Follow Me up to Carlow explained

"Follow Me Up to Carlow" is an Irish folk song celebrating the defeat of an army of 3,000 English soldiers by Fiach Mac Aodh Ó Broin (anglicised Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne) at the Battle of Glenmalure, during the Second Desmond Rebellion in 1580.

Composition

The air is reputed to have been played as a marching tune by the pipers of Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne in 1580.^[1]

The words were written by Patrick Joseph McCall (1861–1919) and appear in his Songs of Erinn (1899) under the title "Marching Song of Feagh MacHugh".^[2]

Characters mentioned

• Brian Mac Cahir Óg Kavanagh, Fiach's brother-in-law (as "MacCahir Óg")^[3]
• Queen Elizabeth I of England ("Queen Liza")
• William FitzWilliam, Lord Deputy of Ireland
• Baron Arthur Grey
• Fiach McHugh O'Byrne
• Sir Pierce (or Piers) Fitzgerald, High Sheriff of Kildare (as "Lord Kildare")^[4]
• Rory Óg O'More

Performances

It has been performed by numerous Irish folk bands, including Planxty and Wolfe Tones

See also

• O'Donnell Abu

External links

• Sheet music
• "Follow Me up to Carlow" - Planxty

Notes and References

1. http://www.irishmusicdaily.com/follow-me-up-to-carlow-lyrics-and-chords "Follow Me up to Carlow", Irish Music Daily
2. Patrick Joseph McCall, Songs of Erinn (London and Dublin, 1899), 22-23. (external link to source)
3. Web site: Follow Me Up to Carlow – story and characters . . Irish Music Daily . 2024-01-14.
4. Web site: Follow Me Up to Carlow – story and characters . . Irish Music Daily . 2024-01-14.