Kay McCarthy talks about Mo Ghile Mear

[Texas Celtic Girl]

I thought Y'all would find this very interesting. Kay McCarthy is an Irish born singer of Trad Irish music who lives and performs in Italy. In this video, (Italian with English subtitles), she talks about the meaning of Mo Ghile Mear, both literal and figurative and gives some background context.Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp9FXZngB58&NR=1

[Ben the piper]

Thanks for sharing!

I didn't know it's a song about Bonnie Prince Charlie. That's another one then, after the famous song "The Skye Boat Song".
And if you talk about Bonnie Prince Charlie you have to mention the Battle of Culloden, fought on April 16th 1745, English vs. Jacobites (or Scots) and others (for example French fought with the Scots). But you can't really say English vs. Scots (or Jacobites) because there were Jacobites fighting along side the English too.

However, the Scottish "Army" (more or less half starved peasants without proper arms) were crushed by the British Army (well fed and armed troops) and Bonnie Prince Charlie (who lead the Jacobite army) had to flee. And as is sung in "The Skye Boat Song" he fled to the Isle of Skye. A really moving song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86egt8PDmos

And here on the bagpipes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIlA2gaBlek&feature=related

Just some background information. If you see or notice any mistakes please do correct me.

[Maggie]

Mo Ghile Mear has been discussed a couple of times previously on here:

http://www.celticwomanforum.com/index.php?topic=14621.msg584827#msg584827

Over the years there have been many discussions about this song....everyone has their own version and idea.
Here is one discussion :
http://www.daltai.com/discus/messages/12465/10383.html?968949636

The basic facts are:
The song is about Bonnie Prince Charlie (Prince Charles Edward Stuart) who was born in Rome in 1720, died in Rome in 1788.
It is sung by Ireland or Scotland, depending on who you ask.
Charlie was the grandson of King James II of England, who was defeated by William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
He was the hope of Scottish Jacobites, of Irish Catholics and the Jacobites in England.
Jacobites were people in Scotland, Ireland and England who wanted to restore the Monarchy to descendants of James II.
Jacobus is Latin for James.
Bonnie Prince Charlie was provided with arms and ships by the French, who hoped he would be their ally on the English throne.
He did not succeed, although he marched as far as Derby in England.
His troops were slaughtered at the tragic Battle of Culloden in 1746, after which Charles went into hiding,
and eventually to France where he had problems with drink and women.
"Will ye no come back again?" No, he never came back to Scotland....he was a big disappointment in the end.



Other songs about Bonnie Prince Charlie are:
"Will ye no come back again?"  - here you see the wild Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vaRatJj1EQ&feature=related

And the Skye Boat Song, about Charlie being taken to refuge on the Isle of Skye by Flora McDonald:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86egt8PDmos

The BBC made a good series about the Battle of Culloden, in 6 parts of you want the whole story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUc-_e6pdag&feature=related

However, this classic bit of history from Billy Connolly sums it all up:
Warning - this is in typical Billy Connolly style and language!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcrJgtShNEA&feature=related

[Gerard]

It was not the first time the BBC did a documentary about Culloden. Peter Watkins "Culloden", which filmed the battle as if it was filmed by a documentary crew in the middle of the action, with interviews of the participants, was filmed in 1964, and is highly recommanded. It is available on DVD, paired with the terrifying "The War Game" (not for the faint of heart, this one.

Other song inspired by the battle: My Bonnie Moorhen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y8lJeOrqPg

[Emer Dreamer]

 It's been a long time since anyone posted in this , but I appreciate the background info and the links.