The life, times and death of John Sheil, the Drogheda radical weaver and song maker 1784 – 1872.
A special Commemoration Walk ‘n’ Talk presented by community historian Brendan Matthews on the extraordinary life of John Sheil who had written & supplied hundreds of songs to the massive ballad-sheet industry of the early 19th century.
Brendan will begin this Walk on Wednesday evening next July 6th at the Fair Green at 7.30pm, where the origins and background of John Sheil will be discussed.
The Walk ‘n’ Talk will then move to Bolton Square where the tale will be told of how these ballad sheets were produced, by whom and the `Pedlars` who sold them at fairs, markets, pattern days, sporting events, etc.
The Walk will then proceed to the area of the old Linen-Hall site in Drogheda where Brendan will elaborate on the content and nature of the ballad songs that Sheil wrote including the seditious nature and content of some of them which got him into trouble with the Police.
The focus will then shift to West Street where, at a couple of final stops, it will cover Sheil’s character and of those around him, who helped him make this a thriving business and finally the demise and passing of the radical Weaver and Song Maker that was John Sheil.
John Sheil was buried in an unmarked grave on the Cord Road. One of his best known sons is Sweet Dooley Gate:
‘Oh Dooley Gate, sweet Dooley Gate, you’re the place I do adore,
All young men and maidens who dwelt in it before,
All young men and maidens who now are far away,
They are not in sweet Dooley Gate, but in America.
My true love’s name, I’ll not explain is handsome, tall and straight,
He is the finest young man that walks around Dooley Gate
He is the finest young man that ever I did see,
And in spite of all my enemies, I’ll keep his company.’
There’ll be a few surprises on the evening from those who know the wonderful street ballads of the 19th century as written by the radical weaver.
Note, there is no charge for this particular event however donations for the further research and presentation of community history will be gratefully accepted on the evening.
