Seamus O'Rourke sings COLCANNON at the Charley Farrelly Folk Club, Carrigallen April 2009

A brilliant rendition of this Irish ballad by Seamus O'Rourke in Charley Farrellys, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim in Ireland. Sung by Mary Black. If you know who wrote this song,we would like to credit him/her. For those who don't know, Colcannon is traditionally eaten in Ireland at Hallowe'en. Until quite recently this was a fast day, when no meat was eaten. The name is from the Gaelic: *cal ceann fhionn meaning white-headed cabbage. Colcannon should correctly be made with chopped kale (a member of the cabbage family) or green cabbage but it is also made with white cabbage. Colcannon at Hallowe'en used to contain a plain gold ring, a sixpence, a thimble or button: finding the ring meant marriage within the year for the person who found it, the sixpence meant wealth, the thimble spinsterhood and the button bachelorhood." A similar tradition with the 'barmbrack' Further info http://irelandnow.com/colcannon.html
Others singing include: Jonathan Finnegan, Sean McIntyre, Ailish Connolly, Cathal Farrelly, Philip McIntyre & Bryan Mulligan. For those who'd like to join in with Seamus singing the chorus in the next Folf club (First Thurs of every month), , the lyric for 'Colcannon' now follows! Video and commentary by Tony Fahy

Well, did you ever make colcannon,
made with lovely pickled cream
With the greens & scallions mingled
like a pitcher in a dream
Did you ever make a hole on top
to hold the meltin' flake
Or the creamy flavoured butter
that our mother's used to make

Chorus

Oh you did, so you did
so did he and so did I
And the more I think about it
sure the nearer I'm to cry
Oh weren't them the happy days
when troubles we knew not
And or mother made colcannon
in the little skillet pot

Well, did you ever take potatoe cake
and boxty to the school
Tucked underneath your oxter with
your books, your slate and rule
And when teacher wasn't looking'
sure a great big bite you'd take
Of the creamy flavoured soft and meltin'
sweet potatoe cake

Chorus

Well did you ever go a courtin' boys
when the evenin' sun went down
And the moon began a peepin'
from behind the Hill O' Down
And you wandered down the boreen
where the clúrachán was seen
And you whispered lovin' praises to
your own dear sweet cáilín

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[TheRealMMADfan]

I sing this loudly in the car to myself all the time -- I like to pretend I sound this good! LOL! It's a great song to sing with others in a bar, just like this. Fun video!

[tonymfahy]

@TheRealMMADfan Thanks. Seamus is multi-talented. A playwright, storyteller, poet, singer and a brilliant carpenter!

[RonanG]

Absolutely wonderful to hear this. Is Seamus O Rourke the one who does that wonderful story about his father knocking whin bushes on the eve of Leitrim's All Ireland semi final against Dublin way back in 1994? 5 Stars! and Favourite.

[tonymfahy]

The very same! You'll find him elsewhere on my videos here singing the Auld triangle. There are also two wxcerpts from his plays: 'Down' and 'The Trappe family". Otherwise he's usually to be foiund on the first Thursday in Charley Farrellys Folk Club in Carrigallen.

[01tandycourt]

Great tune and well sung - Man those pints of plain look fantastic to a man sitting down here is Oz