Lyr Req: 'I loved Joe Plunkett and he loved me...'

Subject: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,Val
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 09:36 PM

In Marie O'Neill's new book "Grace Gifford Plunkett and Irish Freedom", mention is made to a song about Joe sung from Grace's viewpoint. Some of the lyrics are:

"I loved Joe Plunkett and he loved me He gave his life to set Ireland free"

Donagh MacDonagh, Grace's nephew and Thomas MacDonagh's son, reported hearing it performed when he was young. No title or further lyrics are given. I am familiar with the song "Grace", but know nothing about this one.

Any help locating more information will be much appreciated!

Val

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From:
Date: 30 Mar 00 - 04:49 PM

somewhere here I have a copy of this song, i think from an old Belfast song book will begin search and pas it on.

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,Val
Date: 30 Mar 00 - 05:18 PM

Thank you! Astonishing that you responded so quickly ... I wasn't sure if there was any written record of this song!

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 31 Mar 00 - 04:12 AM

Brian,

I too look forward to seeing the lyrics should you be able to locate them. Also, if you do post them, please include the songbook info (always looking for new songbooks!)

Cheers,

Mary

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,Micheal O Doibhilin
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 07:40 PM

I wonder if anyone has had any luck in finding this song? I'd dearly like to find the words and, if possible, the music.

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 09 Oct 10 - 01:33 PM

Waiting... waiting...

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 09 Oct 10 - 05:29 PM

Hmmmm....

THIS appears to be Donagh McDonagh's published reference to the song, in The Bell magazine in 1941. Fascinating article - but it is quite a large PDF file, so be patient if you're on a slow link.

I've never heard of the song but may have a chance to make some enquiries in Clare over the next few weeks.

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 09 Oct 10 - 05:46 PM

That would be useful, ^&* (if I may be so familiar as to address you in such terms).

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Oct 10 - 12:23 PM

I have some doubt Joseph Plunkett was called "Joe" that often. Here's a link that gives his collected poems. And he also wrote couple of songs that aren't in there.

Here's the poem he wrote to Grace on April 7th 1916:

The powerful words that from my heart
Alive and throbbing leap and sing
Shall bind the dragon's jaws apart
Or bring you back a vanished spring;
They shall unseal and seal again
The fount of wisdom's awful flow,
So this one guerdon they shall gain
That your wild beauty still they show.

The joy of Spring leaps from your eyes,
The strength of dragons in your hair,
In your young soul we still surprise
The secret wisdom flowing there;
But never word shall speak or sing
Inadequate music where above
Your burning heart now spreads its wing
In the wild beauty of your Love.

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 10 Oct 10 - 12:39 PM

I have some doubt Joseph Plunkett was called "Joe" that often
That was my reaction, too - but the quote is straight from McDonagh's article and he was still quite young at the time.

It also appears that his biographer was unaware of any later mention of the song by McDonagh - which would be strange if it had resurfaced. There's no sign of it in the online version of McDonagh's ballad collection.

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 10 Oct 10 - 12:44 PM

... and, in fact, McDonagh's article in The Bell actually includes another, rather Romantic ballad on Grace Gifford which specifically refers to him as Joe.

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Oct 10 - 01:19 PM

But I noticed that McDonagh referred to him as Joseph when writing in his own person, rather than quoting.   A very interesting article anyway - thanks for sharing it.

Incidentally, I noticed that he gives a version of The Dying Rebel with "sweet Tipperary" instead of "dear Cork City". My father would have certainly approved of that:

The night was dark and the fight was over,
The moon shone down O'Connell Street,
I stood alone where brave men perished
For they had gone their God to meet.

The first I met was a gray-haired father
Searching for his only son,
I said : "   Old man, it is useless searching,
For up to heaven your son has gone."

The next I met was a fair young maiden
Kneeling by her lover's side,
Praying to God her Heavenly Father
That He alone her steps might guide.

The last I met was a dying rebel,
Kneeling down I heard him sigh :
"   God bless my home in sweet Tipperary,
God bless the cause for which I die."

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 10 Oct 10 - 03:16 PM

With my good Christian Brothers' upbringing, of course, he was always "Joseph Mary.."!

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: Thompson
Date: 11 Oct 10 - 06:36 AM

Very weird - I went to post links to one of the current series on the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, being shown on TG4, and it didn't post. Wonder why!

Anyway, in the Plunkett film, shown last Wednesday, his great-niece Honor O'Brolchain (who's working on a biography) makes the point that he was always called Joe.

Here are the links to this film, part of the Seachtar na Cásca series - the links won't work forever, so watch it now if you're going to.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: Thompson
Date: 11 Oct 10 - 06:39 AM

Oh, and also - archive film from 1919 - Grace Plunkett buys a Republican Loan bond

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: pazbhan
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 05:36 PM

Hi,

In the final scene of part 3 of Joseph Plunkett on TG4 does anyone know who sings the song 'The Bold fenian Men'

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: Thompson
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 02:26 PM

Abu Media would know - they produced the series.

Subject: RE: Song about Joe Plunkett
From: GUEST,DK
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 07:56 PM

It's the beautiful Aoife Scott singing in her own beautiful way... check her out on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aoife-Scott/106948429343484

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'I loved Joe Plunkett and he loved me...'
From: GUEST,Niall MacDonagh
Date: 30 Jun 19 - 01:15 PM

Actually Plunkett was best known as Joe. No mention of it in my Dad's ballad collection (compiled and published by me) because all I had was those two lines.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'I loved Joe Plunkett and he loved me...'
From: GUEST,#
Date: 08 Apr 21 - 10:26 AM

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/i-loved-joe-plunkett-and-he-loved-me-he-gave-his-life-to-set-ireland-free-1.257358

The requested line from the song the IP wanted is at that link. But I can locate nothing further.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'I loved Joe Plunkett and he loved me...'
From: Felipa
Date: 08 Apr 21 - 11:01 AM

The "Irish Times" article mentioned by guest Hash, Mark is Brendan Ó Cathaoir's 2000 review of a biography of Grace Gifford Plunkett by Marie O'Neill and of a book entitled "Prelude to the Easter Rising: Sir Roger Casement in Imperial Germany", edited by a "Prof Doerries." I don't see further publication details of the two books, not even the title of the Grace Gifford biography. I suppose I may find those details via a search engine, but does anyone see them anywhere in the "Irish Times" page?