Killarney, 1929

When I came across this video it was entitled "Cork Street Scenes, 1929." While watching the film I noticed the corner of College St. and Lewis Rd. in Killarney, then I saw J O' Leary's-a building which is still there on Main St. today. I soon realised the majority of the video was shot in Killarney. "The Killarney Bar" on film is now Casey's off-licence (which still has a small sign on the side of it advertising "The Killarney Bar"). The original video is housed in the archives of the University of South Carolina. I cut out the segments that were from Cork and Connemara.

I'm sure people's relations in town appear here on film. My own great-grandparents were living on Fair Hill (the street that appears at 4.20) by the Friary Church in 1929, no sign of them unfortunately, as far as I can see! The kids outside the Courthouse with the donkey should surely be identifiable by someone. As far as I'm aware this is the oldest video taken of Killarney town, certainly the oldest with sound. The girl singing in Irish is from another location, its a pity the whole thing wasn't recorded. I'm guessing the girl is from Connemara she is singing the song Sail Óg Rua. This is the only piece of the film I left in shot outside of Killarney. I just couldn´t cut her wonderful singing! Below are the lines she sings.

.... bróin, ag oiliúint mo leanbh ar bhacán mo láimhe, 's gan fiú braon bainne agam a bhéarfainn dhó. "Grieving, rearing my child under my bended arm, without even a bit of milk to give him."

Viva Los San Patricios!

On the day that is in it, that being St Patrick's day, here's to the called Saol John Riley. My role was that of presenter-I followed the story of the leader of that bold Mexican brigade, John Riley, from famine torn Connemara to the Mexican American War of 1847. The song "Pa' Los del San Patricio" appeared on my first album Go raibh míle maith agat Séan Ó Garbhí, as ucht an cabhair a thug tú dom chun aistriúchán breá bríomhar a dhéanamh air ón leagan Bhéarla! I must try my hand at a Spanish version of the song too, somewhere further down the road!

Charlie O' Brien · Na San Patricios

Na San Patricios

Daichead a seacht i bhfad ró dhian,

Cailleadh anso iad ‘s i bhfad i gcéin,

Cailleadh iad i ngleanntá glasa na hÉireann

is crochadar ar cláracha Mheicsiceo

Dhá scór fearaibh ag feitheamh le bás

Sínte ar chroch ba thrua a gcás,

Le teas millteanach an mhéan lae

Thugadar leo go bhflaitheas dé.

Daichead a seacht i bhfad ró chrua

Cos ar bholg gan stad, gan suan,

Ó Vera Cruz le bratach in airde

Baileadar go cróga le céile.

Naomh Pádraig ‘s a cros

‘s iomaí fear a déag faoin bhreatach glas,

Lámh ar lámh le chéile,

Gach beachaint á réabadh.

Os cionn scamaill gan céilúir n-éan

General Lee lena airm féin

Cuireadh ruaig ar airm Valencia

Ach d-éalaíomar go caithair Mheicsiceo.

I ngort arbhar bhí na poncán clúdaithe

Thit siad ar an dtalamh lenár gunaí morá,

Lámh ar lámh le chéile,

gach beachaint á reabadh.

Luascadh an bhreatach bán trí uaire

Fós gearr Riley é síos gan bac air,

Géill siad faraor in ísle brí

i lochán dá fhuil féinig.

An Cruit, Naomh Padraig, ‘s an cros

“Éireann go brách” ar bhreatach glas,

Go dilís le chéile ‘s gunaí a pléascadh,

Gach beachaint á reabadh.

Dhá scór fearaibh ag feitheamh le bás

Sínte ar chroch ba thrua a gcás,

Le teas millteanach an mhéan lae

Thugadar leo go bhflaitheas dé.

Here's the English language version of the song, an outake from Saol John Riley. The song was filmed in Clifden, Ireland in 2009.

Pa’ Los Del San Patricio

47 too long a year, men died in chains men died in fear

some were lost under Irish sky and some on Mexico’s fields were hung.

The gallows there 14 feet high two score men condemned to die

hung at noon in scorching heat, three hours they waited bound hand and feet. 

47 too dark a year, men shook their chains and fell in fear

from Vera Cruz a flag unfurled many men rallied round it.

A Mexican eagle and a Celtic cross under the green flag men were lost

shot down as soldiers, hung as slaves their cruel fate a shallow grave.

Birds wouldn’t cross the Pedragal through it General Lee he carved a path

Valencia’s army were routed there Churubusco’s fate was calling.

The Yankees tumbled through high corn at Churubusco we shot them down 

Mexican guns they soon gave out with bayonets we joined the slaughter.

Three times the white flag swung round three times O’Riley pulled it down 

when blood ran down into the sand only then did they surrender. 

The Mexican eagle and a Celtic cross under the green flag men were lost

Shot down as soldiers, hung as slaves their cruel fate a shallow grave. 

The gallows there 14 feet high two score men condemned to die

Hung at noon in scorching heat, three hours they waited bound hand and feet.