Annotation:Hermit of Killarney

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HERMIT OF KILLARNEY (Ditreabac Loca Lein). AKA and see "Adieu Adieu Thou Faithless World," "When War Was Heard." Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The title comes from a song by George Ogle (1739-1814), set to an older air. The melody also appears in Edward Riley's Flute Melodies, vol. 1 (New York, 1814, p. 14). Thomas Crofton Croker (Popular Songs of Ireland, 1839) gives the story that the song is about an actual hermit, an Englishman named Ronayn, who took up a solitary existence on an island (the still bore his name around the year 1800) in the district of Killarney. He sustained himself by hunting and fishing, and was the object of some awe in the community.

As on Killarney's banks I stood, near to her crystal wave,
I saw a holy hermit, retired within his cave;
His eyes he often turn'd to heaven, and thus exclaimed he:
Adieu, Adieu, though faithless world, thou wert not meant for me!

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: O'Farrell (National Irish Music for the Union Pipes), 1804; p. 17. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 116, p. 21.

Recorded sources:

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