Spancil Hill Horse Fair, Co. Clare, Ireland 1981

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  • Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
  • Singer Red Hurley visits the horse fair at Spancilhill in County Clare.
    In the RTÉ Television series ‘My Ireland’, well known singers present an aspect of Ireland. In this episode, entitled ‘Clare To Here’ the singer Red Hurley visits the historic sites of County Clare, many of which feature in traditional Irish ballads and songs.
    Spancilhill Horse Fair in County Clare is one of the oldest fairs in Ireland. It begins on 23 June or St John’s Eve, known in many parts of Ireland as Bonfire Night.
    The sights and sounds of the fair are accompanied by Red Hurley performing the Irish folk ballad, ’Spancil Hill’. It was composed by Michael Considine who emigrated from the area in 1870. This poem, subsequently turned into a ballad, tells of an Irish emigrant in America who longs for his home in Spancilhill. In a dream he travels home on the night before the Spancilhill Horse Fair. However when he awakens he finds he is California, far from his beloved home in the heartland of Clare.
    This episode of ‘My Ireland’ was broadcast on 1 July 1981. The series producer is Ian McGarry.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 40

  • @Jeremyramone
    @Jeremyramone 2 роки тому +9

    Woke up in California many miles from spancilhill. The shane/c Moore version is perfection.

  • @Dhspat
    @Dhspat 2 роки тому +11

    I believe I was at the Horse Fair that year. ☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️

    • @td370
      @td370 2 роки тому +1

      Share your experience if you’re willing

    • @fnh8340
      @fnh8340 2 роки тому

      I am sure I was there as well.

    • @mariapierce2707
      @mariapierce2707 2 роки тому

      🥰

  • @raygreen5926
    @raygreen5926 2 роки тому +18

    Ah, that is Red Hurley walking amongst the country folk in the mystical County Clare. These were horsey people but not the posh ones. Had to laugh when the camera zoomed into the trader's pocket full of cash. All those oldtimers dead now sure life is verily only a passing dream. The kids now probably have their own kids and occupied with the manifold cares of life and long forget that innocent interlude at Spancil Hill. 1981 was two generations ago now. It was the febrile year of the hunger strike in Northern Ireland and Anthony Baekeland, once a poor rich kid, succumbed in a lonely prison cell in Riker's Island, NYC. But then it's all a dream isn't it and time makes ghosts of us all. ☘🇮🇪🇺🇸☘

    • @LetsAllDrinkToTheDeathOfAClown
      @LetsAllDrinkToTheDeathOfAClown 3 місяці тому +1

      Well put my brother. Speaking of the 81' Hunger Strike reminds me of The Wolfe Tones epic, "Joe McDonnell".
      Your words also stirred up, "We may have good men, but we never had better, glory o', glory o', to the Bold Fenian Men".
      Salutations my friend 🍀 🍀 🍀 🇮🇪 🍀 🍀 🍀

  • @vintagebuddha
    @vintagebuddha 2 роки тому +3

    Thank You

  • @robsmithadventures1537
    @robsmithadventures1537 5 місяців тому

    I think this is my favourite video online.

  • @21stcenturymuse27
    @21stcenturymuse27 2 роки тому +1

    Amazing to see this.

  • @jimdalton6140
    @jimdalton6140 2 роки тому

    A Ireland 🇮🇪 I remembered good simple times

  • @marklockwood8386
    @marklockwood8386 2 роки тому +3

    I was there aged 10

  • @ciatangallaghe2485
    @ciatangallaghe2485 2 роки тому +1

    Great video and great version of the song

  • @richiehoyt8487
    @richiehoyt8487 2 роки тому +2

    Love the Oul' Fella at 1:40 lashin' out the _bon mots_ left 'n' right like a cross between Lil Wayne and David Niven. Only trouble is, in spite of him being a fellow countryman of mine, I reckon the anecdotes and witticisms might be wasted on me; I think I would no more understand him than I would Chaucer!

  • @mariapierce2707
    @mariapierce2707 2 роки тому

    Love this! Thank you!

  • @johnnielson7676
    @johnnielson7676 2 роки тому +1

    The best version I ever heard sung was by Robbie McMahon during the evening programme at the 1978 Fleadh Cheoil in Listowel, County Kerry. One man, one voice singing on his own without a light show, fog machine or a satin and leather costume. The power of his performance and solo voice was greater than any of the big stage extravaganzas which have since become prevalent.

    • @margaretsullivan
      @margaretsullivan Рік тому

      Robbie McMahon not great.

    • @Alakeaful
      @Alakeaful 2 місяці тому

      ua-cam.com/video/VCKGq19lt1s/v-deo.htmlsi=doTA6Kr-xa0TLPfM

  • @Sinnerboy88
    @Sinnerboy88 2 роки тому +5

    There's a hairy ass fair in the County Clare in a place they call Spancil Hill. Where my brother James got a rap of the hames and poor Paddy they tried to kill. They loaded him up in an old ass and cart while Kate and big Mary stood by. Ah, bad luck to the day that I went away, to join with the tinker's band.

    • @declanokeeffe84
      @declanokeeffe84 2 роки тому

      The Pecker Dunnes song, he was probably in Spancill Hill in 1981 too.

    • @gkelly4588
      @gkelly4588 2 роки тому +1

      Sullivans John

  • @LetsAllDrinkToTheDeathOfAClown
    @LetsAllDrinkToTheDeathOfAClown 3 місяці тому

    Robbie McMahon's version is said to be the closest to the original poem penned by Michael Considine in 1873 on his death bed in Californ-ia far far from Spancil Hill. The true story behind the poem/song is absolutely heartbreaking and if you have Gaelic blood it reaches into the very depths of your soul. If there is any sort of Providential justice and if there is indeed an afterlife then I hope with all of my being that Michael Considine and his only true love, Mac the Ranger's daughter, the pride of Spancil Hill, are together for eternity. Please let it be dear Aine and brave Aengus.

  • @noelmaher4633
    @noelmaher4633 2 роки тому

    June 81, was in Corinto Nicaragua.....#irishpine

  • @LetsAllDrinkToTheDeathOfAClown
    @LetsAllDrinkToTheDeathOfAClown 3 місяці тому

    So much has changed since 1981. The Irish people today, like most other Western Europeans, are facing a peril far more destructive than the whole period of English occupation. May the spirit of Erin's warrior poets awaken the Gaels in time to avert the fate Her enemies have planned for Her.

  • @Roddy1965
    @Roddy1965 2 роки тому +4

    Who's that walkin' around there? Eoin McLove?

    • @magpie6648
      @magpie6648 2 роки тому +1

      Red Hurley

    • @magpie6648
      @magpie6648 2 роки тому

      ua-cam.com/video/mbsFXmPHDZw/v-deo.html

    • @richiehoyt8487
      @richiehoyt8487 2 роки тому +1

      HaHa! Good 'un. That chancer there, (and admittedly, he _was_ in
      the Housewives' Top 2 or 3, along with "Spi' on me, Dickie" Rock, and Joe Dolan, all during the '70's and into the '80's), him - and guys _like_ him, were the reason there wasn't a town in Ireland that didn't have a pirate radio station. Not that _they_ were much of an alternative, but give me Don Henley and Supertramp over the dreaded Gina, Dale Hayes & The Champions _any_ time!
      Anyway, even if you didn't actually _know,_ you could tell a mile off that that dude was in the music biz; he's got the look _down..!_ Y'know, the look that says, "Sorry if I seem a little distant - my mind is on other things. Bigger things... _Visionary_ things!"
      If he was a rocker, he woulda had one of those magical electric guitars that you can play on the edge of those dramatic, storm - lashed cliffs!

  • @alllovingcowherdboy4475
    @alllovingcowherdboy4475 2 роки тому

    Fine legs God bless them

  • @smurph4959
    @smurph4959 2 роки тому +3

    Kept thinking the presenter was going to get a kick at some stage walking so close to the backs of the horses 🙈

    • @KrisHughes
      @KrisHughes 2 роки тому

      That's one reason most carry a stick.

    • @voraciousreader3341
      @voraciousreader3341 2 роки тому +1

      Getting kicked only happens to those who don’t know what they’re doing, and children.

  • @Drew206619
    @Drew206619 Рік тому

    Christy Moore brought me here

  • @kramalerav
    @kramalerav 2 роки тому

    That song could actually work as a power metal tune!

  • @Martin-sp4zf
    @Martin-sp4zf 2 роки тому

    I see now that the Queen of England's Guard is all mounted on Irish Draughts with some Clyde's Dale thrown in.

  • @besnikzogaj9887
    @besnikzogaj9887 8 місяців тому

    The lyrics please?

  • @o00scorpion00o
    @o00scorpion00o 2 роки тому +2

    Ah the good O'l Ireland where People had Morals now the Island is being destroyed by the idealisms and wokeness from the USA.

    • @fionndoorley7004
      @fionndoorley7004 5 місяців тому

      More like imported outrage about 'wokeness' from the USA exhibited by people like you.

  • @voraciousreader3341
    @voraciousreader3341 2 роки тому

    It would be nice to know who sang the song! If I have to keep digging for info myself on uploaded videos, I’ll unsubscribe to this channel!