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White, Orange and Green

Date September 1954
Track ID 34268
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1954.125.5

Original Tape ID

SA1954.125

Summary

In this partly metaphorical song, a young girl is carrying the colours of the flag of Sinn Fein when she is challenged by an English policeman. She refuses to yield the colours to him, saying she would die for them. The final verse is a toast to [Eamon] de Valera and his Republicans versus the Irish Free State supporters.

Item Notes

Irish Republican Song. The song refers to the Irish tricolour, often seen, at the time of the Irish Civil War, as the Republican Sinn Fein flag as opposed to that of Irish Free State supporters. The final verse, the toast to Eamon de Valera (Irish Republican leader and later Taioseach and President) and his Republicans, has seemingly been added to the original song.

Known variously as 'White, Orange and Green' or 'On the Galtymore Mountains' (most famously performed by the Grehan Sisters in the 1960s for the Transatlantic label).

Tune is that of the Travellers' 'Parting Glass' or 'Here's a Health to the Company'; also similar to 'Flower of Northumberland'.

Item Subject/Person

de Valera, Eamon

Recording Location

County - Perthshire

Parish - Blairgowrie

Village/Place - Blairgowrie

Language

English

Genre

Song

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R16575

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Fair