Traditional Irish Folk Music 5 Instrumentation 2.1 The Fear of the Harp

Harps and Their Power.

As I stated in the previous post, the harp during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, was feared.Why did the harp gain this power? Surely, the Monarch of England had nothing to fear from simple musicians?

As I stated in my Instrumentation Introduction, the tradition of Irish Folk music was an oral one.Songs were passed from generation to generation, and from location to location, by the Files , Bards and Harpers. In the earlier periods, these would have been tales of heroic deeds of a tribal chieftain, or the lament of a fallen hero. As time progressed, the repertoire grew to include all the great battles and the tales of foes vanquished. 

So by the time of Queen Elizabeth I the majority of Ireland's history was in the form of songs and poems set to music (much the way that the Icelandic Edda, were the oral Skaldic poems of Norse Mythology).

So what made Queen Elizabeth I wish to eradicate Irish History?

To answer this the history and happenings of that time period have to be addressed.

First we have a very Catholic Ireland during the Tudor period, and protestant reformation. The Irish people already at odds with Henry VIII and the English Administration of Ireland bringing in this reform.

Secondly we have the division of Ireland itself between the New English Pale of Dublin, The old English lordships, The Irish Gaelic lordships and even Scottish Gaelic lordships all adding to the unease of the common Irish folk. 

Socio-political division of Ireland circa  1530

http://omaelearcaidh.com/archives5.htm

Finally and perhaps most importantly we have the Nine Year War from 1595 to 1603. This war in the beginning almost eradicates the English from Ireland, but by the end for the first time in history, England, and the English Government in Dublin has complete control of Ireland. 

During these troubled times a midst the war and famine, we see what is perhaps the start of the protest song. 

Bards and harpers who were previously singing tales about great hero's, now appear to be singing tales about the dubious nature of the enemy and of their defeat.

 One such song 'Follow me up to Carlow' about the defeat of the English at The Battle of Glenmalure by Fiach Mac Aodh Ó Broin (anglicised as Feagh or Fiach McHugh O'Byrne)  during the second Desmond rebellion of 1579-1583. Believed to have been first performed as an air by the pipers of McHugh in 1580. The Lyrics were added later by Patrick Joseph McCall.

Follow me up to Carlow

Lift Mac Cahir Og your face,

You're broodin' o'er the old disgrace

That Black Fitzwilliam stormed your place

and drove you to the ferns

Gray said victory was sure,

And soon the firebrand he'd secure

Until he met at Glenmalure

with Fiach McHugh O'Byrne

Chorus

Curse and swear, Lord Kildare,

Fiach will do what Fiach will dare

Now Fitzwilliam have a care,

Fallen is your star low

Up with halbert, out with sword,

on we go for, by the Lord

Fiach McHugh has given the word

"Follow me up to Carlow"

See the swords of Glen Imaal,

They're flashing o'er the English Pale

See all the childer of the Gael,

Beneath O'Byrne's banner

Rooster of the fighting stock,

Would you let a Saxon cock

Crow out upon an Irish Rock,

Fly up and teach him manners

Chorus

From Tassagart to Clonmore,

There flows a stream of Saxon gore

And great is Rory Og O'More

At sending loons to Hades

White is sick and Gray is fled,

And now for black Fitzwilliam's head

We'll send it over, dripping red

to Liza and her ladies

         Chorus

Follow me up to Carlow- performed by Five Alive 

It is at this point, that Queen Elizabeth I in an attempt to quell any thought of an Irish revolt or uprising, makes the decree to execute harpers and destroy their instruments. 

Reference:

The MacCarthys and the Nine Years War in Munster. 1595-1603. The Irish Story. John Dorney 13 April 2011  (article) [online] Available at <http://www.theirishstory.com/2011/04/13/the-maccarthys-and-the-nine-years-war-in-munster-1595-1603/#.Ukgpy4btZ8E> (accessed 29 September 2013)

McCall PJ. Songs of Erinn,1899  Simpkin Marshall & Co. London [online] available at <http://www.archive.org/stream/songserinn00mccagoog#page/n26/mode/2up>(accessed 29 September 2013)

Five Alive O Follow me up to Carlow,sean1405 uploaded 2 October 2008(Video) [online] available at:<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O8Bs6DlrFg> (accessed 29 September 2013)