.
Lyrics from The American Songbook, by Jerry Silverman
/ref>
The Irish Rovers made several changes to the lyrics:
*Retitled to "Goodbye Mrs. Durkin"
*"I was never tired resortin'"
*"and the other house besides", suggesting a "house of ill repute"
*"as sure as my name is Barney"
*"I'll write you from New York", which fits the meter better
*Includes some lyrics contained in the song "Molly Durkin"
Recordings:
*Murty Rabbett & His Gaelic Band: "Farewell To Ireland" Properbox 3(P1109-12) (1999/2005)
*Ballinasloe Fair-Early Recordings Of Irish Music In America Traditional Crossroads CD 4284, CD (1998/2005)
References
External links
* http://www.affthecuff.org.uk/songs/mursheen.html
* http://www.8notes.com/scores/5619.asp?ftype=midi
{{authority control
Year of song unknown
California Gold Rush
Irish-American culture
Irish folk songs
Songs about California
The Dubliners songs
Traditional ballads
19th-century songs
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles