The Sons of Molly Maguire, by The Irish Balladeers

[wingit98]

love this song

[MiserableOldFart]

Actually there is very strong historical evidence to suggest that the "Molly Maguires" as a "terrorist" group using that name was created by the equivalent of FAUX NOOSE in that era.

[gOnzsbg]

@MiserableOldFart very strong historical evidence. You mean you read the first bit of wikipedias facts about it. read more and understand that companies back then could convict you of anything. (much like today SOPA)

[nycdoll1]

thomas munley was my great grandmother's brother...great great uncle? My Irish family didn't like to speak of him.... now they are dead and I've found proud family history! The song is great and reminds me of my great uncles playing and singing when I was a kid! Thanks for posting.

[indie1361]

When Irish eyes are smiling.......Despite my Polish last name, I highly admire my Irish side! Great song!

[Kharkovkid]

@indie1361 Despite my Irish last name, I highly admire my Slovak side!....

[Divit03]

These fine gentlemen are one of my favorite bands! I have listened to them many times at the Banshee in Scranton, PA (where I'm from). I even had the opportunity several years ago to play my bodhran on stage with them at the same pub. I look forward to visiting the Banshee and listening to them every time I come home for a visit. Thank you for posting this song, it is one of my favorites of theirs.

[GiovanniEpifano]

A great album and tribute to the anthracite miners of Pennsylvania. Besides their own composition, the original Avoca record contained a number of other songs referenced in George Korson' seminal works, Songs and Ballads of the Anthracite Miners and Minstrels of the Mine Patch: Songs and Stories of the Anthracite Industry. I have all the Irish Balladeers Avoca LPs and wish all of them would be reissued in their entirety.

[drkratchet]

0:27-0:31 is my ancestor :)

[metyuewb]

labor pioneers...uh, terrorists

[CountyMayoBand]

Great song!  I like' Barefoot in Gettysburg" too. I hope that Chuck keeps writing for a long time.

[lanetemple]

@2coinlove2.....Y our profile?....I just read your entire profile and I believe you are from the United Kingdom. However, I do NOT BELIEVE that you ever attended Eton College because if you did you would have known what making it to the TOP meant ....and I also sincerely believe that YOU are just a common douchebag who was not raised proper by your parents.

[FordTough1315]

Molly Maguires are incredible

[lanetemple]

@malachy....Yes!....a wonderful song and very well done. Maybe,....but it didn't take the Irish very long to get to the TOP in the U.S.A.....God love em.

[cottoncluber]

Hi, im just having a go at my family and have found that Hugh McGeehan was my great grandfathers second cousin. they were tough times!

[steveinnepa]

The Molly's were Union Men !

[andyfedel]

its about time somebody gave some credit to the irish balladeers. their contribution to irish music and irish culture is enormous.chuck rogers is a brilliant writer and you would be very hard pressed to find a more talented vocalist with the ability to put the crowd at ease no matter who you are than in that of bob rogers. as successful as they are, these guys have played freely for sick kids & infirmed in nursing homes for years now. their truly an extraordinary class act. great post. thanks.

[susiebfree]

@wildfree21 -- they did a GREAT job!

[lanetemple]

@susiebfree...HOWDY!.....Yes, I was in Pottstown, Penn, but not Jim Thorpe. I do not have much more to tell you but the important thing is those men were INNOCENT. There was a good movie made in 1970 by director Martin Ritt which starred Sean Connery and Richard Harris called...THE MOLLY MAGUIRES but you rarely see it on Television.....it's probably out on D.V.D. .....Good luck on your research and if I find worthwhile facts that are NOT P.C. I'll forward them to you. All the best.

[susiebfree]

@lanetemple hi! wow! saw the movie, but it was sadly based upon the pinkerton archives (very biased). and yes, i agree 100% -- they WERE innocent! this was a snowjob by frank gowen (another irish american, sad to say) & asa packer to ensure their monopolies on the coal mining industry in NE PA. may i repsectfully suggest, in lieue of your interest, that you check out "a molly maguire story" by patrick campbell? he's a grand nephew of alec campbell.  pls send info! best wishes! :0)

[robzombie08]

@susiebfree I am related to Patrick and Alec Campbell. Patrick is my great uncle and i think Alec is my great great great uncle... i have to look it back up, havn't read the book in a few years. but it is a great story and a very good book.

[cammirox64]

@robzombie08 im realeated to them too!

im pretty sure its them

idk i have to ask my grandma

but my grampa passed away and he was in a band the irish balladeers

[cammirox64]

@robzombie08 hmm are oyu talking about the miners? im talking about the band

[susiebfree]

@lanetemple -- have you visited the sites (pottstown & jim thorpe)? if you have additional information on these poor guys, pls forward! am intensely interested in this history! sidebar -- if you visit the mauch chunk historical society (broadway or rte 209, old jim thorpe) -- it's VERY interesting to see that they glossed over this bit in history.

[lanetemple]

YES!.....those Irishmen were innocent and it was a very somber period in this Country' history.....thanks eyeries1 for posting that fine ballad.....LEST WE FORGET.

[malachy1847]

@lanetemple ......Innocent until proved to be IRISH!..... [Great song and great singing of same...]

[susiebfree]

may no one forget these men...alec campbell was innocent, & if you read transcripts from the trial, you'll know it was a farce. god bless them, & god bless the irish balladeers for reminding us. take a trip to the mauch chunk jail,& you'll see for yourself. i grew up hearing stories of these men. this song makes me cry every time.

[wildfiree21]

these are my uncles!

[eyeries1]

@wildfiree21  And great singers they are too. Hope to put up some more of their material soon. I hear they are still singing on a regular basis.

[wildfiree21]

@eyeries1 for sure they play at the banshee quite often.

[sockcornnoodles]

@wildfiree21 Probably, but you know they sold that right?

[OttoRax]

A great tune on this old LP is at once funny and so sad..."When the Breakers go Back on Full Time." Such optimism and inevitable heartache wrapped up in one. This album is indeed a treasure.

[eyeries1]

How right you are. I will have to see can I put that tune up here as well. This album is indeed a great one. Wonder if it is still available on disc? I got my vinyl copy at a Dolphin Discs shop in Talbot Steet, Dublin back in about 72 I thiink these fellahs also did an album of Irish Rebel songs back then as well, but I have never seen it. I hear they still play frequently at an Irish Pub somewhat in Pennsyvania coal area.

[eyeries1]

Just found out via the Internet that the Irish Balladeers play a couple of times a month at The Banshee Pub in Scranton, PA.

[OttoRax]

Those lads must be getting pretty long in the tooth. We're coming up on another sad anniversary depicted in this album...the Knox Mine incident. Fifty-one years ago in a few weeks.

[eyeries1]

No longer in the tooth than I, I reckon. But then again, that may be pretty long. In fact, as I think of it the problem with me teeth is not so much the length of than that the lack of them! Getting harder year by year to get a good bite on that bagpipe blowpipe! May have to switch to a bellows-bown pipe soon...only trouble is then I will develop arthritis in me elboy!! Age sucks, but the only thing to be said in it;s favour is that it is better than the alternative!!

[RotgutPreacher]

Thank you for uploading this! What a treasure!

[sockcornnoodles]

I love this song, my uncles wrote it.

[eyeries1]

Glad you like my treatment of it, lad. It would appear many folks do, and it is a great tribute to the uncles, as it is a fabulous song. I bought the LP nearly 40 years ago at a Dolphin Discs shop in Talbot Street in Dublin!

[Giantesano]

I learned this song, from this album back in grade school in St Ann's in Lansford Pa.

Thanks so much for posting. I haven't heard the original in a very long time.

[czekehazi]

Thanks for this! Awesome song from a terrific album.

[scottsman78]

@czekehazi @giantesano @sockcornnoodles @eyeries1

Hi, can anyone tell me where I can get a copy of this song or where I can download it from?

Thanks.

[czekehazi]

@scottsman78 I found a vinyl copy on Ebay. They come up every so often. The Banshee pub also sells CD's. They'd probably do a mail order for you. Good luck!

[SaorEire]

Have this album on vinyl, great song, thanks a chara!