The Irish Volunteer (album)
Encyclopedia
The Irish Volunteer is David Kincaid's
first album of Civil War related Irish music. For years Kincaid has been the lead singer, lead guitarist, and leading songwriter for the American roots rock band, The Brandos
. Kincaid, a long time Civil War
enthusiast, assembled a collection of songs written during the Civil War era about Irish American
soldiers fighting for the Union
. Most of the songs only came with lyrics so Kincaid had to find traditional Irish music to set the lyrics to. Kincaid was devoted to historical accuracy in performing the songs, the pieces are performed only with instruments that would have been available to the people of the period.
With the exception of "Free and Green" all the songs were written either before or during the Civil War. The songs praise the Irish immigrant volunteers who fought for the Union, most of the songs mention Thomas Francis Meagher
, Michael Corcoran
, and the famous Irish Brigade
.
"Pat Murphy Of Meagher's Brigade
" is the only previously recorded song on the album.
Dave Kincaid
Dave Kincaid co-founded the New York band The Brandos with Ernie Mendillo in 1985. Besides playing with The Brandos, Kincaid has also released two albums of Irish music under the name David Kincaid....
first album of Civil War related Irish music. For years Kincaid has been the lead singer, lead guitarist, and leading songwriter for the American roots rock band, The Brandos
The Brandos
The Brandos is an American rock band formed in New York in 1985. The core members are vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Dave Kincaid and bassist and vocalist Ernie Mendillo....
. Kincaid, a long time Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
enthusiast, assembled a collection of songs written during the Civil War era about Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
soldiers fighting for the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
. Most of the songs only came with lyrics so Kincaid had to find traditional Irish music to set the lyrics to. Kincaid was devoted to historical accuracy in performing the songs, the pieces are performed only with instruments that would have been available to the people of the period.
With the exception of "Free and Green" all the songs were written either before or during the Civil War. The songs praise the Irish immigrant volunteers who fought for the Union, most of the songs mention Thomas Francis Meagher
Thomas Francis Meagher
-Young Ireland:Meagher returned to Ireland in 1843, with undecided plans for a career in the Austrian army, a tradition among a number of Irish families. In 1844 he traveled to Dublin with the intention of studying for the bar. He became involved in the Repeal Association, which worked for repeal...
, Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran was an Irish American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a close confidant of President Abraham Lincoln. As its colonel, he led the 69th New York regiment to Washington, D.C. and was one of the first to serve in the defense of Washington by building Fort...
, and the famous Irish Brigade
Irish Brigade (US)
The Irish Brigade was an infantry brigade, consisting predominantly of Irish Americans, that served in the Union Army in the American Civil War. The designation of the first regiment in the brigade, the 69th New York Infantry, or the "Fighting 69th", continued in later wars...
.
"Pat Murphy Of Meagher's Brigade
Pat Murphy of Meagher's Brigade
"Pat Murphy Of Meagher's Brigade", also known as "Pat Murphy Of The Irish Brigade" or "Song Of The Splintered Shillelagah", is song that comes from the American Civil War. The song tells the story of a, "Patrick Murphy", who serves under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher in the...
" is the only previously recorded song on the album.
Personnel
- David KincaidDave KincaidDave Kincaid co-founded the New York band The Brandos with Ernie Mendillo in 1985. Besides playing with The Brandos, Kincaid has also released two albums of Irish music under the name David Kincaid....
– lead and harmonic vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and bodhranBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
. - Liz Knowles – fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
. - Jerry O'SullivanJerry O'SullivanJerry O'Sullivan is a contemporary Irish-American musician.Jerry was born in New York. As a youngster he learned Scottish highland bagpipes. Following a visit to his cousins in Dublin he took up uilleann pipes....
– uilleann pipesUilleann pipesThe uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
and tin whistleTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
. - John Whelan – accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
. - Ernie MendilloErnie MendilloErnie Mendillo co-founded the New York band The Brandos with Dave Kincaid in 1985. Besides playing with The Brandos, Mendillo is also a member of the Sarajevo rock band Bombaj Štampa....
- bass on "Paddy's Lamentation".
Track listing
The writer of most of the songs is unknown but is noted where the author is known.- "The Irish Volunteer" written by Joe English – 4:34
- "Boys That Wore The Green" – 4:00
- "Opinions of Paddy Magee" – 3:37
- "The Boys Of The Irish Brigade" – 3:10
- "Paddy's Lamentation" – 5:26
- "The Irish Volunteer (Nr. 2)" written by S. Fillmore Bennett – 4:21
- "My Father's Gun" written by Joe English – 3:09
- "Meagher Is Leading The Irish Brigade" – 5:35
- "Free And Green'" written by David Kincaid and Carl Funk – 4:15
- "The Harp Of Old Erin & Banner Of Star" – 3:44
- "The List Of GeneralsThe List of Generals"The List of Generals" is a song written by New York music hall performer and songwriter Joe English in 1864. The song was written to praise the commanders in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It is sung to the melody of "Doran's Ass." The song is known for its praise of generals,...
" written by Joe English – 3:58 - "Pat Murphy Of Meagher's BrigadePat Murphy of Meagher's Brigade"Pat Murphy Of Meagher's Brigade", also known as "Pat Murphy Of The Irish Brigade" or "Song Of The Splintered Shillelagah", is song that comes from the American Civil War. The song tells the story of a, "Patrick Murphy", who serves under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher in the...
" – 4:40