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Waxies' Dargle

April 10, 2023

Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Waxies' Dargle

"The Waxies' Dargle" is a traditional Irish folk song about two Dublin "aul' wans" (older ladies/mothers) discussing how to find money to go on an excursion. It is named after an annual outing to Ringsend, near Dublin city, by Dublin cobblers (waxies). It originated as a 19th-century children's song and is now a popular pub song in Ireland.[1]

Origin of “The Waxies’ Dargle”

 
The Dargle

In the 19th century, during the Summer, the gentry of Dublin would travel out to Bray and Enniskerry with their entourages and have picnics on the banks of the River Dargle. The Dargle was a popular holiday resort, and the name in Dublin slang became synonymous with "holiday resort".[2]

The shoe-makers and repairers in Dublin were known as waxies because they used wax to waterproof and preserve the thread they used in stitching the shoes.[3] Easter and Whitsun were their principal holidays, Monday being the excursion for men and Tuesday for women. The original Waxies' Dargle was said to be part of Donnybrook Fair, but because of riotous behaviour, this fair closed in 1855.[4] In any case, the waxies' excursions did not go all the way to Bray, but only went as far as Irishtown which is located between Ringsend and Sandymount.[5] In imitation of the gentry, they called their outing the Waxies' Dargle. They drove out from the city to Ringsend on flat drays, ten or a dozen to each vehicle. It cost two pence per car-load and the usual cry of the driver was "Tuppence, an' up with yeh!". Those who wanted a more comfortable ride could take a jaunting car from D'Olier Street for threepence.[2]

Their destination was a favourite resort for Dubliners, a grass-covered triangle near the seafront at Irishtown. On Summer evenings fiddlers, flautists and melodeon players played dance music (sets, half-sets and reels) until midnight. There was a roaring trade in porter, cockles and mussels and "treacle Billy". On Bank holidays there were boxing contests.[2]

There is an engraved stone, marking the location of the Waxies' Dargle "picnic" site near Gleesons Pub in Irishtown.

Robert Gogan[6] describes how the "Waxies' Dargle" focuses on working-class Dublin. The places referenced are in areas frequented by the poor. Monto was an area around Montgomery Street, a notorious red-light district near the centre of Dublin. Capel Street is on the north side of the city and was renowned for its pawnbroking shops, a few of which remain to this day.

The Waxies' Dargle is also mentioned in another Dublin folk song, "Monto (Take Her Up to Monto)", written by George Desmond Hodnett.

The Waxies' Dargle is referenced in the Aeolus episode of the novel Ulysses by James Joyce. The character Myles Crawford refers to the two old ladies on top of Nelson's pillar as being "Out for the waxies' Dargle".

The air

The air to which the song is sung is that of "Brighton Camp" (a reel in G Major), which is also used for "The Girl I Left Behind" and "The Rare Old Mountain Dew".[7] The earliest known version of the melody was printed about 1810 in Hime's Pocket Book for the German Flute or Violin (Dublin), vol. 3, p. 67, under the title The Girl I Left Behind Me (in the National Library of Ireland, Dublin).[8]

Recordings

References

  1. ^ Brady, Eilís (1984). All in! All in!: A selection of Dublin children's traditional street-games. Dublin: Four Courts Press. ISBN 978-0-901120-85-4.
  2. ^ a b c Quidnunc (9 October 1933). "An Irishman's Diary". The Irish Times. p. 4.
  3. ^ Bernard Share: Slanguage, A Dictionary of Irish Slang. Dublin, Gill and McMillan (1997 and 2005) ISBN 0-7171-3959-X
  4. ^ Novelliste (8 November 1952). "The Waxies' Dargle". The Irish Times. p. 10.
  5. ^ Quidnunc (25 March 1936). "An Irishman's Diary". The Irish Times. p. 4.
  6. ^ 50 Great Irish Drinking Songs, Music Ireland, 2005
  7. ^ Behan, Dominick (1964). Ireland Sings. London: Essex Music. p. XII.
  8. ^ James J. Fuld, 3rd. ed. 1985, The Book of World-Famous Music Classical, Popular and Folk, pp. 242-244, Dover Pub

External links

  • The Gourds Play "The Waxies' Dargle" 3/16/2012

April 10, 2023
waxies, dargle, wikisource, original, text, related, this, article, traditional, irish, folk, song, about, dublin, wans, older, ladies, mothers, discussing, find, money, excursion, named, after, annual, outing, ringsend, near, dublin, city, dublin, cobblers, w. Wikisource has original text related to this article Waxies Dargle The Waxies Dargle is a traditional Irish folk song about two Dublin aul wans older ladies mothers discussing how to find money to go on an excursion It is named after an annual outing to Ringsend near Dublin city by Dublin cobblers waxies It originated as a 19th century children s song and is now a popular pub song in Ireland 1 Contents 1 Origin of The Waxies Dargle 2 The air 3 Recordings 4 References 5 External linksOrigin of The Waxies Dargle Edit The Dargle In the 19th century during the Summer the gentry of Dublin would travel out to Bray and Enniskerry with their entourages and have picnics on the banks of the River Dargle The Dargle was a popular holiday resort and the name in Dublin slang became synonymous with holiday resort 2 The shoe makers and repairers in Dublin were known as waxies because they used wax to waterproof and preserve the thread they used in stitching the shoes 3 Easter and Whitsun were their principal holidays Monday being the excursion for men and Tuesday for women The original Waxies Dargle was said to be part of Donnybrook Fair but because of riotous behaviour this fair closed in 1855 4 In any case the waxies excursions did not go all the way to Bray but only went as far as Irishtown which is located between Ringsend and Sandymount 5 In imitation of the gentry they called their outing the Waxies Dargle They drove out from the city to Ringsend on flat drays ten or a dozen to each vehicle It cost two pence per car load and the usual cry of the driver was Tuppence an up with yeh Those who wanted a more comfortable ride could take a jaunting car from D Olier Street for threepence 2 Their destination was a favourite resort for Dubliners a grass covered triangle near the seafront at Irishtown On Summer evenings fiddlers flautists and melodeon players played dance music sets half sets and reels until midnight There was a roaring trade in porter cockles and mussels and treacle Billy On Bank holidays there were boxing contests 2 There is an engraved stone marking the location of the Waxies Dargle picnic site near Gleesons Pub in Irishtown Robert Gogan 6 describes how the Waxies Dargle focuses on working class Dublin The places referenced are in areas frequented by the poor Monto was an area around Montgomery Street a notorious red light district near the centre of Dublin Capel Street is on the north side of the city and was renowned for its pawnbroking shops a few of which remain to this day The Waxies Dargle is also mentioned in another Dublin folk song Monto Take Her Up to Monto written by George Desmond Hodnett The Waxies Dargle is referenced in the Aeolus episode of the novel Ulysses by James Joyce The character Myles Crawford refers to the two old ladies on top of Nelson s pillar as being Out for the waxies Dargle The air EditThe air to which the song is sung is that of Brighton Camp a reel in G Major which is also used for The Girl I Left Behind and The Rare Old Mountain Dew 7 The earliest known version of the melody was printed about 1810 in Hime s Pocket Book for the German Flute or Violin Dublin vol 3 p 67 under the title The Girl I Left Behind Me in the National Library of Ireland Dublin 8 Recordings EditDominic Behan and Ewan MacColl on The Singing Streets in 1958 Sweeney s Men as a single released in 1968 Mucky Duck Bush Band on their 1980 album At Last The Mucky Duck The FerryBoat Musicians on their self titled album in 1984 re released on CD in 2008 The Pogues on their 1984 album Red Roses for Me Four to the Bar on their 1994 live album Craic on the Road Young Dubliners on their 2005 album Real World Tom Donovan on A Taste of Ireland Pub Songs Orthodox Celts on the 1996 live album Muzicke paralele So Ranna on their 2006 self titled E P Dr Strangely Strange referenced as part of Donnybrook Fair on their 1969 album Kip of the Serenes Los Stompers on their 1998 live album Mezzy on Stage Marc Gunn on his 2009 album Happy Songs of Death Joe Hurley for the 2008 film I Sell the Dead The Skels on their 1999 album Stoney RoadReferences Edit Brady Eilis 1984 All in All in A selection of Dublin children s traditional street games Dublin Four Courts Press ISBN 978 0 901120 85 4 a b c Quidnunc 9 October 1933 An Irishman s Diary The Irish Times p 4 Bernard Share Slanguage A Dictionary of Irish Slang Dublin Gill and McMillan 1997 and 2005 ISBN 0 7171 3959 X Novelliste 8 November 1952 The Waxies Dargle The Irish Times p 10 Quidnunc 25 March 1936 An Irishman s Diary The Irish Times p 4 50 Great Irish Drinking Songs Music Ireland 2005 Behan Dominick 1964 Ireland Sings London Essex Music p XII James J Fuld 3rd ed 1985 The Book of World Famous Music Classical Popular and Folk pp 242 244 Dover PubExternal links EditThe Gourds Play The Waxies Dargle 3 16 2012https m soundcloud com daymeeyen the waxies dargle So Ranna play their version of The Waxies Dargle live on WDAR FM Dublin Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waxies 27 Dargle amp oldid 1126427087, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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