More usually known as O’Hara from Tara, Da first heard this song almost a hundred years ago from the fiddle player John Cowan, who came from the Bar of WheaIt, up above the southern shores of Lower Lough Erne. Their friendship was a bit unusual back in the 1930s for, as Paddy tells in The Stone Fiddle, Cowan was ‘a Protestant fiddler’, something that seems to have been as a rare as a white blackbird. Despite community tensions at the time, one Saturday night, John Cowan, Brian McGuire and Billy Flanagan came to céilí in Tunneys’ in Garvary. 

Paddy captured that evening with great fondness: ‘It was a mighty night’s music and dancing with the odd song thrown in for good measure but the greatest excitement was generated by the contrasting styles of the fiddle players. The fiddlers from beyond the lough played music you would like to listen to, we decided, but the Mulleek fiddlers made you dance. I am sure it was the memory of Denis McCabe and the image of the great Stone Fiddle that inspired them to the heights reached that night. And sure as shooting, from that night onwards, Mick Hernon abandoned the open reed instrument and devoted all his talents and spare time to the fiddle.

‘There was a snatch of a song that Cowan and McGuire sang along with their fiddle music for one part of the lancers. It went like this:

John James O’Hara, and Mickey McNamara 

O they are famous Irishmen no matter where they go

They are known for their doin’s 

They are men of great influence

O’Hara from Tara, McNamara from Mayo.

Now that we’re returning back to dear old Erin’s Isle

Back to home and plenty after many a weary mile

To the heather on the hillside 

And the sunshine down below

O’Hara from Tara, McNamara from Mayo.

‘It added liveliness and laughter to the dance’(The Stone Fiddle).

The song was almost certainly learned from a recording of the famous vaudeville performers the McNulty Family, whom Séamus MacMathúna mentions in the comments on Highland Mary. The McNultys played a big role in Irish-American music from 1930 to the early 60s. Annie played melodeon and her children, Eileen and Peter, sang and danced. They recorded over 150 tracks, many of which found their way back to Ireland. More recently, it has been recorded by Irish country singers such as Larry Cunningham and Hugo Duncan.

Paddy Óg learned it for the Restringing The Stone Fiddle Project.

*The notes for songs 28-42, if not covered by earlier entries, have been compiled by John Tunney.