Killaloe March

Killaloe is the Regimental Quick March of the British Army regiment, The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment). It also has informal, historical associations with other Irish Regiments and Brigades; as an unofficial march by the Connaught Rangers and Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and at brigade level in World War II by the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade.

History

“Killaloe” is a popular march in the Irish Regiments of the British Army, written in 1887 by a 41-year-old Irish composer named Robert “Ballyhooly Bob” Martin of Ross, for the Strand located Gaiety Theatre Musical production "Miss Esmeralda", a burlesque production based on “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. Mr E J Lonnen, playing Frollo the monk, sang the song to great acclaim. The delicious Marion Hood played Esmeralda.

Robert Martin was the elder brother of Violet Martin, more famous as “Martin Ross” of the literary cousins “Somerville & Ross”, who wrote “Memories of an Irish R.M.” and other stories. Bob Martin gained his nickname from his even more famous hit of the time “Ballyhooly March”. As a Galway estate landowner he was related through his bohemian cousin Willie Wills, the famous Victorian court artist and composer, to General John Doyle, who founded the 87th, later the Royal Irish Fusiliers. Martin was so impoverished by the Land League rent strikes that he moved to London and turned to journalism, burlesque song writing and politics. He worked for the Sporting Chronicle, nicknamed “The Pink’un”, on account of the colour of the paper, a Victorian version of “Private Eye” crossed with “News of the World”.

He was also a member of the Pelican Club, a notorious group of aristocracy, gentry, sportsmen, army officers, sporting journalists and other colourful characters who believed in living life to the full, usually well beyond their means, and who held court at Romano’s restaurant in the Strand, near the Gaiety Theatre. A significant number of the aristocracy scandalised Victorian society by marrying “Gaiety Girls” who provided the glamour in the burlesque productions, hence the nickname “The actressocracy” for these socially climbing girls. PG Wodehouse took many of the exploits of this Victorian social group, he was a young reporter at the time, and subsequently reset them very successfully in the 1920s and 30s, around the expoits of Bertie Wooster and his butler Jeeves.

Martin was politically active as a boycotted landowner, staunch unionist, political activist, an “Emergency man” and a close associate of Arthur Balfour, first Secretary for Ireland and later Prime Minister. His virulent Anti Home Rule views are reflected in his songs, which consistently depict the Irish as drunken, brawling if loveable rogues who were clearly unfit to govern themselves! Martin wrote about thirty songs for various burlesque productions, including “Murphy of the Irish Fusiliers”, although a copy of this has yet to surface!

The lyrics of Killaloe relate the sorry story of a French teacher attempting to make himself understood to a difficult Killaloe class who, totally misunderstand his French, and as a consequence beat him up. The Killaloe song, with original melody in 2/4 time, was probably made well known in military circles by a younger brother, Lt. Charles Fox Martin, who served with the 88th Connaught Rangers (The Devil's Own) from 1888 until his death in India in 1893. He is credited with composing a new set of lyrics, in 6/8 time, celebrating his Regiment's fame, and although no mention is made of the tune in the Regimental history, there is an interesting explanation which may well account for the shout or yell in the military version of “Killaloe”.

The march became popular among the other Irish Regiments and various other sets of lyrics were devised, some none too complimentary in tone.

Again in 1944, the BBC recorded the 1st. Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Pipes & Drums playing “Killaloe”, by then adopted unofficially as the march of the famous 38th (Irish) Brigade, during the approach to Cassino.

Killaloe was adopted by The Royal Irish Rangers on its formation on lst. July 1968 and again later by the Royal Irish Regiment on its formation in 1992.

Killaloe was written c.1887 by a 41-year-old Irish composer, Robert Martin, for the London Musical "Miss Esmeralda" and sung by a Mr E J Lohnen. The lyrics tell of a French teacher attempting to make himself understood to a difficult Killaloe class who, totally misunderstand his French, and as a consequence beat him up (See below).

The Killaloe song, with original melody in 2/4 time, was made well known in military circles by a cousin of Lt. Charles Martin, who served with the 88th Connaught Rangers (The Devil's Own) from 1888 until his death in 1893. He composed a new set of lyrics, in 6/8 time, celebrating his Regiment's fame, and although no mention is made of the tune in the Regimental history, there is an interesting explanation which may well account for the shout or yell in the military version of Killaloe. In the 1st Battalion (Connaught Rangers), formerly the 88th, a favourite march tune was "Brian Boru" and this was played generally when the Battalion was marching through a town, or when after a hot and heavy march, the Battalion was feeling the strain and the Commanding Officer wished to revive the spirits of the men. On such occasions, at a time generally given by the Sergeant-Major, all ranks would give a regular "Connaught Yell". During which the Band would make a pause, and then continue playing. The march became popular among the other Irish Regiments and various other sets of lyrics were devised, some none too complimentary in tone.

The first known recording of Killaloe was made by Richard Dimbleby when serving as a BBC war correspondent somewhere in North France in 1939/1940, shortly before Dunkirk, during an outside broadcast of advancing troops. The "Famous Irish Regiment" Dimbleby reports playing as they march past Is not actually named. but would have been either the Royal Irish Fusiliers or the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Again in 1944, the BBC recorded The 1st. Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Pipes & Drums playing Killaloe, by then adopted unofficially as the march of the famous British 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade, during the approach to Cassino. Killaloe was adopted by The Royal Irish Rangers on its formation on 1st July 1968 and again later by the The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment) on its amalgamation in 1992.

Lyrics

Original Lyrics

cquote
Well I happened to be born at the time they cut the corn,
Quite contagious to the town of Killaloo,
Where to tache us they'd a schame and a French Mossoo he came
To instruct us in the game of "parlez vous".

I've a father, that I swear, but he said I had a "pere"
And he struck me when I said it wasn't true,
And the Irish for "a jint" and the French for "half a pint",
Faith, we learnt it in the school at Killaloo.

"Mais oui", Mossoo would cry; "Well of course you can" says I.
Non non, "I know", says I with some surprise.
When a boy straight up from Clare heard his mother called a "mere"
He gave Mossoo his fist between the eyes.

Says Mossoo in much alarm, "Go send for Johnny Darm".
Says I "There's no such name about the place"
Then "comment" was his reply, "Come on yourself" says IAnd I scattered all the features of his face.

Then nothing more was said, Mossoo went of to bed.
He mixed no more in Killaloo affairs;
While the papers on the place, said the foreign teacher's face
Had been closed for alterations and repairs.
Frinch may be very fine, it's no enemy of mine;
Our conduct to the teacher they did send.

I've told you what is passed, so this verse must be the last,
That's the reason I have left it to the end.

Connaught Ranger Lyrics

The Devil's Own had lyrics of their own, composed in c.1890 by Lieutenant Charles Martin [http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Connaught_Rangers.htm] :

cquote
In our army we're the best
From the north, south east or west
The best of boys are following the drum.
We are mighty hard to bate,
I may say without concate,
Faith the enemy are welcome when they come.
Be they Russiand, French or Dutch
Sure it doesn't matter much,
We're the boys to give 'em sugar in their tay
For we're the Connaught Rangers,
The lads to face all dangers,
Fallaballah, fallaballah, Clear the way!

Chorus:

"You may talk about your guards boys
"Your lancers and hussars boys"
"Your fusiliers and royal artillery (without the guns)"
"The girls we drive'em crazy, the foe we beat them easy"
"The rangers from old Connaught, yaarrr, the land across the sea!"

Now allow me here to state,
It is counted quite a trate,
In old Ireland just for fight for friends's sake
To crack your neighbor's head,
Or maybe your own instead.
Faith 'tis just the fun and glory of a wake
So you see all Irish boys are accustomed to such noise
It's as natural as drinking whiskey neat.
For there's none among them all, from Kingston to Donegal,Like the gallant Connaught Ranger on his beat.

Chorus

T'was Bonaparte who said as the Frenchmen on he led
Marshall Soult, be them the Rangers do you know?
Faith says Soult, there's no mistake, to our heels we'd better take
I think it's time for you and I to go.
When the colleens hear their step, it makes their hearts to leap
Aaargh, jewels will ye wist till Parrick's day?
For they are the Connaught Rangers, the boys that fear no dangers
And they're the lads that always take the sway.

Chorus

Now you haven't far to search, for the lads who best can march
The lads that never fear the longest day,
Faith you easily will know, their dashing step will show
Tis the Connaught boys who always lead the way.
If me words perhaps you doubt, come and join 'em on a route
I'm thinkin' you'll not find it quite a treat;
You'll see them in the van, you may catch them if you can
Faith you'll have to travel fast or you'll be late.

Royal Irish Ranger lyrics

The soldiers of the Royal Irish Rangers had their own words to the tune which would be sung, "sotto voce", as they marched. They may be based on the Connaught Ranger version:cquote
We’re the Irish Rangers,
The boys who fear no danger,
We’re the boys from paddy’s land
YO!
Shut up you buggers and fight