The subject of this song is Gráinne Mhaol (Bald Gráinne) referred to as the Pirate Queen of Mayo by the english, who sailed from island to island along the west coast of Ireland with her fleet of ships, raiding and undermining the English fleet who were occupying large parts of Ireland, including Dublin. #music
Lyrics:
Hurrah, welcome home,
Hurrah, welcome home,
Hurrah, welcome home,
Now, at the beginning of the summer!
[I'd prefer you over one-hundred milk-cows!] line comes and goes..
Hail, oh woman, who was so afflicted,
It was our ruin that you were in chains,
Our fine land in the possession of thieves...
While you were sold to the foreigners!
Chorus..
Gráinne Mhaol is coming over the sea,
Armed warriors as her guard,
Only Gaels are they, not French nor Spanish...
and they will rout the foreigners!
Chorus..
May it please the King of prodigy that we might see,
Although we may live but one week after,
Gráinne Mhaol and a thousand warriors [heroes/volunteers]
Dispersing the foreigners.
[Homewards!] line comes and goes..
+ Many many more uniqely added lines from time to time..
This is a beutiful famous old Irish/Celtic rebel song which have had its title & chorus disputed for different phonetical/linguistical reasons which initially cought my attention. It's no big thing really, but it does change the meaning of the song somewhat.
--Literal / alternative chorus:
Attention! Your place / life / heritage is homewards!
Attention! Your place / life / heritage is homewards!
Attention! Your place / life / heritage is homewards!
Now Is the coming of the summer! [spring?]
The more interesting part is the history surrounding this now famous woman:
The woman of the song returning as a liberator, Gráinne Mhaol (sometimes known as Grace O'Malley) was chieftain of the Ó Máille clan in the west of Ireland. She is a well-known historical figure in 16th-century Irish history, and is sometimes known as 'The Sea Queen of Connacht', one of the most famous female sea-raiders of all time fighting against the english occupiers.
In a nutshell, in 1578 Gráinne Mhaol (whose name was already pretty famous at the time) was thrown into the dungeons of the Dublin Castle by the local English Governor, but was later released from prison on the pretext of bringing Risdeárd an Iarainn Bourke (Richard-in-Iron, Gráinne's 2nd husband) and his fellow Irish rebels to heel. As soon as she was released, reunited with her husband, Gráinne started plundering English shipping and managed to rout an English army sent to beseige her. The following year Gráinne and Bourke went into rebellion once again to secure their rights.
This song takes place following the Flight of the Earls in 1607 wherein the Irish lords who rebelled in the Nine Years War fled the nation to seek support from the French and Spanish, however despite being already dead since 1603, the Irish people look for Gráinne Mhaol to return and expel the English once and for all. In her raiding campaign she gained legendary status among Irish rebels and is widely regarded as one of the most popular and influential revolutionary figures in Irish culture even today.
Almost 15 years later Elizabeth I imprisoned Gráinne Mhaol's sons and half-brother, forcing Gráinne to negotiate their release. Even though she refused to bow before Elizabeth (as she did not recognise her as the Queen of Ireland), the talks led to the release of her family, under the agreement that Gráinne would stop attacking English ships. Realising the meeting was useless, Gráinne went back to attacking English ships shortly after her departure.
(she was later accused to have nursed to all rebellions in that province for over forty years.)
It was also sung during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921). In the early 20th century it received new verses by the nationalist poet Pádraig Pearse and was often sung by members of the Irish Volunteers during the Easter Rising. Because although this is an old song, a little over 100years ago Patrick Pearse re-wrote it to support the planned rising (April 1916).
After writings of David Marshall & M. Máire Ní Shúilleabháin and a few others..
