1054. Red Haired Mary (Sean McCarthy)

Sean McCarthy, born in Listowel, County Kerry, was a singer-songwriter and poet who hosted programs on RTE Radio 1 for several years. Some of his best-known songs are "Shanagolden", "Highland Paddy", "Murphy's Volunteers", "Step It Out Mary", "The Hills of Connemara" and, of course, "Red Haired Mary".

In his songbook "The Road to Song: Sean McCarthy, His Songs, Their Music and Story", he wrote the following about the origin of this song:

"The young farmer, walked tall and proud, alongside the big Spanish Donkey. Sparks from his large hobnail boots looked and sounded like fireworks at a Rose of Tralee Festival. Mary walked barefoot, along the soft edge of the Dingle road, her long red hair streaming like a crimson kite in the autumn wind. They came together at the bend of the road, a mile outside the town.

"John Reagan's heifers, which I was driving to market, were bellowing and looking for water, so I passed them in a hurry. I saw the tall young farmer, and the Red Haired girl, alter though fighting a gallant battle, against great odds, outside Murphy's Pub. A battle that encompassed the Donkey, the Law, Mary's father, her brother, several inlaws, and of course, the Tall Farmer.

"The victors? Why love, of course, instant love. Red Haired Mary, and her tall man, walked into the autumn eve sunshine, with the big Spanish ass braying in approval. It was ten years later that I wrote the song. The song tells all: The fight, the short courtship, the donkey's contribution, and of course, the happy ending. The Wolfe Tones and Danny Doyle were two of the first to make their story famous but scores of other singers have sung the donkey's praises as well.

"Sometimes now, when I fiddle with juke boxes in New York, Liverpool or London, I see "Red Haired Mary" in the titles. The song is being sung by young people that I never met, and it gives me a great feeling to know that Red Mary is known world wide."

It has been recorded by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, Foster and Allen, Three Pints Shy and YouTube singer, threelegsoman.

This song was requested by TheRealmccoy316

You can see a playlist of my Irish songs here: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=373C27204B0BB31F

For lyrics and chords of my songs please see my website: http://www.raymondcrooke.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• song
• irish
• love
• therealmccoy316
• request
• clancy
• brothers
• tommy
• makem
• foster
• allen

[coolioism]

jesus fair play u av some amount of songs covered!

[raymondcrooke]

@coolioism Thanks for visiting my channel.

[vadiagensmil]

Very good! 

[raymondcrooke]

@vadiagensmil Thanks.

[pipa123100]

U HAVED KILLED THIS SONG, UR NOT EVEN IRISH!

[raymondcrooke]

@pipa123100 Try this one: /watch?v=-q2x1umgDM8

[pipa123100]

@raymondcrooke YES QUITE ALOT BETTER. I LIKE:)

[raymondcrooke]

@corkeyguitarplayer1 I'm pleased that you liked it.

[corkeyguitarplayer1]

Thanks do much for posting

that was really good

Corkey

[raymondcrooke]

@mel1465 Thanks for watching.