The Life Story of an Old Rebel

t he is the author of "God Save Ireland." He had no idea himself, as he used to tell me, t

as by the Manchester Martyrdom. There is no grander episode in all Irish history. The song of "God Save Ireland," embodying the cry raised by Edward O'Meagher Condon, a

l tongue. That objection has to some extent been met by the very fine translation of "God Save Ireland" into Gaelic by Da

oser of it, and that, therefore, we could claim the air of "God Save Ireland" as being Irish as well as the words. To place the matter beyond doubt, Gilmore himself being dead, I wrote to his daughter, Mary Sarsfield Gilmore, a distinguished

should be adopted as our National Anthem instead of "God Save Ireland,"

me he is of opinion that "what will be universally taken up as the Irish National Anthem has never yet been written." My f

Mr. Michael Joseph McCann, its author. This was a few years before "God Save Ireland

tainment-"Terence's Fireside; or the Irish Peasant at Home." I was one of the minstrels. The entertainment consisted of Irish national songs and ha

597," the air to which it was to be sung being given as "Roderigh Vich Alpine dhu," This was the name of the boat song commencing "Hail to the Chief," from Sir Walter Scott's poem of "The

nn himself as that to which his song was to be sung, we

put to it himself. He also told us he had made some alterations in the words of the song, and was good enough to write into my "Spirit of the Nation" the changes he had made. This copy is the original folio edition, with music, published in 1845. It was presented to me by

t song. Besides this strong resemblance, there is the fact that Mr. McCann gave as the air to

that most of the fine air of "O'Donnell Aboo!" as it is now sung is based on Mazzinghi's music-either that fo

t was often given by the name of Scott's song and Mazzinghi's composition. And when Mr. Parnell was in the height of his popularity and attended demonstrations in Ireland,

ows that the Italian composer most probably got his inspiration from the music of the Irish or Scottish Gaels, as being most suitable for his theme. So that, perhaps, we may

lody, a song which, by its transcendent merits, may spring at once into the first place. But until that happens, o

tart the "Emerald Minstrels," and what we did while that company was in existence. I may say without hesitation that we got our inspiration fro

of the choir. At the Guild meetings on Sunday nights, the chaplain, Father Nugent, an Irishman, but, like most of ourselves, born out of his

evening classes. About this good priest I shall have more to say in this narrative, and, though he was no politician, I don't think any man ever did s

cs; our objects being the cultivation of Irish music, poetry and the drama; Irish

nising our entertainments, being John Francis McArdle. Besides our main objects, already stated, we considered we were doing good work by elevating the tastes of our p

myself, but re-cast and very much improved by John McArdle. I may say that we two often did a considerable amount of jo

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fine actor, chiefly in Irish parts, as might be expected. He also travelled with a very successful entertainment of his own, and it is but a short time since he informed me that he spoke our identical "Emerald Minstrel" prologue in New York and other cities in America, adapting i

Aboo!" and others. "Killarney," words by Falconer, music by Balfe, was sung by James McArdle, who had a fine tenor voice. Richard Campbell was our prin

eturn from the Curragh I told him of how I had heard the militia men and soldiers singing the "Shan Van Vocht" on

of the living room of a comfortable Irish homestead, with the large projecting open chimney, the turf fir

ach had some special line as singer, musi

made up" as an old man made a capital "Terence" in the first part of the entertainm

leen. These two made a point of studying from nature, not only in their dancing, but in their acting and singing, so that their performances were always true to life, without an atom of

ithee, and had many of her quaint and humorous sayings, he added to the characters a special part for him-"Mrs. Casey,"-to which he did full justice. Indeed, so incessant was the laughter that followed each

the appearance of a nigger troupe. To depart from this somewhat, we occasionally introduced a trifling plot. We made it that one of the sons of the house entered while the family were engaged in their usual avocation

great demand, and were always cheerfully given

Lord Nelson Street, gave us several engagements for the "Saturday Evening Concerts," in which, from time to time, Samuel Lover, Henry Russell, The English Glee and Madrigal Union, and other