Key signature: Adorian
Submitted on April 5th 2005 by slainte.
This tune has been added to 19 tunebooks.
Also known as Conor Pass, Oakum's, Ócam, Sé Oakum Mo Phriosúin.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Oakum
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
R: slide
K: Ador
|:G|E2A ABA G2A B2d|edB d2B A2G E2D|
E2A ABA G2A B2d|edB d2B A3 A2:|
d|e3 edB d3 dBd|edB d2B A2G E2D|
e3 edB d3 dBd|edB d2B A3 A2d|
e3 edB d3 dBd|edB d2B A2G E2D|
E2A ABA G2A B2d|edB d2B A3 A2||
Oakum (slide)
This slide is again from Harry Bradley and Paul O'Shaughnessy's flute duet playing. It is very similar to the tune which was already posted as "Eileen O'Riordan's" and "Liz Kelly's" on this site. I'm still not sure if this is worth posting or merely duplicated, but please note it's in a little bit different key and has a slightly different structure.
It seems the word "Oakum" comes from the title of a song called "Sé Oakum Mo Phriosúin," which has a similar melody. I've no idea what it means.
# Posted on April 5th 2005 by slainte
Same as Eileen O'Riordan's
Look further down the same page of tune listings for another version titled "Eileen O'Riordan's."
Oakum was hemp rope bits mixed with tar and used for ship caulking. Picking apart old rope to make oakum was prison work.
# Posted on June 4th 2005 by blarneystar
The already-posted tunes mentioned above are here:
Eileen O'Riordan's http://thesession.org/tunes/display/4375
Liz Kelly's http://thesession.org/tunes/display/4176
# Posted on May 27th 2007 by Dr. Dow
Just learned this from my pipe teacher. He also says it comes from the song "Sé Oakum Mo Phriosúin". The song title means "Oakum is My Prison" in English.
# Posted on December 12th 2008 by dee.
From Mudcat:
Tomás Ó Lochlainn was born in 1903 in Bun a' Charnáin near an Trá Bháin in Conamara. He died in 1965 and is buried in the cemetery at an Trá Bháin. Ócam an Phríosúin is one of a number of Tam Neaine Choilm's compositions; it is said that his poetic abilities were recognized while he was at primary school. Not many years after Tomás left school, he was arrested – along with his stepfather – for illegally distilling póitín, and was sentenced to three months in prison. Much of his time in prison was spent picking oakum, an occupation which inspired this song. Interestingly, the justice, Seán Forde, agreed to stagger the sentences of the two men so that at least one man would be at home to support the family.
# Posted on September 11th 2011 by DonallDubh
ÓCAM AN PHRÍOSÚIN
Molaim sú an ghráin eorna go deo deo 'gus a choíche
Nach mairg nach mbíonn tóir ar Rí Seoirse ar a dhéanamh
Seán Ford a bheith ina ghiúistis, is chomhairleodh na daoine
Mar is chuir mise ag foghlaim le ócam a spíonadh
Is randa dideloram 'sé ócam an phríosúin
Go bhfága sú an ghráin eorna na hÓglaigh dá spíonadh
Is nach mise a bhíonn go brónach gach Domhnach is lá saoire,
'mo sheasamh amuigh sa ghairdín, istigh i bhfáinne is mé ag gabhail timpeall
Go dtagann ó mo shúile sruth deor nuair a smaoinim
Gur olc an obair Domhnaigh bheith i gcónaí ar an gcaoi seo
Is randa dideloram 'sé ócam an phríosúin
Go bhfága sú an ghráin eorna na hÓglaigh dá spíonadh
Is osclaíodh dom an stór a raibh ócam thar maoil ann
Is thug mé lán mo ghabhlach liom, mo dhóthain go ceann míosa,
Is nach mise a bhain gáire as an ngarda a bhí i mo thimpeall
Nuair a d'fhiafraigh mé den cheannfort cé air ar fhás an fianach
Is randa dideloram 'sé ócam an phríosúin
Go bhfága sú an ghráin eorna na hÓglaigh dá spíonadh
Bhí mise maidin shamhraidh is mo leaba déanta síos agam
Nuair a chonaic mé an ceannfort 's é ag gluaiseacht go dtí mé.
''Is b'in é an chaoi a bhfuil tusa, is an méid atá le dnamh?
do dhá lámh i do phóca is ócam le spíonadh?''
Is randa dideloram 'sé ócam an phríosúin
Go bhfága sú an ghráin eorna na hÓglaigh dá spíonadh
Céard a deir tú le Mac Uí Lochlainn a chuaigh a chodladh dó go suaimhneach,
Nuair a d'ionsaigh na luchain a chuid ícaim san oíche.
Is maidin lá arna mhárach, bhí an ceannfort á inseacht
ó, a dhiabhail, a deir an gobharnóir, ''tá an diabhail uilig déanta.''
Is randa dideloram 'sé ócam an phríosúin
Is nach bhfága sú an ghráin eorna na hÓglaigh dá spíonadh
# Posted on September 11th 2011 by DonallDubh
"Ócam" / "Oakum"
X: 2
T: Ócam
T: Oakum
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
R: slide
K: AMix
|: E2 A ABA G2 A Bcd | edB d2 B A2 G E2 D |
E2 A ABA G2 A Bcd | edB d2 B A3 A3 :|
|: e3 ed^c d3 dcd | e2 A ABA G2 A F2 G |
E2 A ABA G2 A Bcd | edB d2 B A3 A3 :|
X: 3
T: Ócam
T: Oakum
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
R: slide
K: AMix
|: A2 G |\
E2 A ABA G2 A Bcd | efe d2 B A2 G E2 D |
E2 A ABA G2 A Bcd | efe dcB A3 :|
|: Bcd |\
e3 efe d3 c2 d | e2 A B2 A G2 E F2 D |
E2 A ABA G2 A Bcd | efe dcB A3 :|
# Posted on January 29th 2012 by ceolachan
Thanks to those who gave information about the composition of the song, that's fascinating stuff, have been playing it for years in ignorance of the background of the tune, one of my favourites
# Posted on January 31st 2012 by The Archivist
Of the three similar tunes mentioned here, this is the only one that is set in 'pure' pentatonic (w 3rd and 6th degrees of the mixolydian mode missing)
# Posted on February 23rd 2012 by birlibirdie