Wonderful Grey Horse, The

DESCRIPTION: Singer's horse "was rode in the Garden by Adam the day that he fell"; that turned him grey. The horse has been with Noah, ..., Brien the brave, Sarsfield at Limerick, and Daniel O'Connell. He is ready to run for a rider that will shake off Erin's yoke.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: first half 19C (Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion)
KEYWORDS: Ireland patriotic talltale horse
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1014 - Battle of Clontarf and death of Brian Boru
July 12, 1691 - Battle of Aughrim
1775-1847 - Life of Daniel O'Connell
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion 44A, "The Grey Horse" (1 text)
Tunney-StoneFiddle, p. 158, "The White Steed" (1 text)
Roud #13451
BROADSIDES:
NLScotland, RB.m.169(243), "The Wonderful Grey Horse," unknown, c.1840
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Old Gray Mare (I) (The Old Gray Horse; The Little Black Bull)" (theme)
cf. "Bean an Fhir Rua" (tune, according to Tunney-StoneFiddle)
NOTES [97 words]: "Brien the Brave" is of course Brian Boru, winner of the Battle of Clontarf in 1814, for whom see "Remember the Glories of Brian the Brave."
Sarsfield is Patrick Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan (died 1693), the last of the great commanders who fought for James II; for his history, see "After Aughrim's Great Disaster."
Daniel O'Connell was the Irish hero who fought for emancipation, Repeal (of the Union between Britain and Ireland), and the place of the Irish in parliament; he is mentioned in dozens of songs; for more on him, see the cross-references under "Daniel O'Connell (I)." - RBW
File: Zimm044A

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography