Derrynane Soliloquies
“Dan in a Doldrom“
There are numerous songs and ballads composed about the life of Daniel O’Connell. Most are complimentary and in praise of his achievements for the Irish cause. Others are humorous and light-hearted like ‘O’Connell’s Steam Engine’ for example. The song below was printed in Chutes Western Herald on the 19th February 1835. It is of particular interest however because the composer takes a malicious delight in the misfortunes of Daniel O’Connell following a rift amongst the alliance of Irish adherents, known as ‘the tail’ in parliament. A campaign to undermine O’Connell was conducted in the paper over an extended period. Side-swipes and full-frontal attacks in the form of poems and ballads were printed regularly. The composer of the song goes under the pen-name Abaris. In Greek Mythology, Abaris was the son of Seuthes. He was a legendary sage, and healer. He was said to be endowed with the gift of prophecy. A lithograph titled ‘The Dog Wot Has Lost His Tail (Daniel O'Connell)’ by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by Alfred Ducôte, was published on 25th February 1834. It is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. The air ‘The Ould Orange flute’ which itself is based on the music hall song of the 1850’s ‘Villikins and his Dinah’ and in America as ‘Sweet Betsy from Pike’, has been used with many variations for a large number of folk songs and sea shanties, and has been called the "primal tune" by Stan Hugill, the great authority on the work songs of the sea. Related fiddle tunes are found as early as the 18th century.
Air: Ould Orange Flute.
Miss Fortune induced me one day after mass,
Thro’ the house of “the man of the people” to pass;
I saw some sick figure look ghastly and pale,
‘Twas Daniel lamenting the loss of the tail.
The elections, he cried, the elections are o’er,
And many a member is member no more;
The country, alas! Has sad reason to wail
There is such a great falling off in the tail.
‘Twas Cork, wretched Cork, that commenced the disgrace,
Yes! Cork the ungrateful, “beast, beastly, base;”
May the prayers of the angels of Gurthroe avail
For the good of the ruffians who injur’d the tail.
Lo! Bandon a-bandon-‘d the cause of reform,
And biblical Jackson elected by storm;
The same wicked spirit was found in Kinsale,
Where Thomas so cruelly treated the tail.
In the city, Joe Leycester, of Sassenach note,
Sent the friends, the best friends of the people afloat,
While Chatterton’s broadsword, like Oscar’s red flail,
Unmerciful-cut “right and left” at the tail.
At Carlow the Vigor-ous Bruens assail'd
Our birth right of freedon-they also prevail'd;
Why soon all our threats wont a farthing avail,
For here they have lopp'd off three joints of the tail.
And Lawlor, dear fellow.! of honest repute,
Was oblig’d to make way for conservative Coote;
He's beggar'd ! A Check from Latouche for his gale
Of the rint would assist this poor joint of the tail.
'Twas the infamous Press that incited the plot
Which has brought on poor Erin so grievous a blot;
Twas the Herald and Guardian, the Packet and Mail,
These Orange infernals disjointed the tail.
The plan of Reform that I once had in view,
Made these all their terrors and vengeance renew;
Oh, a curse on the day I first thought on repeale,
"Twas this wretched project that injured the tail.
Forbid the expression! I will not repent,
If it injured the tail, it collected the rint-
And I think 'tware much better the rint shouldn't fail
Than if I should lose both ‘the cause’ and the tail.
Oh, basest of villians! What words can describe
The traitor who auctions his country for bribe?
'Twas this newly-formed Cabinet’s friends (I’ll go bail,)
That laid the intrigue for to poison the tail.
The priests, my supporters, should stand to a man
To punish the wretches, the renegade clan;
Ev'ry bell should be rung, ev'ry curse should prevail,
And then ev’ry villian should wag his own tail.
May some old wretched cripples, enfeebled in breath,
Kick the mass of these miscreant demons to death;
May the deadly anathemas, pious M Hale,
Be the best of their blessings who shortened the tail.
May every fell vengeance the Church can impart
Sink deep to the core of each recreant heart;
May the Vatican's thunders for ever assail
The hireling apostates – ‘Amen’ says the tail.
Abaris
Source: The Western Herald: (19th Feb 1835, p1)