40:
120:, there were fewer than 20 houses in Spancilhill, so its population was not recorded separately from the townland, whose total population had fallen from 278 in 46 houses to 174 in 34. Considine emigrated to the United States of America around 1870. He left intending to make enough money to send for his sweetheart so they could be married. Her name was Mary MacNamara, and she is mentioned in the song as ‘Mack the Ranger's daughter’. She was probably the daughter of his neighbour in Castletown townland, Michael McNamara and his wife, Margaret, née Culligan. Mary was baptized on 3 August 1851 (page No. 205, entry No. 6108, in the Roman Catholic Baptism register of the parish of
99:, County Clare. He was baptized on 11 August 1850 (page No. 204, entry No. 6051, in the Roman Catholic Baptism register of the parish of Clooney, Bunratty Upper). His father's name was Peter and his mother's was Mary, née Rogers. His siblings mentioned in the song, Pat & Ellen, also appear in the said baptism register. His godparents were John McGannon and Bridget Daffy. He was related to Michael Considine, the secretary of the guild of trades in
137:
Considine worked in Boston for two years or so before moving to
California. In failing health, he wrote the poem in memory of the hometown he would not live to see again, and posted it to his young nephew in Ireland. Michael Considine trained as an accountant and died in California in 1873 at the age
133:
mentioned was Fr. Daniel
Corbett. He was ordained in Maynooth seminary in 1832 and served as parish priest from 1836 to 1893. The musician Martin Moylan, who played at the fair, was probably the man who is listed in the above Griffith's Valuation as living in the adjoining townland of Knockaluskraun.
115:
in 1855, the family had rented a farm of 20 acres from Henry
Moloney in Muckinish townland, Clooney parish, which was situated just two fields to the west of Spancilhill Fair Green, where the fair was held. There were five cottages on the farm, which Peter sublet to tenants. In 1851, after the
56:, is a traditional Irish folk ballad composed by Michael Considine (1850–73), who was born in Spancil Hill and migrated to the US. It bemoans the plight of the Irish emigrants who so longed for home from their new lives in America. This song is sung by a man who longs for his home in
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152:, which is highly abbreviated and makes a number of changes to the lyrics – for example renaming the protagonist "Johnny" instead of "Mike", and describing his love as daughter of a farmer instead of the local ranger.
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mentioned in the song was probably
Michael Quigley who is listed in the above Griffith's Valuation as a tenant of Considine's father Peter, as Michael's son Patrick was described as a tailor in the 1901 census. The
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refers to the practice of "spancilling," which was to use a short rope to tie an animal's left fore-leg to its right hind leg, thereby hobbling the animal and stopping it from wandering too far.
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The rendition of the late singer/songwriter Robbie McMahon, who died in 2012 at the age of eighty-six, is widely regarded as the definitive version of
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The below version is the one sung by Robert McMahon which is considered to be closest to
Michael Considine's original poem.
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Michael
Considine was born in August 1850 close to Spancil Hill Crossroads, in the townland of Castletown,
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84:. Spancil Hill Fair is one of the oldest horse fairs in Ireland. It is held annually on 23 June.
60:, his friends and the love he left there. All the characters and places in this song are real.
560:"Clare Genealogy: Donated material: RC Baptism Records (Complete) for Quin and Clooney Parish"
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708:"Clare County Library: Songs of Clare - Spancil Hill sung by Michael 'Straighty' Flanagan"
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Recording of Robbie McMahon singing
Spancillhill at the Góilín song club in Dublin
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The young, the old, the stout and the bold came there to sport and kill,
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Robbie McMahon's story behind "Spancil Hill" as told by Frank McGrath
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The best known version of the song is that sung by the
Dubliners and
574:"Reports from Select Committees of the House of Lords and Evidence"
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The old boreen was just the same and the apple tree over the well,
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661:"St Stephen's Church, Maghera | Quin Clooney Maghera Parish"
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Oh I thought we were all young again at the Cross of
Spancilhill.
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At the parish church of
Clooney, just one mile from Spancilhill.
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The cock crew on the roost again, he crew both loud and shrill,
602:"County of Clare, Barony of Bunratty Upper, Parish of Clooney"
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It being on the twenty third of June, the day before the fair,
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May the Almighty King of Angels His Choicest Blessings spill,
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Sure he used to mend my breeches when I lived in Spancilhill.
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And when back home returning, we danced with right good will,
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O'er hills and vallies sounded, in notes that seemed to tell,
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Some have grown to manhood, while more their graves did fill,
194:'Tis that little stream of water at the Cross of Spancilhill.
726:"The words, music and story of the Irish song Spancil Hill."
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Says she: Mike you're only joking, as you often were before,
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She is Mack the Ranger's daughter, the Pride of Spancilhill.
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She threw her arms around me, saying: Mike I love you still,
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The old were getting feeble and the young ones turning grey.
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My mind being bent on rambling and to Erin's Isle I did fly.
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I called to see the neighbors, to hear what they might say,
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Last night as I laid dreaming of the pleasant days gone by,
687:"Singer whose 'Spancil Hill' was hailed as finest version"
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On that Glorious spot of Nature, the Cross of Spancilhill.
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I thought I stooped to kiss her, as I did in days of yore,
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Where all my school companions in crowds assembled 'round.
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Sure Erin's sons and daughters, they all assembled there.
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And when the ceremony ended, we all knelt down in prayer,
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Spancil Hill is located in Muckinish townland, parish of
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In hope to see that dear old spot some day before I die.
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It being on a Sabbath morning, I thought I heard a bell,
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I met with tailor Quigley, he's as stout as ever still,
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And I only met strange faces at my home in Spancilhill.
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And I quickly came to anchor at my home in Spancilhill.
382:(as "Fairmount Hill" with changes setting the song in
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What a curious combination at the Fair of Spancilhill.
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Enchanted with the novelty, delighted with the scenes,
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I stepped on board a vision, I sailed out with a will,
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To Martin Moylan's music at the Cross of Spancilhill.
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The Original Lyrics as handed down by Robbie McMahon
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But when my vision faded, the tears came in my eyes,
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And I awoke in California, far far from Spancilhill.
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In hopes for to be ready to climb the Golden Stairs.
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I thought I heard a murmur, I think I hear it still,
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Where in my early childhood I often times have been.
107:, for Sir Edward Fitzgerald, the 3rd Baronet of the
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I missed my sister Ellen, my brothers Pat and Bill,
30:This article is about the song. For the place, see
286:She's as pure as any lily and as gentle as a dove.
95:Civil Parish, Doora Electoral Division, barony of
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255:I went into my old home, as every stone can tell,
283:I paid a flying visit to my first and only love,
219:That Father Dan was coming his duty to fulfill,
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329:The lyrics were set to the 19th century tune
199:And to amuse my fancy I laid upon the ground,
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790:Works about immigration to the United States
27:Irish folk song written by Michael Considine
647:"National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911"
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111:, of Newmarket on Fergus. At the time of
103:town and also the election agent, in the
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760:The tune (notes) and further details
105:1852 United Kingdom general election
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627:Flanagan, Michael 'Straighty'.
517:"Muckinish Townland, Co. Clare"
1:
355:version titled "Beacon Hill")
785:Songs of the Irish diaspora
58:Spancill Hill, County Clare
32:Spancill Hill, County Clare
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531:"Spancill Hill Fair Today"
52:, or in original spelling
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138:of 23, probably from TB.
608:. 1852. pp. 8, fn.f
76:, Ireland, just outside
706:Library, Clare County.
635:. Clare County Library.
122:Clooney, Bunratty Upper
70:Clooney, Bunratty Upper
606:Census of Ireland 1851
588:"Griffith's Valuation"
344:has been recorded by:
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492:List of Irish ballads
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735:on 14 November 2016.
113:Griffith's Valuation
795:The Dubliners songs
712:www.clarelibrary.ie
693:, 29 December 2012.
109:FitzGerald baronets
93:Doora, County Clare
43:The Spancilhill Inn
375:Derina Harvey Band
331:My Bonny Irish Boy
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729:oracleireland.com
16:(Redirected from
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780:Irish folk songs
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731:. Archived from
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460:Ryan's Fancy
455:Paddy Reilly
415:Johnny Logan
342:Spancil Hill
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143:Spancil Hill
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118:Great Famine
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74:County Clare
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49:Spancil Hill
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691:Irish Times
470:Tir na n'Og
410:Niall Horan
165:Spancilhill
54:Spancilhill
18:Spancilhill
774:Categories
503:References
420:Jim McCann
337:Recordings
131:Father Dan
395:Mary Duff
364:The Corrs
535:Clare FM
486:See also
370:Cruachan
72:barony,
576:. 1853.
450:Rapalje
124:). The
86:Spancil
64:History
612:19 May
541:19 May
366:(2005)
325:Melody
156:Lyrics
400:Geasa
101:Ennis
82:Tulla
78:Ennis
614:2015
543:2015
353:folk
351:(a
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