“Killafole Boasters”

Description

The huntsmen around Newtown have a hunt for hare. The hounds are named as well as the landmarks passed. The local hunters succeed. The Killafole Boasters only follow false trails and "may go home with shame, And never come back for to hunt us again"

Notes

The hunt takes place in the area around Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

Hall, notes to Voice18: "In Co. Fermaanagh, the average hunt club of small-town working men and small farmers is loosely organized and meets monthly in a pub to plan the month's fixtures, some of which might be in competition with another club." Hall goes on to discuss attitudes toward individual hares ("they divert the attention of the dogs if there seems any chance of a hare being killed") and foxes ("they might even take a gun out on a fox-hunting day"). "After a good meeting they might gather in a pub and sing about hunting."

Tunney-StoneFiddle p. 84: "'No good sportsman would shoot a hare; it is for coursing only', we were often told...." - BS

Cross references

Recordings

  • Jimmy Halpin, "Killafole Boasters" (on Voice18)

References

  1. Roud #12922
  2. BI, RcKilBoa

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1980 (recording, Jimmy Halpin)
Found in: Ireland