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STORIES OF
tive melody which the events that followed the second capitulation of Limerick in 1690, when at the embarkation of the Irish soldiery at Cork for France, their wives and children were forcibly separated from them under circumstances of un-usual barbarity, says that excellent authority " Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians.'' The verses to it, " Farewell to Lochaber," were written by Allan Ramsay, and the song will be found complete in the " Royal Edition of the Songs of Scotland." When Burns first heard the air he is said to have exclaimed, " Oh, that's a fine tune for a broken heart," a very signifi-cant characteristic of the music of a nation suffer-ing unending wrong. The Scotch have long had the reputation of not only stealing Irish melo-dies but Irish saints as well, Petrie, Walker, Bunting, and Thomas Moore are strong in their conviction of Lochaber's Irish nationality, though Mr. George Farquhar Graham, an excellent authority, believes it to be derived from " Lord Ronald, my Son," as asserted by Burns. In 1692 it was known as "King James's March to Ireland." As a matter of fact, the tune was originally composed by Miles O'Rielly, the celebrated harper of Cavan, who was born 1635. There are several touching anecdotes concern-ing the song.
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