McCafferty
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1955.67.A12
Original Tape ID
Summary
In this song a young man joins the army, but is treated unfairly by his Captain, whom he resolves to kill. Taking his rifle, he shoots the Colonel by accident, and is tried in Liverpool [and sentenced to death].
Contributor learned the song from a fellow soldier in the Gordon Highlanders regiment in Keith.
Item Notes
9 verses of 4 lines; heistation after verse 7 followed by verse 9; verses 8 and 9 sung after tape break.
Roy Palmer gives a lengthy account of the factual history of Patrick McCaffery of Mulingar, who was convicted on the 15th of December 1861 and then hanged for the murder of Captain Hanham and Colonel Crofton at Fulwood Barracks, Preston on the 14th of September 1861. The traditional song appears to describe the actual events quite accurately.
See:
'Rambling Soldier' (R. Palmer, 1977) pp. 119-120
'Singing Island' (E. MacColl & P. Seeger, 1960) p. 73
'Folk Song in England' (A. L. Lloyd, 1967) pp. 257-258
'Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland' (E. MacColl & P. Seeger, 1977) pp. 272-274
Item Subject/Person
McCaffery, Patrick [McCafferty] [M'Caffrey]
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Classification
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good