“Sliabh na mBan (Mountain of the Women)”
Description
Gaelic. It is untrue that we fled like cattle on Sliabh na mBan. Had we waited patiently we'd have had support. Few retreated but many died or were imprisoned. If it's true that the French are coming to help the Gael we'll repay the robber Saxon.
Notes
The description is from the translation by George Sigerson as Moylan 104, "Sliabh na mBan."
Zimmermann p. 207: "The original 'Sliabh na mBan' is one of the few traditional songs in Irish inspired by the rising of 1798."
The ballad is recorded on one of the CD's issued around the time of the bicentenial of the 1798 Irish Rebellion. See:
Aine Ui Cheallaigh, "Sliabh na mBan" (on "The Croppy's Complaint," Craft Recordings CRCD03 (1998); Terry Moylan notes) - BS
This event is obscure enough that I couldn't find mention of it in any of the Irish histories I checked. It was just one of those skirmishes that took place after the 1798 rising had largely collapsed. The one thing that's certain is that the brutal Asgill would not have stopped while there was a live enemy left to kill. - RBW
Historical references
- July 23, 1798 - General Sir Charles Asgill disperses a body of United Irishmen assembled on Sliabh na mBan mountain in Tipperary (source: Moylan)
Cross references
- cf. "Slievenamon" (subject)
References
- Moylan 103, "Sliabh na mBan" (1 Gaelic text, 1 tune); 104, "Sliabh na mBan" (1 English text)
- BI, Moyl103