Tullamore

P J McCall

Mark Clavey – lead vocals, guitar
Mary Hanover – vocals, hammered dulcimer
Rachel Gaither – vocals, fiddle

Here is one of the "hero songs" written by P J McCall (along with "Kelly, the Boy from Killane" and "Boolavogue") in the late 1800s, celebrating the exploits of Fiach MacHugh O’Byrne, "Firebrand of the Mountains". Lord of Ranelagh and leader of the O'Byrne clan in the late-1500s, O'Byrne was a folk-hero in WIcklow, a 'base Robin Hood' as Queen Elizabeth indignantly referred to him... a ruthless and brave character, cunning and adept at uniting factions or playing them against each other, who outwitted and out-fought the British for over 30 years. As his defiance grew more effective, so grew the desperation of the British to stop him - they offered a bounty of £150 for his capture or £100 for his head, vast amounts of money in the 1500s. The Battle of Glenmalure was O'Byrne's finest hour. He had won several battles against the British by the time Baron Arthur Grey de Wilton became Lord Deputy of Ireland and sent 6000 Redcoats against him. O'Byrne led a costly guerilla campaign against them in the mountainous terrain around Glenmalure, picking them off with sniper fire before going against them in hand-to-hand battle and utterly routing the English force. While "Follow Me Up to Carlow" became his battle-call and while there was an English military base in Carlow, there was (ironically) never an attack there.