B134: "Kilkelly, Ireland"

9/7/2024

Roadsign near Kilkelly, Co. Mayo

In re-reading my last blog post (B133: Cobh & Emigration), I was thinking again how my great grandparents John and Alice had the chance to return to Ireland. Sadly, for some who would love to, this never comes to pass.

It put me in mind of one of the most memorable emigration songs ever, “Kilkelly, Ireland”. In the late 1970s or early 1980s, an American called Peter Jones discovered a collection of century-old letters in his parents' attic in Bethesda, Maryland. The letters had been sent by his great-great-great grandfather, Byran Hunt, to his son, Jones' great-great grandfather, John Hunt, who had emigrated from Kilkelly, County Mayo, to the United States in 1855 and worked on the railroad. As Byran was illiterate, the letters were dictated to the local schoolmaster, Pat McNamara, who often wrote letters on behalf of his neighbours who were unable to read and write.

Above: Old Emigration Posters

Covering the years 1858 to 1892, the Hunt letters shared family news of births, deaths, and marriages, and reports of the annual harvest. John Hunt was never far from his father's thoughts and the letters expressed the love and affection his family in Ireland still held for him. The last letter, dated February 1892, was written by John Hunt's brother, informing him of the death of their father. Peter Jones decided to compose a ballad based on the contents of the letters.

The ballad has five verses covering the time period from 1860 to 1892. It conveys really well the effects of poverty, bad weather, emigration and forced separation on a family. I personally can never listen to it without shedding a tear.

Engraving of "Emigrants leaving Ireland" by Mary Frances Cusack

My favourite version is by Robbie O’Connell, who is the nephew of Carrick’s famous Clancy Brothers. However, it has been recorded in Ireland by Danny Doyle on his album Twenty Years A-Growing and covered by many artists, including Mick Moloney, Jimmy Keane, Atwater-Donnelly, Seamus Kennedy, The Dubliners, Seán Keane, Ciara Considine, Marc Gunn, David Gans (with Eric Rawlins), and Empty Hats. The particular YouTube version I’m sharing here is Robbie with Mike Moloney and I chose it as the video includes the words of the letters as sung….and I think it makes it all the more poignant. Thinking of everyone living in exile wherever that might be and wishing their hearts peace if they’re longing for “home”. ❤️