Thomas Connellan

Thomas Connellan (c. 1640 – 1698) was an Irish composer.

Connellan was born about 1640/1645 at Cloonmahon, County Sligo. Both he and his brother, William Connellan became harpers.cite book|last= O'Neill|first= Francis|year= 1922|title= Waifs and Strays of Irish Melody|location=Chicago|authorlink= Francis O'Neill] Thomas is famous for the words and music of "Molly MacAlpin", which is better known today as "Carolan's Dream".
Turlough O'Carolan, Ireland's pre-eminent composer of the 17th and 18th centuries, loved the song so much that he is stated as saying that he would have traded all his own tunes in order to be the composer of Molly MacAlpin.

Another tune by Connellan, "Molly St. George", along with "Molly MacAlpin" and "Eileen Aroon" (by Cearbhall O'Dalaigh), comprise the three earliest Irish harp tunes with extant lyrics. Yet another of Connellan's tunes was called "Fáinne Gael an Lae" ("The Dawning of the Day").cite book|last= O'Neill|first= Francis|year= 1922|title= Waifs and Strays of Irish Melody|location=Chicago|authorlink= Francis O'Neill] cite book|last= Bunting|first= Edward|year= 1840|title= Ancient Irish Music|authorlink= Edward Bunting] An Irish-language song with this name ("Fáinne Gael an Lae") was published by Edward Walsh in 1847 and later translated into English as "The Dawning of the Day". The melody of this song was used by Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh to his poem, "Raglan Road".cite book|last= Kavanagh|first= Peter |year= 1980|title= Sacred Keeper|location= Kildare|pages= p. 126|publisher= Goldsmith Press] In this latter-day incarnation, it has reached a worldwide audience, being covered by The Dubliners, Luke Kelly, Van Morrison, Joan Osborne, Sinéad O'Connor, and Mark Knopfler.

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External links

*cite web |title= Dawning of the Day |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/DASH_DAY.htm |work= The Fiddler's Companion |year= 2008 |accessdate=2007-08-20