Croppies' Acre by Pat Burke

Croppies' Acre sung by Pat Burke during a singing and walking tour of the Liberties area of Dublin as part of The Frank Harte Festival 2009. The tour was titled "in the footsteps of Frank Harte and Zozimus", and took place on the 27th of September 2009. The tour guide was Jerry O'Reilly. The Frank Harte Festival is organised by An Góilín Traditional Singer's Club (www.goilin.com).

Croppies' Acre written by Pat Burke

The Story behind the song:

Almost directly in front of the newly furnished National Museum in Collins' Barracks lies Croppies` Acre. Almost two hundred dead insurgents lie in a mass grave on this spot, from the period 1798 to 1803. Included among those buried there are Wolfe Tone's brother Matthew and his friend Bartholomew Teeling, who landed with General Humbert in Mayo in 1798 .

Major Sirr was responsible for the interrogation of suspected rebels in this period, he was ably assisted by Dr. Trevor, who was responsible for the tender care of those being held in Kilmainham Jail! Francis Higgins was the chief Govt. spy master, and was largely responsible for the successful infiltration of the United Irish movement Leonard McNally, a senior Barrister, was a member of the United Irish Directory, while at the same time being the main Castle spy within the movement. He also defended some of the United Irish leaders, giving them bad advice, which sealed their fates, while also giving their defence details to the Prosecution! Sam Sproule, Tom Reynolds and Francis Magan were less important informers, who nonetheless, played a significant part in helping Dublin Castle during both Risings.

The song chronicles the semi-fictitious character of an old woman in her early twenties about the time of Emmet`s Rising, who passes each morning, saying a quiet prayer or two for those who lie buried in the Acre, some of whom were well known to her. The song is centred in or about the year 1848, when she would have been in her late sixties. I`m sure many`s the wise folklorist and amateur historian can guess that the character of this old woman is based on Anne Devlin!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• croppies
• acre
• pat
• burke
• dublin
• liberties
• frank
• harte
• festival
• jerry
• o'reilly
• zozimus
• goilin
• 1798
• 1803

[Uptoyourfacelads]

Maith an Fear!

[Norplinger]

Nice one Pat!

[lorcanmacmathuna]

deadly