Donnelly and Cooper

"Donnelly and Cooper" is an Irish ballad recounting a historic bare-knuckle boxing match between Dan Donnelly and George Cooper.

Description

The ballad describes the meeting of the Irish boxer, Donnelly, and his English opponent, Cooper. At the start of the fight, the odd are 10:1 in Cooper's favor. During the match, each fighter in turn scores knockdown blows. After Cooper scores what appears to be a winning blow, the sister of Donnelly's trainer exhorts him to get up, informing him that she has bet her entire estate on his victory. Donnelly rises and is triumphant.

The author of the ballad is unknown.

The ballad has been in circulation since circa 1845.^[1] The earliest verifiable date found in publication is 1854.^[2]

The contest depicted in the song took place on December 13, 1815, at the Curragh of Kildare in Ireland. In honor of his victory, the location of the bout was renamed Donnelly's Hollow, and a commemorative monument was later erected on the site.

Multiple variants of the lyrics have been published in folk music collections.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

In the mid 19th century, the ballad passed from the oral tradition into publication through the printing of broadsides in Great Britain, Ireland, and the United States.^{[2][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]}

Another of Donnelly's ring victories is the subject of the ballad "Donnelly and Oliver".^[17] The theme of the proud Irishman in a bare-fist fight is repeated in "Morrissey and the Black",^[18] "Morrissey and the Russian Sailor",^[19] and "Heenan and Sayers".^[20]

"Donnelly and Cooper" is set to the tune of "I'm the Boy Can Do It".^[2] The melody was later used in "Morrissey and the Russian Sailor", "Heenan and Sayers", and "Relief for Ireland".^[21]

Overview, terms, and variants

Donnelly & Cooper

Come all you true-born Irishmen wherever ye be,
I pray you give attention; and listen unto me;
It's of as true a story as ever you did hear,
About Donnelly and Cooper that fought at Kildare.

'Twas on the 3rd of June, my boys the challenge was sent o'er,
From Britannia to old Granua to raise her sons once more,
To renew their satisfaction, and their credit to recall;
So they were in distraction since bold Donnelly conquered all.

When Granua read the challenge, and received it with a smile,
You had better haste into Kildare, my well-beloved child,
It's there you will reign victorious, as you have always done before,
And your deeds will shine most glorious all around Hibernia's shore.

The challenge was accepted, and those noble lads did prepare,
To meet with Captain Kelly on the Curragh of Kildare,
The Englishmen bet ten to one that day against poor Dan,
But such odds as these would never dismay the blood of Irishman.

When these two bully champions they stripped in the ring,
They faced each other manfully, and to work they did begin,
From six till nine they sparred on, till Danny knocked him down,
Well done, my child, Granua smiled, this is ten thousand pounds.

The second round that Cooper fought he knocked down Donnelly,
But Dan had steel likewise true game, and rose most manfully,
Right active then was Cooper and knocked Donnelly down once more
The English they all cried out, the battle you may give o'er.

The cheering of those English peers did make the vallys sound,
Whilst their English champion kept prancing on the ground,
Full ten to one they freely bet, on the ground whereon they stand,
That their brave hero would soon deceive their boasting Irishman,

Long life to Miss Kelly, she recorded on the plain,
She boldly stepped into the ring, saying, Dan, what do you mean ?
Saying, Dan, my boy, what do you mean, Hibernia's son, says she,
My whole estate I've bet on you, brave Donnelly.

When Donnelly received the fall after the second round,
He spoke to Captain Kelly, as he lay on the ground,
Saying, do not fear, for I'm not beat, although I got two falls,
I'll let them know, before I go, I'll make them pay for all.

I'm not afraid, brave Donnelly, Miss Kelly she did say,
For I have bet my coach and four that you may gain the day;
You are a true born Irishman, the gentry well do know,
And on the plains of sweet Kildare this day their valour show.

Donnelly rose up again, and meeting with great might,
For to surprise the nobles all he continued for to fight,
Cooper stood on his own defence, exertion proved in vain,
He then received a temple blow which reeled him on the plain,

Ye sons of proud Britannia, your boasting now give o'er,
Since by our hero Donnelly, your hero is no more;
In eleven rounds he got nine knocks down, besides broke his jawbone
Shake hands, says she, brave Donnelly, the battle is our own.

The National Library of Scotland

Verse 1 An introduction to the subject of the ballad.
Donnelly: Dan Donnelly, Irish boxer
Cooper: George Cooper, English boxer
Kildare: Irish city, 50km SW of Dublin

Verse 2 Troubled by his victory over one of their countrymen, the English followers of boxing challenge Donnelly to another bout.
Britannia: A personification of the British people
Granua: A personification of the Irish people
third/tenth
Granua/Granu/Granue/Grania/Grannia/Grauna
Donnelly/Daniel/Donnely/Donally
all/Hall
Hall: Tom Hall, English boxer

Verse 3 The challenge is received, and Donnelly's supporters urge him to fight once again.
Hibernia: Ireland
Hibernia/Erin/Shamrock/Hiberna

Verse 4 The challenge is accepted; Cooper is the heavy favorite to win.
Captain Kelly: Donnelly's trainer
Curragh: an open plain
Kildare/Kildary

Verse 5 The bout commences. Donnelly scores the first knockdown. Bets were placed not only on who would win the match, but on other events, like who would draw first blood.
£10,000/£1000

Verse 6 Cooper scores the next two knockdowns.

Verse 7 Cooper's fans anticipate his victory.

Verse 8 Miss Kelly informs Donnelly that she has be her entire estate on him.
Miss Kelly: sister of Captain Kelly

Verse 9 Donnelly assures Captain Kelly, that although down, he is not finished.

Verse 10 Miss Kelly expresses her confidence in Donnelly's abilities.

Verse 11 Donnelly rises and delivers the decisive blow.

Verse 12 Donnelly is declared victor.

References

1. ^ Waltz, Robert B.; Engle, David G.. "Donnelly and Cooper". The Traditional Ballad Index. California State University, Fresno. http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/ballads/K317.html. Retrieved 7 Aug 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Harding B 17(77b)". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+17(77b)&id=07400.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 7 Aug 2010. 
3. ^ Kennedy, Peter (1975). Folksongs of Britain and Ireland. New York: Schirmer Books. pp. 700–701. 
4. ^ O'Conor, Manus (1901). Irish come-all-ye's: a repository of ancient Irish songs and ballads--comprising patriotic, descriptive, historical and humorous gems, characteristic of the Irish race. New York: L. Lipkind. p. 27. http://books.google.com/books?id=qnsWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA27#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
5. ^ Morton, Robin (1970). Folksongs sung in Ulster. Cork: Mercier Press. pp. 77–79. 
6. ^ Dean, Michael Cassius (1922). Flying cloud: and one hundred and fifty other old time songs and ballads of outdoor men, sailors, lumber jacks, soldiers, men of the Great Lakes, railroadmen, miners, etc. Virginia, Minnesota: The Quickprint. pp. 21–22. http://books.google.com/books?id=7NgWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA21#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
7. ^ Shoemaker, Henry Wharton (1931). Mountain minstrelsy of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: N. F. McGirr. p. 278. 
8. ^ "2806 c.15(226)". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=2806+c.15(226)&id=13347.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
9. ^ "Johnson Ballads 2271B". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Johnson+Ballads+2271B&id=22140.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
10. ^ "Firth c.19(16)". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Firth+c.19(16)&id=19170.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
11. ^ "2806 c.8(245)". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=2806+c.8(245)&id=12542.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
12. ^ "Harding B 11(934)". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+11(934)&id=01825.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
13. ^ "Harding B 11(935)". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+11(935)&id=01826.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
14. ^ "Harding B 19(45)". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+19(45)&id=08473.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
15. ^ "as200750". America Singing: Nineteenth-Century Song Sheets. The Library of Congress. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=amss&fileName=as2/as200750/amsspage.db&recNum=0&itemLink=D?amss:3:./temp/~ammem_ItyM::@@@mdb=mcc. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
16. ^ "L.C. 1270(017)". The Word on the Street. The National Library of Scotland. http://www.nls.uk/3/74407743.jpg. Retrieved 14 Aug 2010. 
17. ^ "Mu23-y3:015". Glasgow Broadside Ballads. University of Glasgow. http://www.gla.ac.uk/t4/dumfries/files/layer2/glasgow_broadside_ballads/mu23y3015.htm. Retrieved 15 Aug 2010. 
18. ^ Greenleaf, Elizabeth Bristol; Mansfield, Grace Yarrow (1933). Ballads and Sea-Songs of Newfoundland. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 355. ISBN 9780674012639. http://books.google.com/books?id=iCJcjx3QMdkC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA355#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
19. ^ Silverman, Jerry (1991). Songs of Ireland: 103 Favourite Irish and Irish-American Songs. Pacific, Missouri: Mel Bay Publications. p. 70. ISBN 9781562221133. http://books.google.com/books?id=Aml4zHhaJxUC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA70#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
20. ^ O'Conor. Irish come-all-ye's. pp. 76, 77. http://books.google.com/books?id=eqoTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA76#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
21. ^ "Harding B 18(701)". Bodleian Library Catalogue of Ballads. University of Oxford. http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+18(701)&id=08378.gif&seq=1&size=0. Retrieved 18 Aug 2010.