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Jimmy Murphy

[ Roud 7951 ; Ballad Index Beld291 ; MusTrad MT175 ; DT JIMMURPH ; Mudcat 25527 ; trad.]

Mary and Nigel Hudleston: Songs of the Ridings

This is a song about the Irish Roman Catholic priest John Murphy and the Irish Rebellion of 1798 in County Wexford.

Bob and Carole Pegg sang Jimmy Murphy in 1965 on the Transatlantic album Second Wave. The liner notes commented:

Jimmy Murphy was taught to Bob Pegg by Jess Owens, a Dubliner who at the time was doubling as male model and fireman.

Frank Harte sang Jimmy Murphy in 1975 on his RAM album And Listen to My Song. He noted:

This is a song which is far more serious than the ridiculous chorus allows it to be, I find that when it is sung that people are more anxious to laugh at the chorus than to listen to the couple of lines that precede it. I have no idea what the incident is that is referred to in the first line, “I was in Kilkenny where the great row was making.” but somehow I feel that the song is in someway connected with the 1798 rebellion, I may be completely wrong. It has been suggested to me that the reference in the last verse, to Kate Whelan:

“Now Jimmy Murphy was hanged not for sheep stealing,
But for courting a pretty girl and her name was Kate Whelan.”

could be interpreted as a reference to Ireland as Cathleen Ni Houlihan, so maybe it has some political significance after all.

The Voice Squad sang Jimmy Murphy on their 1992 album Holly Wood (later reissued as Good People All). Frank Harte noted:

When I first heard this song, sung by Seán Óg O’Tuama many years ago, it had only three verses and that most peculiar chorus. A friend of mine, Luke Cheevers, in true traditional fashion, wrote several verses which I believe enhance the song and expand the story.

Ken Wilson and Jim MacFarland sang Sarah Jane on their 2017 album Here’s a Health to the Company!. Ken Wilson noted:

A fine Dublin singer, Luke Cheevers, introduced me to this song. It’s a 1798 rebellion song and the verses two and three are recent additions by Luke himself.

Molly Donnery sang Jimmy Murphy on The Ciderhouse Rebellion’s 2024 album A Little Bit Slanted. She noted:

One of the most fun songs! There’s nothing quite like bringing this one out in a session and getting everyone to try and complete the chorus in one breath. It almost becomes a race.

Lyrics

Frank Harte sings Jimmy Murphy

’Twas down in Kilkenny where the great row was makin’
And poor little Jimmy Murphy was the lad to be taken

Chorus (after each verse):
We’re far from the last rout
From the East to Downpatrick
Where lies poor little Jimmy Murphy
on the sweet green mossy banks,
Killymaling, killymajone, whiskey friskey tooraloo
Rank a doodle di do ding doodle di o!

We marched through the town and we were marched through the city
Our hands were tied behind us and the ladies cried pity

Now, Jimmy Murphy was hanged not for sheep stealing
But for courting a pretty girl and her name was Kate Whelan

The Voice Squad sing Jimmy Murphy

It was in Kilkenny the great row was making
And poor little Jimmy Murphy was the last to be taken

Chorus (after each verse):
We’re far from the last rout
From the East to Downpatrick
Where lies poor little Jimmy Murphy
On the sweet green mossy banks
Skinny-ma-link killy-ma-joe, whiskey, frisky too-ra-loo
Rank-a-diddle-i-doe ding-doora-lie-o!

We gathered our pikes and flintlocks and green branches
And straight to Wexford town we soon were advancing

We fought through New Ross, Vinegar Hill and through Gorey
But ’twas the boys of the Cork Militia that deprived us the glory

We marched through the town and we marched through the city
With our hands tied behind us and the ladies cried “Pity!”

Now Jimmy Murphy wasn’t hanged for sheep-stealing
But he courted a pretty maiden and her name was Kate Whelan