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'Irish Rover' song, is it fact or fiction?

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RStar

RStar Report 24 Jan 2010 15:41

The Dubliners and The Pogues track 'The Irish Rover' is one of my favourites, but does anyone know if its based on an actual happening and did the men in the song really exist? The lyrics can be googled, it starts 'On the 4th of July 1806 we set sail from the cobh of Cork' or similar. (Lyrics have been changed slightly from the original ones).

Rambling

Rambling Report 24 Jan 2010 15:51

Hi RS , from Wiki

City Hall is also referenced in the folk song The Irish Rover as performed by The Pogues and The Dubliners:
In the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and six,
We set sail from the Coal Quay of Cork
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
For the grand City Hall in New York

Although the dates match those of City Hall, there is no recorded usage of Irish bricks in the building's construction. However this is no surprise as in the song its mentioned in fact "The Irish Rover" never actually arrived in New York, but "struck a rock" and sank instead. So it is entirely possible that Irish bricks were planned to be used, but there are no definite records to either support or deny this.

Researching:

Alko

Alko Report 24 Jan 2010 15:53

Ho RS and Rose,

ooohh i was thinking of the wrong song lol

I was thinking roll me over in the clover pmsl xxx

RStar

RStar Report 24 Jan 2010 15:56

Lol Alko!!! Rose, thankyou, I'd googled but not found that bit! I love the lyrics so much for some reason, and the crews names. I wonder if it really was true, its so hard to research the men, with it being Ireland.

Rambling

Rambling Report 24 Jan 2010 16:03

RS, It would be nice to think there was some truth behind it, so many Irish songs have a real history..

xx

Researching:

Terry

Terry Report 24 Jan 2010 16:11

Think rover also meant pirate

Silly Sausage

Silly Sausage Report 24 Jan 2010 16:22

well thanks for that you learn some thing new every day.....just took that for one of my quiz questions...

RStar

RStar Report 24 Jan 2010 16:43

We'll all know the answer now then Hayley :-)