Agrarian Unrest

An Gheadach Dá Crú sa Ghleann

Amhrán a bhaineann le ré na ndeachúna nuair a cuireadh iachall ar Chaitlicigh íocaíochtaí a thabhairt d’Eaglais na hÉireann. Deirtear gurb é an file Diarmuid Ó Failbhe a chum an t-amhrán timpeall na bliana 1831. De réir an scéil bhí baintreach thiar sa Ghleann agus ní raibh aici ach an t-aon bhó amháin. Nuair a theip uirthi na deachmhaithe a íoc baineadh di an bhó. De réir eolais ó Phádraig Ó Laoghaire ó Bhaile na bhFlann, b’í a shín sín sín seanmháthair féin a bhí i gceist. Máire (Ní Fhailbhe) Uí Néill ab ainm di, deirfiúr leis an bhfile. Tá drochcháil tairgthe ar go leor daoine san amhrán. Ina measc tá Rev. Mr. Chute a mhair in aice Phort Mhic Aoidh, Mr. Denny ó Thrá Lí agus Mr. Madden, máistir poist i gCathair Saidhbhín. Is minic ‘geadach’ mar ainm ar bhó go mbíonn réiltín bán (gead) ar a héadan aici.

This song belongs to the era of the infamous Tithe War of the 1830s. The period was characterised by agriarian unrest with Catholic farmers deeply unhappy about the tithes which had to be paid to the Church of Ireland. The song was composed by a local poet Diarmuid Ó Failbhe and tells of an old woman who lived in the Glen. When the widow failed to pay the tithe the cattle drivers came to take away the only cow she had in her possession. According to information provided by Pat O’Leary from Baile na bhFlann, the old woman in question was his great-great-great-grandmother, Máire (Ní Fhailbhe) O’Neill, a sister of the poet. Some of those involved in the confiscation of the cow are mentioned in the song including Rev. Mr. Chute who lived near Portmagee, Mr. Denny from Tralee and Mr. Madden, a postmaster in Cahersiveen. ‘Geadach’ is a name often given to a cow that bears a white star (gead) on its forehead.