SpokenVerse | Mountains o'Mourne by William Percy French (read by Tom O'Bedlam) @SpokenVerse | Uploaded May 2013 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
At the time this was written, in 1896, the whole of Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom (correction made, thank you Rhonda) and things were fairly cordial then. The revolution didn't start until about 1910. The Mountains of Mourne are in County Down which is still in the United Kingdom - not in the Republic of Ireland.. Whether this state of affairs be good or bad is not a matter to be debated here.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mountains_of_Mourne
(There's an anomaly with the date - England's King is mentioned in the poem- but in 1896 Victoria was still on the throne. Edward succeeded her in 1901)
These days it's usually sung to the traditional Irish folk tune Carrigdonn or Carrigdhoun - here's Don McLean singing it:
youtube.com/watch?v=iEZIKSm78k8
When it's sung it sounds like a sentimental ballad - but that's misleading. It's humorous criticism of the nature of Londoners and their womenfolk, comparing them unfavourably with the Irish, and essentially satirical.
irishmusicforever.com/mountains-of-mourne
There's some wonderful videos on YouTube of London in about 1900
youtube.com/watch?v=SGoX5vq925o
youtube.com/watch?v=MSzl8SWeeOg
Traffic Policeman at Mansion House London 1900 is available from the Probert Encyclopaedia - which has lots of fascinating and educational information:
probertencyclopaedia.com
Bayswater Omnibus, George William Joy, 1895
Empress Eugenie Surrounded by her Ladies in Waiting by Franz Winterhalter, painted in 1855.
irishgenealogyqueries.yuku.com/topic/596/Percy-French#.UYjDMbXCZ8E
Oh Mary, this London's a wonderful sight,
With people here workin' by day and by night.
They don't sow potatoes, nor barley, nor wheat,
But there's gangs of 'em diggin' for gold in the street.
At least when I asked them, that's what I was told,
So I just took a hand at this diggin' for gold,
But for all that I found there I might as well be
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
I've seen England's king from the top of a bus
And I've never known him, but he means to know us.
And tho' by the Saxon we once were oppressed,
Still I cheered, God forgive me, I cheered with the rest.
And now that he's visited Erin's green shore
We'll be much better friends than we've been heretofore
When we've got all we want, we're as quiet as can be
Where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
You remember young Peter O'Laughlin, of course?
Well, now he is here at the head of the force.
I met him today while crossing the Strand,
And he stopped the whole street with one wave of his hand!
And as we stood talking of days that are gone,
The whole population of London looked on!
But for all his great powers, he's wishful like me
To be back where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea.
I believe that when writin', a wish you expressed
As to how the fine ladies in London were dressed.
Well, if you'll believe me, when asked to a ball,
They don't wear no tops to their dresses at all!
Oh, I've seen them meself, and you could not in truth
Tell if they were bound for a ball or a bath!
Don't be startin' them fashions, now, Mary McCree,
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
There's beautiful girls here, oh, never you mind,
With beautiful shapes nature never designed,
And lovely complexions all roses and cream,
But let me remark, with regard to the same,
That if at those roses you venture to sip,
The colours might all come away on your lip!
So I'll wait for the wild rose that's waitin' for me
In the place where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea.
At the time this was written, in 1896, the whole of Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom (correction made, thank you Rhonda) and things were fairly cordial then. The revolution didn't start until about 1910. The Mountains of Mourne are in County Down which is still in the United Kingdom - not in the Republic of Ireland.. Whether this state of affairs be good or bad is not a matter to be debated here.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mountains_of_Mourne
(There's an anomaly with the date - England's King is mentioned in the poem- but in 1896 Victoria was still on the throne. Edward succeeded her in 1901)
These days it's usually sung to the traditional Irish folk tune Carrigdonn or Carrigdhoun - here's Don McLean singing it:
youtube.com/watch?v=iEZIKSm78k8
When it's sung it sounds like a sentimental ballad - but that's misleading. It's humorous criticism of the nature of Londoners and their womenfolk, comparing them unfavourably with the Irish, and essentially satirical.
irishmusicforever.com/mountains-of-mourne
There's some wonderful videos on YouTube of London in about 1900
youtube.com/watch?v=SGoX5vq925o
youtube.com/watch?v=MSzl8SWeeOg
Traffic Policeman at Mansion House London 1900 is available from the Probert Encyclopaedia - which has lots of fascinating and educational information:
probertencyclopaedia.com
Bayswater Omnibus, George William Joy, 1895
Empress Eugenie Surrounded by her Ladies in Waiting by Franz Winterhalter, painted in 1855.
irishgenealogyqueries.yuku.com/topic/596/Percy-French#.UYjDMbXCZ8E
Oh Mary, this London's a wonderful sight,
With people here workin' by day and by night.
They don't sow potatoes, nor barley, nor wheat,
But there's gangs of 'em diggin' for gold in the street.
At least when I asked them, that's what I was told,
So I just took a hand at this diggin' for gold,
But for all that I found there I might as well be
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
I've seen England's king from the top of a bus
And I've never known him, but he means to know us.
And tho' by the Saxon we once were oppressed,
Still I cheered, God forgive me, I cheered with the rest.
And now that he's visited Erin's green shore
We'll be much better friends than we've been heretofore
When we've got all we want, we're as quiet as can be
Where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
You remember young Peter O'Laughlin, of course?
Well, now he is here at the head of the force.
I met him today while crossing the Strand,
And he stopped the whole street with one wave of his hand!
And as we stood talking of days that are gone,
The whole population of London looked on!
But for all his great powers, he's wishful like me
To be back where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea.
I believe that when writin', a wish you expressed
As to how the fine ladies in London were dressed.
Well, if you'll believe me, when asked to a ball,
They don't wear no tops to their dresses at all!
Oh, I've seen them meself, and you could not in truth
Tell if they were bound for a ball or a bath!
Don't be startin' them fashions, now, Mary McCree,
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.
There's beautiful girls here, oh, never you mind,
With beautiful shapes nature never designed,
And lovely complexions all roses and cream,
But let me remark, with regard to the same,
That if at those roses you venture to sip,
The colours might all come away on your lip!
So I'll wait for the wild rose that's waitin' for me
In the place where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea.
