Mareena's 'Pick of the Week'

6. The Boys of Wexford by Danny Doyle - Rebels! The Gold Sun of Freedom (1998)

Patrick Joseph McCall -
Better known as P. J. McCall

Why did I choose this song? The Boys of Wexford was a ballad written by Patrick Joseph McCall (1861-1919) and Arthur Warren Darley (1873-1929). Patrick Joseph McCall was an Irish songwriter and poet also known for writing the lyrics to Follow me up to Carlow, Boolavogue and Kelly the Boy From Killanne. He also collected many old Irish airs but is perhaps better known for his patriotic ballads. Patrick Joseph McCall married Margaret Furlong - the sister of Irish poet, writer and political activist, Alice Furlong - in 1901.

Arthur Warren Darley was an Irish fiddle player, composer, music teacher, examiner and traditional music archivist. Arthur was also a church organist who spent some time as a Church of Ireland organist near Bruckless, Co. Donegal.

Arthur Warren Darley was the first musical director of the Abbey Theatre following its foundation in 1904, and he played a very active part with the Abbey Theatre. His father Henry Warren Darley had converted to Catholicism and Arthur supported the nationalist cause during the Irish War of Independence in 1916. His house - Bruckless House - provided shelter for republican leaders.

Theobald Wolfe Tone -
Better known as Wolfe Tone -
was the leader of the United Irishmen

The Boys of Wexford is a famous Irish ballad commemorating the Irish Rebellion of 1798 - also known as United Irishmen Rebellion. This rebellion took place against British rule in Ireland and lasted from May to September of 1798. The United Irishmen was a republican revolutionary group very much influenced by the ideas of the American and French revolutions.

The leader of the United Irishmen, Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763-1798) traveled in exile from America to France to secure French military support for the Irish cause beginning in 1796. The subsequent French force that Wolfe Tone succeeded in raising, consisted of 14,000 veteran French troops under General Hoche. The ship sailed into Bantry Bay in December of 1796 after eluding the Royal Navy. However, unremitting storms, the indecisiveness of leaders and bad seamanship forced the French fleet to return home. The army of 14,000 was then split up and sent off to fight in the French Revolutionary Wars.

Fr. John Murphy -
Better known during his lifetime as "Mr. Murphy -
was one of the most famous leaders of The Wexford Rebellion

The Wexford Rebellion was led by the Wexford United Irishman and began 27 May 1798. It was the most successful and most destructive of the uprisings that broke out all over Ireland in 1798. From 27 May 1798 to 21 June 1798, Father John Murphy and many other leaders cemented their names in Irish history.