Boolavogue (song)
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"Boolavogue" is an Irish
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
commemorating the campaign of Father John Murphy and his army in
County Wexford County Wexford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was ba ...
during the
Irish Rebellion of 1798 The Irish Rebellion of 1798 (; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ''The Turn out'', ''The Hurries'', 1798 Rebellion) was a popular insurrection against the British Crown in what was then the separate, but subordinate, Kingdom of Ireland. The m ...
. It was composed by Patrick Joseph McCall in 1898, the centenary of the Rebellion.


Topic

The ballad covers the victories of Father John Murphy of the village of
Boolavogue Boolavogue, also spelt Boolavoge or Boleyvogue (), is a village 12 km northeast of Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Ireland. It is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns. It has given its name to " Boolavogue", an Irish ballad commemorating t ...
in County Wexford as he led his parishioners in routing the Camolin Cavalry on 26 May 1798 before scoring further victories at the battles of Oulart Hill and
Enniscorthy Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the Blackstairs Mountains and Ireland's longest beach, Curracloe. The Plac ...
. Wexford insurgents fought well against government troops but were eventually defeated at the
Battle of Vinegar Hill The Battle of Vinegar Hill (''Irish language, Irish'': ''Cath Chnoc Fhíodh na gCaor'') was a military engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 on 21 June 1798 between a force of approximately 13,000 government troops under the command of ...
on 21 June. Father Murphy and the other leaders were hanged. Father Murphy was a priest who at first tried to persuade people not to take part in the rebellion. He changed his opinion and became a reluctant rebel leader after government soldiers burned down the homes of his parishioners whom they suspected of rebellion. Lieutenant Thomas Bookey whose 'regiment' is mentioned in the song was the leader of the Yeoman Cavalry in the Boolavogue area.


Music

McCall, who also composed the popular ballads " Kelly the Boy from Killanne" and " Follow Me up to Carlow", wrote "Boolavogue" to the old air "Eochaill" (in English, "''
Youghal Youghal ( ; ) is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland. Located on the estuary of the Munster Blackwater, River Blackwater, the town is a former military and economic centre. Located on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a long ...
Harbour''"). The tune had previously been borrowed for the Irish/Australian traditional song "
Moreton Bay Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are ...
" (1830), about an Irish convict's brutal treatment in Australia, and would later be used by Seán Ó Riada as part of the film score for '' Mise Éire'' (
1959 Events January * January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...
). The song was inspired by songs contemporary to the events of 1798 such as " Come All You Warriors". Liam Gaul Glory O! Glory O! The Life of PJ McCall by Liam Gaul, The History Press Ireland, 2011 states that "Boolavogue" is the song most closely associated with PJ McCall, and has become an anthem for Wexford. Gaul notes that "Boolavogue" was not published in any of McCall's literary works, and was first printed in the ''
Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray backgrou ...
'' on 18 June 1898 under the title ''Fr Murphy of the County Wexford''. This title was still being used when it appeared in the 1922 edition of Padraig Breathnach's ''Songs of the Gael''. It was only later that the song became widely known as "Boolavogue". McCall was from Dublin, but often visited Wexford, and was familiar with its history and geography. "Boolavogue" contains references to people and places that played a major part in the 1798 Rising.


References


External links


The tune as a midi file
* More background t
Boolavogue
at Irish Music Daily
Musical description of the song
including first verse of lyrics.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boolavogue (Song) Songs about revolutionaries Ballads of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 County Wexford Irish folk songs Irish poems Songs written by Patrick Joseph McCall The Dubliners songs 1898 songs Poems set in Ireland