> Folk Music > Songs > Jackson and Jane
Jackson and Jane
[
Roud 2913
; Ballad Index MorU043
; trad.]
Robin Morton sang the horse racing ballad Jackson and Jane in 1973 on The Boys of the Lough’s eponymous first Trailer album The Boys of the Lough. He noted:
If England and America can have a talking racehorse then why shouldn’t Ireland? Jane is Ulster’s Creeping Jane or Stewball. I have this Co. Monaghan song from Frank Smith of Rockcorry. Another singer of the song tells the story that Jackson bought Jane from a Dundalk fishseller, after she had broken the shafts of her cart in order to follow his hunt. It seems likely that Hugh Jackson lived at the turn of the 18th century. It was certainly part of the Jackson family, landowners in the Ballybay area, throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. I understand that the family has moved to County Down in recent years.
Five Hand Reel got Jackson and Jane from Fergie Woods and sang it on their 1978 album Earl o’ Moray.
Lyrics
Five Hand Reel sing Jackson and Jane
You Monaghan sportsmen attention draw near
To a few simple verses I want you to hear.
It’s all about a hero I’ve heard people say
And his name was Hugh Jackson from Grieve near Ballybay.
His mills, kilns and barns they made a fine show
And his cloth to the north and the city doth go.
At bleaching and lapping he outshines them all,
And his cloth first approved of at the Linen Hall.
And more of his praises I’m going to explain
If you’ll listen a while I will sing about Jane.
You may search the world over from Cork to Kildare
But you’ll ne’er find the match for Hugh Jackson’s grey mare.
He went to the stable and this he did say
The hour is approaching when we must away.
The cup as Coothill you have twice won with fame
And now I am challenged you must ride there again.
She turned in the stable saying, “ Sir, don’t you know
That cup is my own and I’ll not let it go.
Twice I have won it and I mean to do it still,
And we’ll roll it in splendour on the plains of Coothill.”
The jockeys were mounted and all in a row,
If you had been there when away they did go.
The bets were a-making ten guineas to four
That the cup back to Crieve would return never more.
And when Jane she heard this then her mettle did rise,
Over hedges and ditches like lightning she flies.
And with a loud ‘neigher’ these words she did say,
“ You Bellamount sportsmen I’ll show you the way.”
When Jane and her jockey were halfway round the course
Miss Jane and her jockey began to discourse.
Says Jane to her jockey, “Kind sir, let me know,
Where are my opponents or are they in view?”
He turned in the saddle and he cast an eye round,
“I see that Squire Adams he lies on the ground,
I notice that Corrie by Spanker is through,
And the rest of your opponents they are not in view.”
When Jane she heard this she went in at a race
And into the stable the balance was laid.
The hall was surrounded for Jackson and Jane
And the cup came with honours to Crieve back again.