>Danny Spooner >Songs >Seán Ó Duíbhír an Ghleanna (Sean O’Dwyer of the Glen)
[ Roud 38230 ; Ballad Index OLoc081 ; trad.]
Danny Spooner, accompanied by Mick Farrell, sang and playedthe air and song Seán Ó Duíbhír an Ghleanna (Sean O’Dwyer of the Glen)in 1978 on their albumLimbo.He noted:
These two marvellous pieces of Irish musical and lyric brilliance wereinspired by a guerrilla leader in Ireland at the time of Oliver Cromwell’sattempted conquest. Seán Ó Duinhr carried on a fierce resistance against the“New Model Army” and its protestant allies, until his belovedforest was put to the torch by the invaders. No-one listening can help beingmoved by such wanton destruction and blood-letting in the name of God, thatis symbolised by that invasion.
Dave Swarbrick played the tune of Sean O’Dwyer of the Glenon his 1981 albumSmiddyburn.
Mick West sang Sean O’Dhuibhir a’ Gleannain 1995 on his Lochshore albumFine Flowers and Foolish Glances.He noted:
One of my favourite songs, it was written at the turn of the century byCanon Patrick Augustine Sheehan to a superb traditional Irish Air and isfrom the excellent Irish/Glasgow singer Kevin Mitchell.
Malinky sangSeán ó Duíbhír a’ Ghleanna (John O’Dwyer of the Glen)in 2005 on their Greentrax albumThe Unseen Hours.They noted:
Mark [Dunlop] first heard this sung by Len Graham. This English translationby George Sigerson concerns the story of a member of the Ó Duíbhír clan inCoTipperary who held the commission of Colonel from the Irish Confederacyfor Counties Tipperary and Waterford. Although the war by the Confederacyagainst Cromwell’s Parliamentary forces continued until their final defeat insummer 1652, it was in 1651 that Eamann Ó Duíbhír (Sean’s uncle) surrenderedunder the terms of the Treaty of Cahir and went to Spain along with 500followers, including Seán, who was eventually killed fighting for the King ofSpain against the French in 1654. The “geese that are all gone”are Seán and the other Gaels who fled to Europe. With grateful thanks toLen Graham for his support and helpful background information on this song.
Duck Baker, Maggie Boyle and Ben Paley played the tune ofSean O’Dwyer of the Glenin 2005 on their albumThe Expatriate Game.
Elle Osbourne borrowed one verse and the melody ofSeán Ó Duibhir an Ghleanna for her songThe Time of the Small Sun on her 2011 albumGood Grief.
The Wilderness Yet sang Seán Ó Duíbhír A’ Ghleannain 2020 on their eponymous CDThe Wilderness Yet.
Lyrics
Danny Spooner sings Sean O’Dwyer of the Glen
How oft at sunny morningsunlight all adorning
I hear the horn give warning’mid the birds mellow call.
Badgers flee before us,woodcocks startle o’er us
And guns give ringing chorus’mid the echoes all.
The fox runs higher and higher,huntsmen shouting nigh her
A maiden lying by her fowlleft wounded in his gore.
Now they fell the wildwood,farewell home of childhood
Seán Ó Duibhir an Gleannayour day it is o’er.
’Tis my sorrow sorest,sad the falling forest
The north wind brings me no restand death is in the sky.
My noble hounds tied tightlynever sporting brightly
Would make a child laugh lightlywith a tear in its eye.
The antlered noble-hearted,stags are never started
Never chased nor partedfrom the furzy field.
If peace comes but a small wayI’ll journey down to Galway
I’ll leave, but not for always,my Erin of ills.
Land of streams and valleyshas no head nor rallies
In city, camp or palacethey never toast her name.
Where the warrior columnfrom Clyne to peaks of Collum
All wasted hills and solemnthe wild hare grows tame.
When will come the routingshocks of churls and flouting?
I hear no joyful shoutingfrom the blackbird brave.
Ne’er warlike is the yeoman,justice comes to no man
And priests must flee the foemanto the mountain cave.
’Tis my woe and ruin,sinless death’s undoing
Came not to the strewingof all my bright hopes.
How oft of sunny morningI watched the sun returning
The autumn maples burningand dew on the woodland slopes.
But now my lands are plunderedfar my friends are sundered
And I must hide me underthe branch and bramble screen.
If soon I cannot save mefrom flights of foes who crave me
Oh death at last I’ll brave theemy bitter foes between.
For now they fell the wildwood,farewell home of childhood
Seán Ó Duibhir an Ghleannayour day it is o’er.
Malinky sing Seán ó Duíbhír a’ Ghleanna
Oft on a pleasant morning, sunshine all adorning
I heard a horn give warning with the birds’ meadow call
Badgers flee before us, woodcocks startle o’er us
Guns in a ringin chorus amid the echoes all
The fux runs high and higher, horsemen shouting nigher
The maid in mourning by her geese that are all gone
Now they fell the wild woods, farewell home of childhood,
O Seán ó Duíbhír a’ ghleanna your day is o’er
For it is my sorrow sorest, woe the falling forest
The north wind brings me no rest and death is in the sky
My faithful hound tied tightly, never sporting brightly
Who would make a child laugh lightly with the tears in his eye
The antlered noble hearted stags are never parted
Never chased nor started from the whinny hills
Oh if peace came but the small way I would journey down on Galway.
And leave, though not for always, my Erin of the ills
My woe and ruin through sinless death undoing
Came not o’er the strewing of all my bright hopes
How oft on sunny morning I would watch the spring returning
The autumn leaves are falling and the dew on woodland slopes
Now my land is a plunder, far my friends asunder
I must hide me under branch or bramble screen
And if soon I cannot save me by flight from foes who crave me
O Seán ó Duíbhír a’ ghleanna death will come between
