Old Grey Mare (III), The

DESCRIPTION: .".. of traitors now beware There's none but men would glory win can ride my old Grey Mare. In Erin's Isle in ancient times She was rode by Brian Boru" and other heroes and others "not long ago" and "Brave Bonaparte" as well.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1939 (OLochlainn-IrishStreetBallads); first half 19C (Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion)
KEYWORDS: Ireland nonballad patriotic talltale horse Napoleon
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1014 - Battle of Clontarf; Brian Boru defeats a mixed force of Vikings and their Irish allies (but is killed in the battle)
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (3 citations):
OLochlainn-IrishStreetBallads 35, "The Old Grey Mare" (1 text, 1 tune)
Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion 44B, "The Sporting Old Grey Mare" (1 text)
Moylan-TheAgeOfRevolution-1776-1815 164, "The Old Grey Mare" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #3039
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Wonderful Grey Horse" (theme)
NOTES [50 words]: Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion: "The song probably has no emblematic meaning."
For a broadside with the same theme but different ballad see NLScotland, RB.m.169(243), "The Wonderful Grey Horse," unknown, c.1840. The similarity extends even to leading up to support of the Irish Home Rule Movement. - BS
File: OLoc035

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