A brief overview of the historical persecution of Irish artists, singers, balladeers and song writers by the British state and it's crown forces.

In recent news the Irish rap group Kneecap have been grabbing headlines and social media discussions for their unapologetic and unrelenting support for the people of Palestine as well as holding governments around the world to account for their funding and political support for the ongoing genocide we are seeing unfold day after day in Gaza.

To those with an interest in Irish history this is not a new occurrence but a British tradition in this country that goes back to the early 1700s where under the apartheid system of Penal Laws enforced upon us, the Irish saw countless numbers of their singers and song writers heavily persecuted facing imprisonment, exile or the gallows for speaking out against injustices.

Free Palestine.

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One day in April 1903 a young trader named John Flanagan arrived in Clones town with eggs to sell and to pay a debt to the local butcher John Fee. After following Fee to his slaughterhouse he was not seen again until 8 months later his body was found buried in a dung pile.

These are the ballads of the murder of John Flanagan from Clones Co Monaghan.

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This episode we talk a little about folklore and songs about old Irish courting and marriage rituals and beliefs.

Songs:

McBreen's Heifer

Tipperary Mans Courtship

I Wish They'd Do It Now

My Own Irish Rose

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The 1867 uprising was another failed uprising across Ireland organised by the Irish Republican Brotherhood. These few songs are about men who fell during the uprising including Peter O'Neill Crowley and a young lad by the name of Ned Kelly from Kilcash in Co. Tipperary.

Both borrowed the air from Charles Kickam's Poor Blind Patrick Sheehan, based on an older Celtic air to which many laments for fallen rebels were written.

Songs include:

Poor Blind Patrick Sheehan - Charles Kickham

The Ballad of Peter O'Neill Crowley - Edmond Houlihan (Rambling Jack)

Rebel on the Run - John Ryan

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This episode looks at the folklore surrounding the mountain of Slievenamon in south Tipperary made famous but the Charles Kickham ballad The Maid of Slievenamon about which many poems and songs have been written. Songs include The Moon Behind the Hill by William Kennealy, The Old House in the Glen by Thomas Ryan aka Drangan Boy and I Love You Tipperary but Brian O'Higgins aka Brian NaBamba.

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This episode explores the place the cow occupies in Irish folklore, mythology and history through a few short stories and songs.

I've mentioned the Cattle Raid of Cooley and if anyone is interested to hear this in full I recommend the reading from the Irish Pagan School here:

Táin Bó Cúailgne by Laura O'Brien

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In this episode we'll be visiting a story from 1858 where a tenant shoots his landlords agent and talking a little about the landlord - tenant relationship in Ireland at the time. The story is told in two ballads collected from folklore resources.

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