TV and violence - Lili Bolero?

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Christopher Jones said "I felt so sad when I heard that the BBC world
service had scuttled Lili Bolero (Lillibullero ) and replaced that
famous march with a lot of CNNish trumpets, gongs and so on". I
wondered what "Lillibullero was. George Sassoon came to the rescue: "
I am very sorry to hear this too - I was looking forward to hearing
the tune on the BBC short wave when we go abroad next week. According
to my Webster, it is spelt "Lillibullero" and is "an English
revolutionary song ridiculing the appointment of Talbot of Tyrconnell
as Lieutenant of Ireland in 1686. It helped foment the revolution of
1688 [an arbitrary formation]". It was originally entitled "The
Protestant Boys", so may have been dropped by the BBC to avoid
offending the IRA. Yet another fine tradition falls victim to
political correctness".

RH:This led me to investigate Talbot of Tyrconnell. "Charles II died
in 1685 and was succeeded by his Catholic brother, James II. Irish
Catholic hopes rose when he appointed the Catholic Earl of Tyrconnell,
Richard Talbot, as Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1687. This was the first
appointment of a Catholic viceroy for more than a century and
gradually more Catholics were appointed to administrative positions.
This caused Protestants to wonder if their positions and lands were
secure. Their fears seemed about to be realized as Tyrconnell intended
to convene a parliament which would be balanced in favour of
Catholics. Before this could happen, James was deposed in 1688 and
replaced by the Protestant William of Orange. Tyrconnell and the Irish
Catholics rallied to his support"

RH: This took me to the town of Londonderry in Northern Ireland,,
where in 1689, thanks to the bravery of Protestant boys, the city
withstood a 105-day siege by the army of James II, an event
commemorated every year by the Protestants there, while the Catholics
stage a protest In 1972 during the Catholic protest march, British
paratroopers fired into the crowd, killing 13 people. This episode is
still the subject of bitter debate, so it is not surprising that the
BBC did not want to incite the Catholics. We see again how distant
history affects present political behavior.

As for Lillburlero, the Oxford English Dictionary says. "Part of the
refrain (hence, the name and the tune) of a song ridiculing the Irish,
popular about 1688 - 1688 Pol. Ballads (1860) I. 275 Ho! broder
Teague, dost hear de decree? Lilli Burlero, bullen a-la Dat we shall
have a new deputie. 1689 Diary in Topographer (1790) 32 The Chimes at
St. Michaels..haveing for some time been made to strike Lilli Burlero.
1697 VANBRUGH Æsop v. 66 Dol, de tol dol, dol dol, de tol dol: Lilly
Burleighre's lodg'd in a Bough.

RH: I refuse to try to identify Lilli

Ronald Hilton - 5/6/03



On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 15:54:25 -0600, "Lee Smith"
wrote:

The BBC World Service uses a short bit of classical music before they do
the news at the top of the hour.

Can anyone tell me what the title of the full selection is?

Thanks,
Lee Smith