Patrick McCall, Songwriter, Is Born in Dublin

Patrick Joseph McCall (6 March 1861 – 8 March 1919) was an Irish songwriter and poet, known mostly as the author of lyrics for popular ballads. He was assisted in putting the Wexford ballads, dealing with the 1798 Rising, to music by Arthur Warren Darley using traditional Irish airs. His surname is one of the many anglicizations of the Irish surname Mac Cathmhaoil, a family that were chieftains of Kinel Farry (Clogher area) in County Tyrone.

McCall was born at 25 Patrick Street, Dublin, the son of John McCall (1822–1902), a publican, grocer and folklorist from Clonmore near Hacketstown in County Carlow. He attended Synge Street CBS and St. Joseph’s Monastery, Harold’s Cross, a Catholic University School.

Popular ballads

• “Follow Me Up to Carlow”
• “Boolavogue”
• “The Lowlands Low”
• “Kelly the Boy from Killanne”.