Ballads of Sedition

As outlined in our last post, concerning the tithe tax and tithe war of the 1830’s, a ballad was penned and sung in Glenmore concerning Carrickshock. On the 25^th of February 1970, Danny Dowling recorded the Ballad of Carrickshock as told to him by Nicholas Forristal (1888-1979), of the Mill, Griaguenakill, Glenmore. In 1970, Nicky Forristal was 82 years of age and the subject of the ballot had occurred almost 140 years previously. Nicky’s father, Patrick Forristal (1849-1931) was born 18 years after Carrickshock and died on the Carrickshock centenary in 1931. Thus, Carrickshock took place during the lifetime of Nicky Forristal’s grandfather. Thanks to Danny’s work 50 years ago we have a version of the Ballad of Carrickshock that was sung in Glenmore.

According to an online exhibit in the National Archives entitled “Singing Sedition: Ballads and Verse in the Age of O’Connell” ballads are particularly important as a reflection of the interests and opinions of ordinary people of nineteenth century Ireland.

“Arising out of unofficial channels ballad sheets express the opinion and sentiment of the ordinary people of nineteenth century Ireland, often revealing their private attitudes to the great questions of society, politics and religion. As a medium of communication from an otherwise unrepresented class, such verses and songs provide a critical counterbalance to the views of the landed elite. … Certain types of ballads may not be readily accessible to the modern reader, since they can contain cryptic references to local persons or events.”

 “Singing Sedition: Ballads and Verse in the Age of O’Connell” is available at https://www.nationalarchives.ie/article/singing-sedition-ballads-verse-age-oconnell.

Within the exhibit is a copy of a ballad entitled “The Downfall of the Tithes,” this ballad makes reference to Carrickshock, and is available at https://www.nationalarchives.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CSORP_OR_1832_2928_0001.jpg .

Below is a transcription of the Carrickshock Ballad recorded by Danny in 1970.

Ballad of Carrickshock (Sang in Glenmore)

Those valiant sons of the Irish Nation,
Where is the country that can boast of more?
Through extensive Europe they gained rank and stature,
And for their loyalty great credit bore.

May Britain boast of their fame and glory,
Auld Scotsman too, King William’s name,
But Irish valour won’t lie from story,
While lives a bard to record their fame.

T’was a December on a Wednesday morning,
Strange rumours circled our country round,
And it was confirmed by chief ???
Warning to force the tithes or our cattle pound.

Our chapel bells they were kept sounding,
The people hearing in great number clocked,
Our ??? and ditches with all speed bounding,
To meet the peelers in Carrickshock.

They hired Bert Butler to serve citations,
To force the peasant from home or tithes,
To feed the gluttons of the reformation,
Whom honest Catholics always deride.

The first to start was courageous Power,
He  beat(?) Butler with manly skill,
Saying rally boys for the very hour,
Well pay no tithes but those traitors kill.

And chief Gibbins saw that his dog lay sprawl,
And to his forces did loudly call,
Saying prime and load boys it is appalling,
And he shot brave Power with a pistol ball.

And then commences the bloody slaughter,
For 15 minutes we had but fun,
With pikes and scythes we gave them no quarter,
We stood our ranks without fife or drum.

But 26 and their chief commander,
Was left them lifeless without a groan,
And not to conquer like Alexander,
We left 3 survivors to bring them home.

Sergeant Wylie that orange traitor,
That day he ran with great force and speed,
Tis well he knew if he was overtaken,
His body like the rest would be left to bleed.

If you were to see them of the after ???
Like pigs or ??? they were drown,
Along to standing ??? in Reid’s barn.

In Kilmaganny they all did say,
May providence crown you Tracy and Whelan,
Who fell Tithe victim upon that day,
They stood the brunt without courage failing,
And fought courageously in that bloody fray.

Now my song is ending and all is over,
Come fill your Bumfords and drink brown ale,
And where you’ll meet them in rapture,
Greet them the jovial champions of Ballyhale.

Gary Owen, “The Carrickshock Incident, 1831: Social Memory and Irish Cause Célebre,” 1(1) Culture and Social History (2004) pp 36-64 available at http://www.traceyclann.com/files/carrickshock.pdf

The National Archives also has the correspondence of the Chief Secretary’s Office concerning the “Carrickshock murders” including costs of burials of constables, doctor bills for the treatment of injured constables, the efforts to arrest, and the efforts of two Catholic clergy in raising funds to hire Daniel O’Connell to defend those accused of murder etc.  [CSO/PR/OR/1831/1328 et seq]

Update 2 Feb. 2021–while going through the Munster Express newspaper of 27 Dec. 1946 the following poem or ballad concerning Carrickshock was discovered. It appears to have been penned in the 1930’s.

Update: 24 Dec. 2022–

Munster Express (Sat. 11 Nov. 1922, p. 6)–Death of Mr. James Treacy, Ballymagill—it is with much regret we have to record the death of M. James Treacy, who passed away on Friday, 3^rd inst. The deceased was one of the famous Carrickshock Treacy’s. The interment took place at Kilcurl. We tender our sympathy to his relatives in their bereavement.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh