Annotation:Bride of Malahide (The)
X:1 T:Bride of Malahide, The M:3/4 L:1/8 N:"Moderate" R:Air S:O'Neill - Music of Ireland (1903), No. 249 Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:G (d/ef) | g2 (gf)(ed) | d2 (ed)(c{d/c/}B) | c2B2 {B}(A>G) | E4 (A/Bd) | e2 (fe)(dB) | (A>B) d2D2 | E2 {B}A3G | G4 :| (D/E/F) | G2A2 BA | B2B2AG | c2d2 ef | g4 (d/eg) | a2b2 (a/g/e) | d2 e2 (e/d/B) | A2 dB AB | A4 {d}cB | c2d2 ef | g2g2 (gf/e/) | d2B2 A>G | E4 (D/E/F) | G2 (FE)(DC) | B,2 A,>B, G,2 | E2 {B}TA3G | G4 ||
BRIDE OF MALAHIDE, THE (An Ceile ua m'Alacide). AKA and see "Molly St. George." Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. "The Bride of Malahide" is the name of a ballad by Limerick-born writer and playwright Gerald Griffin (1803-1840). He made his reputation in London, but in 1838 he burned his manuscripts and joined the Christian Brothers order in County Cork, entering seclusion in a monastery where he died of typhus. The lyric tells of the Maud Plunkett, betrothed to Sir Walter Hussey ("Lord Galtrim") whom she was to wed in 1429. Tragically, she was a "maid, wife and widow" on her wedding day when he was called out to some local skirmish and was killed.
Or, maybe not so tragically, at least for her. Lord Galtrim's ghost is said to haunt Malahide Castle, wandering at night while pointing to the spear wound in his side and uttering dreadful groans. According to local legend, this spectral behavior indicates his eternal resentment towards his young bride, who married his rival immediately after he had given up his life in defence of her honour and happiness.
However, Lady Maud's own ghost also is said to inhabit Malahide, albeit appearing not as the young widow, but rather as the more mature woman as she appeared when she married her third husband, a Lord Chief Justice. At the time she "had become notorious as an un-equalled virago", and her ghostly self has been spied chasing the Lord Justice through the corridors.
Fr. John Quinn finds the melody to be a version of harper Thomas O'Connellan's (c. 1640–1698) "Molly St. George."