Origin: The Rising of the Moon

Subject: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: Stalker
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 10:46 PM

Anyone know the story behind the tune Rising of the Moon?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 11:32 PM

G'day Stalker,

I thought I saw this same request within the last few days: Rising of the Moon.

I'll keep out of your actual question ... it seems to raise a few (green) hackles when I mention this as yet another of the tunes 'borrowed' from the Scots.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 11:40 PM

Oooops....!!

Sorry about the sloppy html: Should (probably) be: Rising Moon.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: GUEST,chrisj
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 12:21 AM

Stalker, as far as I know the song 'The Rising of the Moon' refers to the Rebellion of 1798 by the group called the 'United Irishmen'. They were a group of revolutionaries influenced by the Republican philosophy of the recent French Revolution as well as the American Revolution and sought to forma n Irish Republic on non-sectarian lines. Unfortunately for them their ideals were lost in a welter of reprisals which touched off the very hatreds they had wanted to supersede. The song of course, deals with events on a more 'grass-roots' level, where the "revolutionary spirit' hardly penetrated. Bob Bolton, I doubt that any reasonable Irish person would take umbrage a your claim that the tune in question was 'borrowed' from the Scots. We all know that so many of these old tunes were recycled time and time again . Lets just accept that many tunes have crossed (and probably re-crossed) the Irish Sea several times and will continue to do so. Like it or not Scots, Irish, Welsh, Manx and even English have much more cultural integration than is evident on the surface of things.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: Fiolar
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 06:35 AM

The composer is unknown. However it must have been written at least in the 19th century as there is a one act play by Lady Gregory dated 1907 entitled "The Rising of the Moon" in which the song is sung. It would have taken several years for the ballad to circulate and become popular.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: Suffet
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 06:46 AM

One of the leaders of the 1798 rebellion was Theobold Wolfe Tone, after whom the Wolfe Tones took their name. Wolfe Tone was the child of a wealthy Protestant family. His parents sent him off to Trinity College to study law, and the next thing you know he is leading poor folks and peasants in a rising against the Crown.

At least the English never had the pleasure of hanging Wolfe Tone. He slit his own throat with a pen knife on the eve of his execution.

-- Steve

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 08:14 AM

Lots of detail on background and author HERE

Regards

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: GUEST,PeteBoom (at work)
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 08:21 AM

Couple of things - As Suffet points out, Wofe Tone was a Protestant, as were many of the leaders of the United Irishmen. By the time the rising came about however, the UI were in such disarray, mostly as the result of political splits over the AIMS of the group - more radical elements wanted a republic that would exclude some portion of the current residents of Ireland - others wanted a "Catholic" republic, much to the chagrin of the members of the Church of Ireland who were in positions of authority of the UI. It was this organizational disarray which led to the uncoordinated efforts in the eventual rising, which were further polarized by actions of radical elements in South Eastern Ireland. In short, it was a major CF.

The words are generally attributed to John Casey. The tune is traditional, with variants found in Ireland and Scotland. Which version came first? I don't think anyone can tell.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Story behind Rising of the Moon?
From: GUEST,an t-Uasal Cathal
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 05:27 PM

Pete Boom writes:-
"more radical elements wanted a republic that would exclude some portion of the current residents of Ireland.."
I'd be more than interested to find out who these radicals were. Don't be so coy, Pete.
Cathal