The Irish folk song "Muirsheen Durkin" tells the story of an emigrant from Ireland who goes to mine for gold in California during the California Gold Rush, 1849.[1] The song is about emigration, although atypically optimistic for the genre. The name "Muirsheen" is a good phonetic approximation to the pronunciation of "Máirtín" (Martin) in Connacht Irish; it could alternatively be construed as a diminutive of "Muiris" (Maurice). A pratie is a potato, the historical staple crop of Ireland. "America" is pronounced "Americay", as was common among Gaelic peoples around Ireland.[2]
The air to which it is sung is "Cailíní deasa Mhuigheo" (pretty girls of Mayo), which is a popular reel dating from the 19th century.[3]
Performers
The song reached prominence when Johnny McEvoy's recording reached no. 1 in Ireland in 1966.[4]
It has been covered by the following artists (and others):
- Christy Moore
- Sharon Shannon
- Four to the Bar on their live album Craic on the Road.
- The Pogues
- The Irish Rovers (both as "Muirsheen Durkin" and as "Goodbye Mrs. Durkin")
- Johnny McEvoy
- The Dubliners
- The Poxy Boggards
- Golden Bough
- The Mollys on their album Hat Trick
- Off Kilter on their album Celtic Armadillo
- Darby O'Gill
- The Wolfe Tones
- 1916 on their album Last Call for Heroes
- Na Fianna
- Fiddler's Green
Variations
"Molly Durkin" is a derivation made popular by Murty Rabbett in the 1940s in the United States.[5]The song has a lively tempo and tells a whimsical tale of a man who decides to give up his work as a mortar shoveller in order to take up mining gold. The song is not so much a song of leaving Ireland as it is an Irishman's response to a woman's scorn.[6]
Recordings:
- Murty Rabbett & His Gaelic Band: "Farewell To Ireland" Properbox 3(P1109-12) (1999/2005)
- Ballinasloe Fair-Early Recordings Of Irish Music In America Traditional Crossroads CD 4284, CD (1998/2005)