Sarah Makem (18 October 1900 – 20 April 1983) a native of Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, was a traditional Irish singer.[1] She was the wife of fiddler Peter Makem, mother of musicians Tommy Makem and Jack Makem, and grandmother of musicians Tom Sweeney, Jimmy Sweeney (of Northern Irish Canadian group Barley Bree), Shane Makem, Conor Makem and Rory Makem. Sarah Makem and her cousin, Annie Jane Kelly, were members of the Singing Greenes of Keady.
In the 1950s, song collectors from the United States toured Ireland recording its musical heritage. Makem was visited and recorded by, among others, Diane Guggenheim Hamilton, Jean Ritchie, Peter Kennedy and Sean O'Boyle. Her rendition of "As I Roved Out" opened the BBC Radio folk music programme of the same name in the 1950s.[2]
Sarah Makem lived in Keady her whole life.[1] Living in the border region of Ulster and in a market town, she was influenced by Irish, Scottish, and English traditions.[3] Makem learned songs from her mother while she was doing household chores such as cooking. Makem would often pick up these songs while sitting with her mother after just one repetition. Makem also learned some of her repertoire from songs the children would sing in school.[2]
Sarah left school early to work as a factory weaver as many of the girls did in her town. She would work from 7 am to 6:30 pm then come home to have sessions with many of the other musicians living in the same area. Makem married Peter Makem in 1919.[2]
Musical careeredit
Sarah Makem would not consider herself a musician; however, she had an extensive musical career. She was a ballad singer who had over five hundred songs in memory. These songs she describes as life stories of murder and love and emigration songs.[1] Makem recorded many of her songs, mostly for collection purposes.[1] One of those songs, "As I Roved Out" was used to open a BBC radio program featuring Irish folk music named after Makem's ballad.[2] Makem did not intend to use this recording as such, and was very embarrassed to know her voice would be heard everyday across Ireland.[2]
Songsedit
Note: Footnotes take you to lyrics, but not necessarily to the recordings of Sarah Makem, as many of the songs are traditional.
Makem collected, performed and/or composed, and handed down hundreds of songs including:
The Voice of the People Vol. 8: A Story I’m Just About to Tell (1999) - Various Artists
The Voice of the People Vol. 17: It Fell on a Day a Bonny Summer Day (1999) - Various Artists
The Voice of the People: A Selection (2000) - Various Artists
The Voice of the People: Sarah Makem: The Heart Is True (2012) - Sarah Makem
In 2009 The Banks of Red Roses from Sarah Makem : Ulster Ballad Singer was included in Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten as track three of the third CD.
Referencesedit
^ abcdGillespie, Elgy (14 October 1978). "Mrs. Sarah Makem". The Irish Times. ProQuest 528520271.
^ abcdeHammond, D. (1977) Sarah Makem [youtube]. Ireland: TG4. Available at: https://youtu.be/u-2S4pAoaOs (Accessed 18 April 2017).
^H, D (10 May 1983). "Sarah Makem". The Irish Times. ProQuest 529679554.
^"As I Roved Out Lyrics". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
^"Barbara Allen Lyrics". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
^"Blow Ye Winds Lyrics". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
^"The Butcher Boy Lyrics". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
^"Lyrics: Caroline And Her Young Sailor Bold". Mudcat.org. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
^"The Cobbler Lyrics". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
^"Lyrics: I Courted A Wee Girl". Mudcat.org. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
^"Little Beggarman Lyrics". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
^"lyrics: May Morning Dew". Mudcat.org. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
^"Month of January Lyrics". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
^"The Wind That Shakes The Barley Lyrics". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
External linksedit
The Makem and Spain Brothers Official Web Page
Other Irish source singers may be found at Folkopedia
Folktrax.org
Mudcat.org
January 01, 1970
sarah, makem, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, august, 2013,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Sarah Makem news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message Sarah Makem 18 October 1900 20 April 1983 a native of Keady County Armagh Northern Ireland was a traditional Irish singer 1 She was the wife of fiddler Peter Makem mother of musicians Tommy Makem and Jack Makem and grandmother of musicians Tom Sweeney Jimmy Sweeney of Northern Irish Canadian group Barley Bree Shane Makem Conor Makem and Rory Makem Sarah Makem and her cousin Annie Jane Kelly were members of the Singing Greenes of Keady In the 1950s song collectors from the United States toured Ireland recording its musical heritage Makem was visited and recorded by among others Diane Guggenheim Hamilton Jean Ritchie Peter Kennedy and Sean O Boyle Her rendition of As I Roved Out opened the BBC Radio folk music programme of the same name in the 1950s 2 Contents 1 Background 2 Musical career 3 Songs 4 Recordings 5 References 6 External linksBackground editSarah Makem lived in Keady her whole life 1 Living in the border region of Ulster and in a market town she was influenced by Irish Scottish and English traditions 3 Makem learned songs from her mother while she was doing household chores such as cooking Makem would often pick up these songs while sitting with her mother after just one repetition Makem also learned some of her repertoire from songs the children would sing in school 2 Sarah left school early to work as a factory weaver as many of the girls did in her town She would work from 7 am to 6 30 pm then come home to have sessions with many of the other musicians living in the same area Makem married Peter Makem in 1919 2 Musical career editSarah Makem would not consider herself a musician however she had an extensive musical career She was a ballad singer who had over five hundred songs in memory These songs she describes as life stories of murder and love and emigration songs 1 Makem recorded many of her songs mostly for collection purposes 1 One of those songs As I Roved Out was used to open a BBC radio program featuring Irish folk music named after Makem s ballad 2 Makem did not intend to use this recording as such and was very embarrassed to know her voice would be heard everyday across Ireland 2 Songs editNote Footnotes take you to lyrics but not necessarily to the recordings of Sarah Makem as many of the songs are traditional Makem collected performed and or composed and handed down hundreds of songs including As I Roved Out 4 Barbara Allen 5 Barney Mavourneen Blow Ye Winds 6 The Butcher Boy 7 Caroline and her Young Sailor Bold 8 The Cobbler 9 The Cot in the Corner Derry Gaol Dobbin s Flowery Vale The Factory Girl Farewell My Love Remember Me I Courted a Wee Girl 10 John Mitchel The Jolly Thresher Little Beggarman 11 Magpie s Nest A Man in Love He Feels No Cold Mary of Kilmore May Morning Dew 12 Month of January The Forsaken Mother amp Child 13 On the Banks of Red Roses Our Ship She s Ready to Bear Away Robert Burns and his Highland Mary A Servant Maid in her Father s Garden Willie Reilly The Wind That Shakes the Barley 14 Recordings editSarah Makem has been recorded extensively and is included on the following recordings Ulster Ballad Singer 1967 Sarah Makem Field Trip 1954 Jean Ritchie The Lark in the Morning Liam Clancy and others 1956 Best of the Clancy Brothers 1994 The Clancy Brothers Sea Songs amp Shanties 1994 Various Artists Traditional Songs of Ireland 1995 Various Artists Ancient Celtic Roots 1996 Various Artists Celtic Mouth Music 1997 Various Artists Irish Voices The Best in Traditional Singing 1997 Various Artists Celtic Reflections 1998 Various Artists Celtic Voices 1999 Various Artists Who s That at My Bedroom Window 1999 Various Artists The Voice of the People Vol 6 Come Let Us Buy the License 1999 Various Artists The Voice of the People Vol 8 A Story I m Just About to Tell 1999 Various Artists The Voice of the People Vol 17 It Fell on a Day a Bonny Summer Day 1999 Various Artists The Voice of the People A Selection 2000 Various Artists The Voice of the People Sarah Makem The Heart Is True 2012 Sarah Makem In 2009 The Banks of Red Roses from Sarah Makem Ulster Ballad Singer was included in Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten as track three of the third CD References edit a b c d Gillespie Elgy 14 October 1978 Mrs Sarah Makem The Irish Times ProQuest 528520271 a b c d e Hammond D 1977 Sarah Makem youtube Ireland TG4 Available at https youtu be u 2S4pAoaOs Accessed 18 April 2017 H D 10 May 1983 Sarah Makem The Irish Times ProQuest 529679554 As I Roved Out Lyrics Retrieved 28 February 2015 Barbara Allen Lyrics Retrieved 28 February 2015 Blow Ye Winds Lyrics Retrieved 28 February 2015 The Butcher Boy Lyrics Retrieved 28 February 2015 Lyrics Caroline And Her Young Sailor Bold Mudcat org Retrieved 10 August 2013 The Cobbler Lyrics Retrieved 28 February 2015 Lyrics I Courted A Wee Girl Mudcat org Retrieved 10 August 2013 Little Beggarman Lyrics Retrieved 28 February 2015 lyrics May Morning Dew Mudcat org Retrieved 10 August 2013 Month of January Lyrics Retrieved 28 February 2015 The Wind That Shakes The Barley Lyrics Retrieved 28 February 2015 External links editSarah Makem at SmithsonianGlobalSound org The Makem and Spain Brothers Official Web Page Other Irish source singers may be found at Folkopedia Folktrax org Mudcat org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sarah Makem amp oldid 1192935743, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
