Mursheen Durkin
The Irish folk song "Mursheen Durkin" tells the story of an emigrant from Ireland who goes to mine for gold in California during the California Gold Rush, 1849.[1] The song is about emigration, although atypically optimistic for the genre. The name "Muirsheen" is a good phonetic approximation to the pronunciation of "Máirtín" (Martin) in Connacht Irish; it could alternatively be construed as a diminutive of "Muiris" (Maurice). A pratie is a potato, the historical staple crop of Ireland. "America" is pronounced "Americay", as was common among Gaelic peoples around Ireland.[2]
The air to which it is sung is "Cailíní deasa Mhuigheo" (pretty girls of Mayo), which is a popular reel dating from the 19th century.[3]
Performers
The song reached prominence when Johnny McEvoy's recording reached no. 1 in Ireland in 1966.[4]
It has been covered by the following artists (and others):
- Christy Moore
- Sharon Shannon
- Four to the Bar on their live album Craic on the Road.
- The Pogues
- The Irish Rovers (both as "Muirsheen Durkin" and as "Goodbye Mrs. Durkin")
- Johnny McEvoy
- The Dubliners
- The Poxy Boggards
- Golden Bough
- The Mollys on their album Hat Trick
- Off Kilter on their album Celtic Armadillo
- Darby O'Gill
- The Wolfe Tones
- 1916 on their album Last Call for Heroes
- Na Fianna
Variations
"Molly Durkin" is an Irish folk song made popular by Murty Rabbett in the 1940s in the United States. It is a derivation of "Mursheen Durkin".[5] The song has a lively tempo and a man who decides to give up his work as a mortar shoveler (probably an asphalt shoveler as well) to take up shoveling gold in California is whimsically described. The song is not so much a song of leaving Ireland as it is an Irishman's response to a woman's scorn.[6]
The Irish Rovers made several changes to the lyrics:
- Retitled to "Goodbye Mrs. Durkin"
- "I was never tired resortin'"
- "and the other house besides", suggesting a "house of ill repute"
- "as sure as my name is Barney"
- "I'll write you from New York", which fits the meter better
- Includes some lyrics contained in the song "Molly Durkin"
Recordings:
- Murty Rabbett & His Gaelic Band: "Farewell To Ireland" Properbox 3(P1109-12) (1999/2005)
- Ballinasloe Fair-Early Recordings Of Irish Music In America Traditional Crossroads CD 4284, CD (1998/2005)
References
- ^ Sean McMahon, A Little Bit of Heaven
- ^ Jonathan Baron, "A Narrow Sea – Episode 59 – The Hamely Tongue", BBC.co.uk
- ^ Colm Ó Lochlainn, More Irish Street Ballads, Dublin, 1965. p. 72
- ^ "Johnny McEveoy". Arts. County Kildare Community Network. February 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
- ^ Folk Index
- ^ Lyrics from The American Songbook, by Jerry Silverman