What a fantastic song, the lead vocalist has a wonderful clear voice, as does the the second vocalist, 2 talented young Ladies, and having the choir behind them, made for one brilliant song, and a fantastic video, congratulations on a well performed video
I first heard this song by the Choral Scholars of University of College Dublin. While I like the song itself, the key the CSUCD sing it in is so high I can never make out the words. I always felt it would be better as a mid-range mezzo-soprano song than the high range soprano they sing it in. Having found this version tonight I much prefer it to the CSUCD as this version is such I can hear the words and the vocal range is more in line with what a young girl of that time would be singing in. I congratulate the girls for singing this beautiful rendition of a very beautiful song so well.
@@reginadeacy9176 I only stated the simple truth. If the school choir ever gets around to releasing an album or multi-song video of Irish songs I'd be interested in knowing about it and I'd likely purchase it, as I liked both of the numbers they have on the website.
The lass from St Mary's going to be far less practiced than the Uni lasses and closer to the age of the orphan girl about which they sing. I prefer this version, too.
Those poor lasses didn't have much of a life. My great grandmother, Catherine Streitch, arrived in Qld in 1848 as a 15 year old girl unaccompanied from Tipp. I reckon she was one. I never met Great Grandma Catherine. She's buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. I think about her a lot. Her descendents have had far better lives. She'd be proud of her most recent, little Dommie.
I imagine that that was the hope that steeled a lot of people's resolve. Their lives might not be very good, but their joy would be in seeing their children and grandchildren have better lives.
@@rowanaforrest9792 Hello, Rowana. Australasia is used to describe Australia nd New Zealand. Some use it to include New Guinea, too but in Aus, it means Australia and New Zealand. To add to information. Australia became a nation in 1900 by federating British Colonies on our continent . New Zealand was intended to be part of Australia but refused to join.
@@MilanCrow over 4000 from Ireland, 137 of whom were from Mayo. And all while the english traded locally produced food abroad instead of feeding the local people.
@@janetoner4907 "yes and they got awa..." They set a template for Mao, China exported rice to Cuba during the Cultural Revolution whilst up to 40 mil died of starvation. At least the starving Irish haa Australasia, England, Scotland and the North Americas.
Most probably the girls were scared to death of failing the inspection as the song explicitly states. Surely they were checked for cleanliness and not in a gentle way. And besides, considering the fact that workhouses were government establishments, the MEN carrying out the inspections most probably were Protestants, and of course the girls were Catholic, very lonely and under the impresion of having lost everything (including their parents and siblings). So probably they were very scared to be rejected for having lice (as the video implies). I put myself in these girls place and say "how brave those girls must have been". I have read also a website which carries the documented story of some of them after they got to Australia, and many of them proved that they were NOT willing to be abused. There are newspapers reports of some of them going to court to sue their employers for mistreatment. I admire these girls profoundly, not only for having survived the famine (which is not little deal) but for having made themselves a new life. An inspirational story. Thanks for reading.
By the way, I have read several times the novel TRINITY which explains in depth the Famine and its aftermath. I developed a great admiration for the Irish people since then (I was about 13 when I read the novel for the first time) and to this day. If there is a brave people on the world, it is the Irish. Best regards from Mexico (see John Riley).
You should read Australian scholar Thomas Keneally's masterwork The Great Shame if you enjoyed Trinity. Tirelessly researched, the truth it reveals is even more brutal than Uris' sympathetic fiction.
@@TheWrensHouse Indeed it has. And Ireland has always been and still is subject to "Braveheartisation" of reports, especially by the BBC. When Unionist mobs invade nationalist areas the BBC reports it as "clashes between Unionists and Nationalists"; strictly speaking correct but inaccurate.
@camotzin "By the way, I have read several times the novel TRINITY..." Me too. I read Trinity in my mid 20s, on the recommendation of a fellow teacher on staff who had spent time teaching in Northern Ireland. I'm a fair bit older, now. I'm rereading Tim Pat Coogan's History of the IRA, which I'd first read at around the same time. I'm much less angry, more analytical and have now visited Ireland on multiple occasions, as a young blade, a family man and an older but pre grandfather, my next trip. Then, I thought Uris had really captured it. As soon as I finish Tim Pat's, it'll be Leon's.
Sure. The technical work by the girls, which is flawless, the historical value is very relevant, and perhaps most important I think that doing this should have been an educational experience for the girls. Most young people today feel very entitled and give everything for granted. I think the girls who worked in the video had a big chance to think and realize how fortunate they are, comparing their situation to other girls from their very town which had to survive a terrible experience. I'd love my daughter (who is pretty much the same age of the girls in the video) could work in something like that so she counts her blessings.
By the way, I have read several times the novel TRINITY which explains in depth the Famine and its aftermath. I developed a great admiration for the Irish people since then (I was about 13 when I read the novel for the first time) and to this day. If there is a brave people on the world, it is the Irish. Best regards from Mexico (see John Riley).
There is a comment on another video of this song by Choral Scholars of University College Dublin that is very vital to this song. It is the top comment on that video. Between,1848-1850 total of 4,114 young girls were sent from Ireland (87 from my hometown of Ballina) to the Australian ports of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. The scheme was devised in response to the need for domestic female labor in the growing Australian colony, along with the related issue of gender imbalance. This coincided with increasing numbers of young female orphans, due to the worsening Famine. As a result, young Irish women were sent to Australia to be hired as domestic servants, and in time to become wives of the colonial settlers. Orphan Emigration from County Mayo Of the 4,114 orphan girls sent from Ireland, 137 were from County Mayo. The first group of young girls/teenagers from Ballina, County Mayo (total of 47) were sent on two ships, the 'Lady Kennaway' to Melbourne and the 'Inchinnan' to Sydney. In the second year,1849 a further 40 girls from Ballina, 25 girls from Ballinrobe, 15 girls from Castlebar, and 10 girls from Westport were sent on this harrowing journey to Sydney, Australia aboard the 'Panama'. Mary Browne was one of the Mayo orphans who traveled from Ballina on the 'Panama' to Sydney. It departed from Plymouth on 6 October 1849, and arrived in Sydney on 12 January 1850, with a total of 157 orphans, from Dublin, Carlow, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Mayo, Sligo, Waterford, and Wexford. On arrival in Australia, immigrant ships were met by the Immigration Agent, and personal details of every immigrant were recorded. The orphan girls were then housed in depots until they were hired. In Sydney, the Immigration Depot was located at Hyde Park Barracks, a former convict barracks. 'Ballina Girl', Mary Browne; Mary Browne stated that she was aged 17 when she arrived in Sydney on the 'Panama'. The Immigration Agent recorded that she was from “Ballyna” (Ballina) and that her parents, Thomas and Bridget, were both dead. Mary was a Roman Catholic, and could not read or write. It has not yet been possible to trace Mary to her townland of origin. Mary Browne's sister, Bridget Browne. It is known that a Bridget Brown traveled on the first ship to leave Ireland bound for Australia.The reality is however, the two young women were sent to two different cities, nearly two years apart. As neither could read nor write, in all likelihood, if they were sisters, they probably never saw, nor heard from each other again. Life in Australia Mary Browne was employed in New South Wales (NSW) by a Scottish settler, Dr. Colin Anderson, at Newstead Station, near Inverell, for a period of two years, at £7-8pa. Mary Browne got married and had 11 children, eight of whom survived to adulthood. From the destitution of poverty, famine and near death in County Mayo. Mary Browne was one of the lucky ones who prospered in her life in Australia. Mary never did see her sister, Bridget Browne, ever again. James made that comment on the other video and I think it brings huge light to the whole situation they were in back then.
It's interesting in this video that we don't know whether these 2 friends were chosen to sail or were turned down. I guess it's fitting that this is left up to each of us to imagine. Wonderful song and wonderful video.
For more information search „Songs of the great hunger (with brendan graham)“ an look from 14:55! Very interesting. Love the song sung by St.Mary‘s Secondary School!
Guess what girls I'm Irish born but we have Ballina here in Australia its in Northern New South Wales I've been there a few times. One day some of you may see it. A place close by is Byron Bay and its similar to Howth.
@janette Davis "Guess what girls I'm Irish..." I'm none of Irish born, a girl nor familiar with Ballina. There's a bond between Ireland and Australia. Not everyone gets it, you did a couple of years ago.
Beautiful voices! Thank you girls! I have recently learned about the story of the orphan girls that were sent to Australia. Such a sad story of young girls being sent half way around the world, hoping for a better life. I wonder how many actually found a better life?
"I wonder how many actually found a better life.." a great grandson of one of them became An Australian Prime Minister (perhaps not a very good one, but)
@@angusmckenzie9622 If you are referring to Paul Keating he's widely regarded as one of the greatest Australia's PMs and in my personal opinion the greatest!
I am an orphan girl, In Westport I was found, The workhouse is my world, Since the praties took us down, What time in life is left to me, If I don’t leave Westport town, But the crown is sending girls to sea, for far Australia bound. Sail, sail, sail me away, Sail to Australia; Sail, sail, sail me I pray, Sail me away ,to Australia. They say Australia’s fine, They say Australia’s fair, Australia’s on my mind And the fields of praties there I pray when this inspection’s done, that they’ll say me fit to sail, For they don’t just send out anyone, oh Lord, don’t see me fail. Chorus I am scarcely turned sixteen, But I’m ready now to go I’m decent and I’m clean, Fit for any man to know. And I will be some good man’s wife, If there I’ll settle down - And find myself a better life, If I get to Sydney town. Chorus Sail me away, sail me I pray Sail me away to Australia. I am an orphan girl, oh I am an orphan girl
Please think about this: It applies to each and every one of us. One day we'll all be orphans Ready to sail on to another life And praying that the Inspector finds us fit And wishing that we'll find a better life Because our time in this one is up. So let's work, learn and be better every day So when the moment comes As it will come, mark my words We can go without fear and full of hope To the next life. We will probably not be 16 when that happens But it will Be sure of that. God bless you all Love and light From Mexico
@Stephen Pirsch I have thought a long time about this. I see the same as you do, but I have a different interpretation. Most probably the girls were scared to death of failing the inspection as the song explicitly states. Surely they were checked for cleanliness and not in a gentle way. And besides, considering the fact that workhouses were government establishments, the MEN carrying out the inspections most probably were Protestants, and of course the girls were Catholic, very lonely and under the impresion of having lost everything (including their parents and siblings). So probably they were very scared to be rejected for having lice (as the video implies). So while you are right when you state that a bad reaction to the inspection could have meant utter rejection, I put myself in these girls place and say "how brave those girls must have been". I have read also a website which carries the documented story of some of them after they got to Australia, and many of them proved that they were NOT willing to be abused. There are newspapers reports of some of them going to court to sue their employers for mistreatment. I admire these girls profoundly, not only for having survived the famine (which is not little deal) but for having made themselves a new life. An inspirational story. Thanks for reading... would appreciate comments on this.
Mr. Pirsch, you really don't get it. When, as even you acknowledge in your "death trap" comment, one faces certain death there really is no choice but to try to escape any way you can. Yes, Mr. Pirsch, they were "forced" to go with death by disease and starvation being the alternative. And though many of them were fortunate to find loving husbands, far too many ended up as virtual slaves to wealthy land holders or, worse, ended up in Australian houses prostitution, or died at the hands of abusive men. Indeed, the English government not only made the famine worse through their inept relief policies, they cause it to happen in the first place.
@@frederickkearney7798 No Frederick, you don't get it all. The people who organized this wonderful scheme to save lives did not cause the famine and did not abuse the girls. Indeed, it was a rather brilliant plan. It's all too easy sitting here in the 21st century to not understand the harsh realities of the 1800's Ireland (or almost any place else). You couldn't just blast out a GoFundMe campaign and raised $$$ millions to save these girls. The reality of the time and place was that there was no money, travel was dangerous and life was almost always harsh. The existence of so many orphaned girls bears witness to this cruel reality, Mary Browne and her sister being just two of so many who lost both parents at young age. Perhaps there were other relatives, but likely none could afford another mouth to feed. Nor were the charitable organizations (mostly the Catholic Church) loaded with money. The realty was that people were starving to death in great numbers and there was little to no resources. Sailing Away to Australia was what gave hope. Likewise for the much maligned Magdelene Laundries. The orphan girls were made to work for a very good reason. Without the income generated, the orphanages would close. There'd be no shelter and no food for the girls. There'd be destitute on the streets and one can easily imagine what kind of lives they'd live if they survived at all. There will always be a few people who abuse their power over children. We're dealing with mankind here. That happens even under the best of conditions. Even the rich kids at super expensive Horace Mann Prep School in NY suffered decades of sexual abuse by teachers and staff. The Catholic orphanages saved and cared for countless children. I know two of these children, now in their 80's, who were cared for by the nuns. Both said it was the greatest blessing and that they were treated with care and love.
@@frederickkearney7798 I'm genuinely curious whether you have done actual research into the ill fates you say some of these young women ended with in Australia, or are you using your imagination or basing your beliefs on fictional stories (some of which hold more truth than others)? It was an awfully tough situation in Ireland (and my understanding is that while the English didn't cause the famine, they didn't do anything to help the Irish either). I doubt that their main motive in sailing these young women to Australia was humanitarian, since their fledgling colonies in Australia really did have great need of cheap labor and wives for the men working to build up the colonies (and then babies). However, the fact remained that these orphan girls had no good future in Ireland, so although leaving their homeland and making the long, dangerous voyage to a foreign land required great courage and strength of spirit, it did present them with an opportunity for a better life (and hopefully a much, much better life for the children they would have). It's hard for modern-day people to imagine having enough courage and strength to do what they did, but people back then had to be very tough of body and spirit or they wouldn't make it far in life. Modern life makes it possible for most people to be quite soft and weak by comparison (and I include myself).
@@rowanaforrest9792 "I'm genuinely curious whether yo..."These, lucky in retrospect, girls were the forerunners of the mass post Famine emigration to the North Americas and the rest of the British Isles, with a trickle following in their footsteps to Australasia. Your choices as a girl in 19th century Ireland (a) die in the famine; (b) marry a subsistence-level farmer on diminishing plots of land with multiple children and systemic poverty; (c) join a convent and end up running a school or a hospital in the US, Canada, New Zealand or Australia; or (d) Orphan girl.
Are you sure this isn't from Ballina New South Wales because as lovely as the singing is I don't recognise the accents as Irish. It sounds like how it was first performed by the Australian singer.
What Australian has ever pronounced any word with 2 last syllables containing vowels other than the open e ? tray-lee aye-aayee ? Their teacher-nuns woould have made their lives a misery had they sounded anything but accent neutral.
This song is beautiful and haunting, performed impeccably and with such deep emotion. Outstanding.
The choir ist fantastic. I hear These kind of music very often. They tell me a lot of the Irish History. Greetings from germany 🇩🇪🇮🇪
Meine Worte. Ich finde es aber auch etwas tragisch, das hierzulande nicht wirklich was davon bekannt ist...
@@jeremiasc.2972 Not so well known in Ireland until recent times - the shame, humiliation..that the Famine inflicted - people didn't want reminders.
Moves to tears! Beautiful story
What a fantastic song, the lead vocalist has a wonderful clear voice, as does the the second vocalist, 2 talented young Ladies, and having the choir behind them, made for one brilliant song, and a fantastic video, congratulations on a well performed video
Beautifully performed, there's so much talent in Ireland!
Ohi 11.50 14#9#1#16
I first heard this song by the Choral Scholars of University of College Dublin. While I like the song itself, the key the CSUCD sing it in is so high I can never make out the words. I always felt it would be better as a mid-range mezzo-soprano song than the high range soprano they sing it in. Having found this version tonight I much prefer it to the CSUCD as this version is such I can hear the words and the vocal range is more in line with what a young girl of that time would be singing in. I congratulate the girls for singing this beautiful rendition of a very beautiful song so well.
Thank you Ernest!
@@reginadeacy9176 I only stated the simple truth. If the school choir ever gets around to releasing an album or multi-song video of Irish songs I'd be interested in knowing about it and I'd likely purchase it, as I liked both of the numbers they have on the website.
@@ernestbywater411 agree. and hats off for the writer/composer and the music director
The lass from St Mary's going to be far less practiced than the Uni lasses and closer to the age of the orphan girl about which they sing. I prefer this version, too.
The beautiful haunting voices of the two leading singers never fails to bring a tear to my tough guy eyes.
Those poor lasses didn't have much of a life. My great grandmother, Catherine Streitch, arrived in Qld in 1848 as a 15 year old girl unaccompanied from Tipp. I reckon she was one. I never met Great Grandma Catherine. She's buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. I think about her a lot. Her descendents have had far better lives. She'd be proud of her most recent, little Dommie.
I imagine that that was the hope that steeled a lot of people's resolve. Their lives might not be very good, but their joy would be in seeing their children and grandchildren have better lives.
@@rowanaforrest9792 Being poor is no fun, particularly the poverty of the Famine. At least they had North America and Australasia. .
@@angusmckenzie9622 True. And I'm genuinely curious, did they call it "Australasia" at that time?
@@rowanaforrest9792 Hello, Rowana. Australasia is used to describe Australia nd New Zealand. Some use it to include New Guinea, too but in Aus, it means Australia and New Zealand. To add to information. Australia became a nation in 1900 by federating British Colonies on our continent . New Zealand was intended to be part of Australia but refused to join.
@@angusmckenzie9622 Thank you kindly for the information. :) It's good to learn something new today!
Beautiful choir under the guidance of the wonderful Regina.
Thank you Anne!
very moving and very well done....what a talented group and writer.
this deserves 500K views
A very moving tribute to the 137 Mayo Famine Girls who were sent to Australia
man 4117 of em
@@MilanCrow over 4000 from Ireland, 137 of whom were from Mayo. And all while the english traded locally produced food abroad instead of feeding the local people.
@@matthewpengelly761 yes and they got away with it .it’s disgusting
@@janetoner4907 "yes and they got awa..." They set a template for Mao, China exported rice to Cuba during the Cultural Revolution whilst up to 40 mil died of starvation. At least the starving Irish haa Australasia, England, Scotland and the North Americas.
This is so compelling.
How lovely! Thank you for sharing.
OUTSTANDING. subscribed
A moving tribute to those brave young girls
Most probably the girls were scared to death of failing the inspection as the song explicitly states. Surely they were checked for cleanliness and not in a gentle way. And besides, considering the fact that workhouses were government establishments, the MEN carrying out the inspections most probably were Protestants, and of course the girls were Catholic, very lonely and under the impresion of having lost everything (including their parents and siblings). So probably they were very scared to be rejected for having lice (as the video implies).
I put myself in these girls place and say "how brave those girls must have been".
I have read also a website which carries the documented story of some of them after they got to Australia, and many of them proved that they were NOT willing to be abused. There are newspapers reports of some of them going to court to sue their employers for mistreatment. I admire these girls profoundly, not only for having survived the famine (which is not little deal) but for having made themselves a new life. An inspirational story. Thanks for reading.
A great version and so moving!!
Wonderful. Simply wonderful.
Kenilworth 12.35 2#6
So beautiful
Beautiful performance. Deeply moving. Thank you.
Absolutely perfect.
Brilliant rendition of such a moving story
deserves a few hundred thousand subscribers omg
By the way, I have read several times the novel TRINITY which explains in depth the Famine and its aftermath. I developed a great admiration for the Irish people since then (I was about 13 when I read the novel for the first time) and to this day. If there is a brave people on the world, it is the Irish. Best regards from Mexico (see John Riley).
You should read Australian scholar Thomas Keneally's masterwork The Great Shame if you enjoyed Trinity. Tirelessly researched, the truth it reveals is even more brutal than Uris' sympathetic fiction.
@@paulstratforddearsley2516 Thank you so much I'll look it up. Keep safe best wishes fron Mexico
@@camotzin awesome! Hey, I didn't realise that Leon Uris spent time in New Zealand during WW II. Feliz Navidad senor :)
@@TheWrensHouse Indeed it has. And Ireland has always been and still is subject to "Braveheartisation" of reports, especially by the BBC. When Unionist mobs invade nationalist areas the BBC reports it as "clashes between Unionists and Nationalists"; strictly speaking correct but inaccurate.
@camotzin "By the way, I have read several times the novel TRINITY..." Me too. I read Trinity in my mid 20s, on the recommendation of a fellow teacher on staff who had spent time teaching in Northern Ireland. I'm a fair bit older, now. I'm rereading Tim Pat Coogan's History of the IRA, which I'd first read at around the same time. I'm much less angry, more analytical and have now visited Ireland on multiple occasions, as a young blade, a family man and an older but pre grandfather, my next trip. Then, I thought Uris had really captured it. As soon as I finish Tim Pat's, it'll be Leon's.
The blending and vocals are very good well done ladies.
This is completely amazing! what a wonderful job by all involved. Thank you!
Sure. The technical work by the girls, which is flawless, the historical value is very relevant, and perhaps most important I think that doing this should have been an educational experience for the girls. Most young people today feel very entitled and give everything for granted. I think the girls who worked in the video had a big chance to think and realize how fortunate they are, comparing their situation to other girls from their very town which had to survive a terrible experience. I'd love my daughter (who is pretty much the same age of the girls in the video) could work in something like that so she counts her blessings.
By the way, I have read several times the novel TRINITY which explains in depth the Famine and its aftermath. I developed a great admiration for the Irish people since then (I was about 13 when I read the novel for the first time) and to this day. If there is a brave people on the world, it is the Irish. Best regards from Mexico (see John Riley).
@@camotzin thanks for the information. I know a bit about the famine, but not all. My Great Great grandmother was on orhan
Love it, love it, love it.
So beautiful and sad
There is a comment on another video of this song by Choral Scholars of University College Dublin that is very vital to this song. It is the top comment on that video.
Between,1848-1850 total of 4,114 young girls were sent from Ireland (87 from my hometown of Ballina) to the Australian ports of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. The scheme was devised in response to the need for domestic female labor in the growing Australian colony, along with the related issue of gender imbalance. This coincided with increasing numbers of young female orphans, due to the worsening Famine. As a result, young Irish women were sent to Australia to be hired as domestic servants, and in time to become wives of the colonial settlers.
Orphan Emigration from County Mayo
Of the 4,114 orphan girls sent from Ireland, 137 were from County Mayo.
The first group of young girls/teenagers from Ballina, County Mayo (total of 47) were sent on two ships, the 'Lady Kennaway' to Melbourne and the 'Inchinnan' to Sydney. In the second year,1849 a further 40 girls from Ballina, 25 girls from Ballinrobe, 15 girls from Castlebar, and 10 girls from Westport were sent on this harrowing journey to Sydney, Australia aboard the 'Panama'.
Mary Browne was one of the Mayo orphans who traveled from Ballina on the 'Panama' to Sydney. It departed from Plymouth on 6 October 1849, and arrived in Sydney on 12 January 1850, with a total of 157 orphans, from Dublin, Carlow, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Mayo, Sligo, Waterford, and Wexford.
On arrival in Australia, immigrant ships were met by the Immigration Agent, and personal details of every immigrant were recorded. The orphan girls were then housed in depots until they were hired. In Sydney, the Immigration Depot was located at Hyde Park Barracks, a former convict barracks.
'Ballina Girl', Mary Browne;
Mary Browne stated that she was aged 17 when she arrived in Sydney on the 'Panama'. The Immigration Agent recorded that she was from “Ballyna” (Ballina) and that her parents, Thomas and Bridget, were both dead. Mary was a Roman Catholic, and could not read or write. It has not yet been possible to trace Mary to her townland of origin. Mary Browne's sister, Bridget Browne. It is known that a Bridget Brown traveled on the first ship to leave Ireland bound for Australia.The reality is however, the two young women were sent to two different cities, nearly two years apart. As neither could read nor write, in all likelihood, if they were sisters, they probably never saw, nor heard from each other again.
Life in Australia
Mary Browne was employed in New South Wales (NSW) by a Scottish settler, Dr. Colin Anderson, at Newstead Station, near Inverell, for a period of two years, at £7-8pa. Mary Browne got married and had 11 children, eight of whom survived to adulthood.
From the destitution of poverty, famine and near death in County Mayo. Mary Browne was one of the lucky ones who prospered in her life in Australia. Mary never did see her sister, Bridget Browne, ever again.
James made that comment on the other video and I think it brings huge light to the whole situation they were in back then.
thank you, amazing information
PS I was thinking the exact same when I heard this wonderful rendition... I am a fan of the CSUD as well...
It's interesting in this video that we don't know whether these 2 friends were chosen to sail or were turned down. I guess it's fitting that this is left up to each of us to imagine. Wonderful song and wonderful video.
For more information search „Songs of the great hunger (with brendan graham)“ an look from 14:55! Very interesting. Love the song sung by St.Mary‘s Secondary School!
Absolutely Beautiful!
Guess what girls I'm Irish born but we have Ballina here in Australia its in Northern New South Wales I've been there a few times. One day some of you may see it. A place close by is Byron Bay and its similar to Howth.
@janette Davis "Guess what girls I'm Irish..." I'm none of Irish born, a girl nor familiar with Ballina. There's a bond between Ireland and Australia. Not everyone gets it, you did a couple of years ago.
Beautiful voices! Thank you girls! I have recently learned about the story of the orphan girls that were sent to Australia. Such a sad story of young girls being sent half way around the world, hoping for a better life. I wonder how many actually found a better life?
On a 3-month sea voyage, chances are some of them died en route of illness, but hopefully most did find a better life in Australia.
"I wonder how many actually found a better life.." a great grandson of one of them became An Australian Prime Minister (perhaps not a very good one, but)
@@angusmckenzie9622 If you are referring to Paul Keating he's widely regarded as one of the greatest Australia's PMs and in my personal opinion the greatest!
@@mjw12345 Kevin Rudd
@@vinryan3267 Nailed it.
I am an orphan girl,
In Westport I was found,
The workhouse is my world,
Since the praties took us down,
What time in life is left to me,
If I don’t leave Westport town,
But the crown is sending girls to sea, for far Australia bound.
Sail, sail, sail me away,
Sail to Australia;
Sail, sail, sail me I pray,
Sail me away ,to Australia.
They say Australia’s fine,
They say Australia’s fair,
Australia’s on my mind
And the fields of praties there
I pray when this inspection’s done, that they’ll say me fit to sail,
For they don’t just send out anyone, oh Lord, don’t see me fail.
Chorus
I am scarcely turned sixteen,
But I’m ready now to go
I’m decent and I’m clean,
Fit for any man to know.
And I will be some good man’s wife,
If there I’ll settle down -
And find myself a better life,
If I get to Sydney town.
Chorus
Sail me away, sail me I pray
Sail me away to Australia.
I am an orphan girl, oh I am an orphan girl
Wow, many thanks!
Hermoso
Beautiful!
Please think about this:
It applies to each and every one of us.
One day we'll all be orphans
Ready to sail on to another life
And praying that the Inspector finds us fit
And wishing that we'll find a better life
Because our time in this one is up.
So let's work, learn and be better every day
So when the moment comes
As it will come, mark my words
We can go without fear and full of hope
To the next life.
We will probably not be 16
when that happens
But it will
Be sure of that.
God bless you all
Love and light
From Mexico
@Stephen Pirsch I have thought a long time about this. I see the same as you do, but I have a different interpretation. Most probably the girls were scared to death of failing the inspection as the song explicitly states. Surely they were checked for cleanliness and not in a gentle way. And besides, considering the fact that workhouses were government establishments, the MEN carrying out the inspections most probably were Protestants, and of course the girls were Catholic, very lonely and under the impresion of having lost everything (including their parents and siblings). So probably they were very scared to be rejected for having lice (as the video implies). So while you are right when you state that a bad reaction to the inspection could have meant utter rejection, I put myself in these girls place and say "how brave those girls must have been".
I have read also a website which carries the documented story of some of them after they got to Australia, and many of them proved that they were NOT willing to be abused. There are newspapers reports of some of them going to court to sue their employers for mistreatment. I admire these girls profoundly, not only for having survived the famine (which is not little deal) but for having made themselves a new life. An inspirational story. Thanks for reading... would appreciate comments on this.
Go hálainn!
And we want are youth to do so well. And States legalize pot only to destroy them.
😘👍👍👍👍👍☕
Treated the same as livestock! Dam you Limeys, Im half McKelvy!
chomh hálainn
fíor
so nice... to play on a funeral
Makes me cry and fills me with anger for a system so cruel that being a mail order bride is the best case scenario. Still happening.
Mr. Pirsch, you really don't get it. When, as even you acknowledge in your "death trap" comment, one faces certain death there really is no choice but to try to escape any way you can. Yes, Mr. Pirsch, they were "forced" to go with death by disease and starvation being the alternative. And though many of them were fortunate to find loving husbands, far too many ended up as virtual slaves to wealthy land holders or, worse, ended up in Australian houses prostitution, or died at the hands of abusive men. Indeed, the English government not only made the famine worse through their inept relief policies, they cause it to happen in the first place.
@@frederickkearney7798 No Frederick, you don't get it all. The people who organized this wonderful scheme to save lives did not cause the famine and did not abuse the girls. Indeed, it was a rather brilliant plan.
It's all too easy sitting here in the 21st century to not understand the harsh realities of the 1800's Ireland (or almost any place else). You couldn't just blast out a GoFundMe campaign and raised $$$ millions to save these girls. The reality of the time and place was that there was no money, travel was dangerous and life was almost always harsh. The existence of so many orphaned girls bears witness to this cruel reality, Mary Browne and her sister being just two of so many who lost both parents at young age. Perhaps there were other relatives, but likely none could afford another mouth to feed. Nor were the charitable organizations (mostly the Catholic Church) loaded with money.
The realty was that people were starving to death in great numbers and there was little to no resources. Sailing Away to Australia was what gave hope.
Likewise for the much maligned Magdelene Laundries. The orphan girls were made to work for a very good reason. Without the income generated, the orphanages would close. There'd be no shelter and no food for the girls. There'd be destitute on the streets and one can easily imagine what kind of lives they'd live if they survived at all.
There will always be a few people who abuse their power over children. We're dealing with mankind here. That happens even under the best of conditions. Even the rich kids at super expensive Horace Mann Prep School in NY suffered decades of sexual abuse by teachers and staff.
The Catholic orphanages saved and cared for countless children. I know two of these children, now in their 80's, who were cared for by the nuns. Both said it was the greatest blessing and that they were treated with care and love.
@@frederickkearney7798 I'm genuinely curious whether you have done actual research into the ill fates you say some of these young women ended with in Australia, or are you using your imagination or basing your beliefs on fictional stories (some of which hold more truth than others)? It was an awfully tough situation in Ireland (and my understanding is that while the English didn't cause the famine, they didn't do anything to help the Irish either). I doubt that their main motive in sailing these young women to Australia was humanitarian, since their fledgling colonies in Australia really did have great need of cheap labor and wives for the men working to build up the colonies (and then babies). However, the fact remained that these orphan girls had no good future in Ireland, so although leaving their homeland and making the long, dangerous voyage to a foreign land required great courage and strength of spirit, it did present them with an opportunity for a better life (and hopefully a much, much better life for the children they would have). It's hard for modern-day people to imagine having enough courage and strength to do what they did, but people back then had to be very tough of body and spirit or they wouldn't make it far in life. Modern life makes it possible for most people to be quite soft and weak by comparison (and I include myself).
@@rowanaforrest9792 "I'm genuinely curious whether yo..."These, lucky in retrospect, girls were the forerunners of the mass post Famine emigration to the North Americas and the rest of the British Isles, with a trickle following in their footsteps to Australasia. Your choices as a girl in 19th century Ireland
(a) die in the famine;
(b) marry a subsistence-level farmer on diminishing plots of land with multiple children and systemic poverty;
(c) join a convent and end up running a school or a hospital in the US, Canada, New Zealand or Australia; or
(d) Orphan girl.
Clonmel 1.10 9#3#13
Mombetsu 10.15 6#8#7
Are you sure this isn't from Ballina New South Wales because as lovely as the singing is I don't recognise the accents as Irish. It sounds like how it was first performed by the Australian singer.
Sounds like Ozzy jingoism is alive and well. Maybe you should do a bit of digging before rushing to make senseless points.
@@philipbrennan4214far from it. I search for a while until a came upon a wonderful rendition of this song on Facebook sung in an Irish accent.
What Australian has ever pronounced any word with 2 last syllables containing vowels other than the open e ? tray-lee aye-aayee ? Their teacher-nuns woould have made their lives a misery had they sounded anything but accent neutral.
@@iggytse publish a link, dammit, man !
@@angusmckenzie9622 what link are you referring to?