John’s by the Caol Óg side

These following lines were hand written on the original composition.

‘Where the Murphy’s live in Aghatubrid and its immediate vicinity is called Caol Óg from a riverlet that flows down at the East of John’s.

An I.R.A man sang this song on the eve of his departure for the U.S.A.

He sang it at his American wake.’

The composer recalls in this song battles fought with the Tans in Tooreensigh; the fight by the Republicans to re-take Killorglin from the Free State Army; the battle of Gurrane between Republicans and Free Staters and the atrocities of the Civil War including the killing of five prisoners at Bahaghs and of Seán Clifford killed by firing squad in Tralee Gaol.

The fight with the Tans in Tooreensigh could refer directly to the Bunadireen ambush as there is a place called Tooreen located near the ambush site of Bunadireen. The fight occurred according to the song, however, on a Sunday and could, therefore, also refer to an ambush that took place on 3rd July 1921 at Spunkane Chapel. The rebels were under the leadership of Mick Fogarty and according to a statement by local rebels had two rifles and a number of shotguns. A party of RIC men and Black and Tans were observed by IRA scouts travelling the road towards Cahirciveen. The local IRA men mobilised to ambush them on their return. The men were still in position at eight o’ clock the following morning, however, as people were going to Mass. They had begun to retire when scouts further along the road signalled the approach of the Crown forces. As the men rushed back into position, they were noticed by the enemy who opened fire. The firing reportedly continued for some time with no casualties. ‘The only casualty was a horse dead in a field near-by’.

The attempt by the Republicans to re-take Killorglin from the Free State army is also referred to. Throughout the summer of 1922, the Republicans had control over the town. Killorglin was occupied by Free State troops in August 1922. The Republicans, however, made an attempt to re-take the town on 25th September 1922. The fight reputedly lasted twenty-nine hours with the capturing of twenty Republicans. The prisoners were brought to Tralee. Several Republicans were wounded during the fight and four were killed. Consulting the roll of honour, the reference to Romey who was ‘bore back bleeding and broken’ and ‘by Bahaghs braes he died‘, could refer to Diarmuid Céitinn of Cahirciveen who died on 2nd October 1922.

Source: Dorothy Macardle, ‘Tragedies of Kerry’ (Irish Freedom Press, 1924);

National Archives WS 786, shared statement of Denis Daly, Pádraig Ó Conchubhair, Micheál Breathnach.

Sinéad Joy

Ere tomorrows sun tints the eastern sky, I’ll be going far, far from home,

Like so many more of old Erin’s sons who have crossed the Atlantic foam.

But ere I go I will sing a song-yes; I’ll sing tho’ I could have cried,

For the times we had both gay and sad at John’s by the Caol Óg side.

At Kenneigh Wood and at Dennehy’s Cross we had dances non could decry,

And we often danced at Francis’ Cross ‘till the Trideen was in the sky.

But on Sunday eves in the Autumn late, we withdrew from the dance outside,

And we trooped and thronged up into John’s, to John’s by the Caol Óg side.

A Céad míle fáilte we always got from John and from Hannah there,

With their blazing fire and big bright lamp reflected on shining ware,

And walls as white as the driven snow and door thrown open wide,

No looks askance we got at John’s, at John’s by the Caol Óg side.

They came from the East, they came from the West, the North and the South came there.

As merry a set as ever met at Pattern, race or fair.

And with song and dance and joke and laugh, made the hours like moments glide,

“Oh that was “some dance” that dance at John’s – At John’s by the Caol Óg side.

Of musicians great, we had a host, we’d the trio from Farnahown.

The Crohan brothers, Courtney and Fitz and the Cauragh from west of town.

Fionán and Jerome and Ben and Mick-all, all for honours tied,

They beat the band when playing at John’s – at John’s by the Caol Óg side

We’d the greatest singers you’d wish to hear – sure I think I can hear them now,

The Sullivan lad from Western Gurrane and Curran from Coomastow,

The O’Kelly’s too and O’Connor Dan , their fame spread far and wide,

An opera they staged at John’s – at John’s by the Caol Óg side.

In Erin’s cause those lads so gay were willing to dare and die,

And with shotguns and pikes they attacked the Tans one Sunday at Tooreensigh.

Through leaden spray they cut their way and they peppered John Bull’s hide.

And that night they danced and they sang at John’s – at John’s by the Caol Óg side.

Full many of that fine jolly crowd to wander were doomed by fate,

And there far and wide o’er Columbia’s shore from New York to the Golden Gate,

And let fortune fawn or fortune frown, they will ever look back with pride.

To the sport and the dance they had at John’s – at John’s by the Caol Óg side.

Now Bolus ‘neath night-cap of fleecy mist looks lazily o’er the sea,

And the Bull Rock wheels it’s ghostly gleam o’er the silvery, silent sea,

Rineen lone light-house with lights long lowered looks cold o’er Currane’s tide,

But as dimmed as its lamps is the dance at John’s – at John’s by the Caol Óg side.

For new war and woe came o’er this land, its bravest and best went down,

And a cloud of sorrow hangs o’er Iveragh, like the cloud over Clonmel town,

For the freedom we got was but Dead Sea fruit, at our plight the angels cried,

And death’s cruel hand swept all sport from John’s – from John’s by the Caol Óg side.

Killorglin town I shall ne’er forget, did I live for six full score,

There for hours we fought in its shot swept streets, ‘till Romey fell wounded sore.

Bleeding and broken we bore him back but by Bahaghs braes he died,

And the farewell volleys fired o’er his bier were heard by the Caol Óg side.

In the battle of Gurrane, tho’ our force was small, we proved we were much alive.

When a thousand troops from Coars and Caoil, poured death on our forty five,

We kept them at bay through the live-long day and their armoured cars defied,

‘Till their hosts fell back at the North of John’s – of John’s by the Caol Óg side.

Full many a night from a sheiling lone, by the slope of a mountain brown,

Have I watched their lorries light up the land, as they raided to hound us down,

And ere dawn day, we groped our way, where the hares and foxes hide.

Through the cliffs and the crags North-East of John’s – of John’s by the Caol Óg side.

Poor Willie Riordan and comrades four, at Bahaghs their young lives gave,

And by Keelóvarnógue, by the pathways side, they sleep in the self-same grave,

And in Tralee jail by the firing squad, Sean Clifford he bravely died,

They were all my dear pals at drill and dance, ‘round John’s by the Caol Óg side.

The night winds whistle around Caol óg and moan through Bill Huggard’s trees,

And the mists o’er Connor’s Coom they roll and wheel in each passing breeze.

The motors from Caher, with head lights bright ‘round Joe’s wood purr and glide,

But no talk of dance or of sport at John’s – at John’s by the Caol Óg side.

The Banshee wails around lone Theen Glas and caoines along Conny’s Caol,

And the moon on high, with a tear dimmed eye, looks down over hill and dale,

It reflects but the woe that is o’er the land for the lads that for Erin died,

And wrote “Finis” on dance and on sport at John’s – at John’s by the Caol Óg side.

Written by Dónal Ó Cúrnáin, Málainn.

(circa, 1930’s)

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