Anyone who knows me knows that I grew up listening to Celtic music from a young age. From the Irish Tenors to the Chieftains, Celtic music has had a huge impact on my life. However, one of my earliest memories includes a random song, “Rakes of Mallow,” that has made its way into my life throughout the years.
About the song
“Rakes
of Mallow” is a traditional Irish tune from the 18th century.
The song celebrates the “rakes,” who were wild and carefree young men who led extravagant
lifestyles of drinking, gambling, and general fun times. The men featured in
this song were from the town of Mallow, located in County Cork, Ireland.
The tune was printed and published in 1748 in John and
William Neal’s “Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes.” This made the
tune one of the earliest documented folk tunes. The song has maintained popularity
through the years. It is primarily known as an instrumental tune, but some
versions have lyrics that detail the men’s lifestyle even further.
Elementary School
My first memory of this song was dancing to it in music
class. While I am unable to confirm that this was, in fact, the song I have been
looking for, something deep in my gut and my soul heard it recently and knew it
was the song. Could I have reached out to my elementary school music teacher?
Sure. I just did not think to do so, and if I did, I had doubts that she would
remember.
In high school, I remember asking my friend who I went to
elementary school with if she remembered the song’s title. She said no. The
question lingered in my brain, but I never pursued the answer. That is, until
one day, I had a solid way to find out the answer.
Barleyjuice
A few years ago, I went to see Barleyjuice, a Celtic rock
band, at my local music venue. In the time leading up to the concert, I was
listening to their music. I was not super familiar with their music at the
time, but I had wanted to see them in concert.
In the middle of listening to the song "Real Old
Mountain Dew", there is a section where the band plays “Rakes of Mallow.” I
remember being so excited to hear the song. It felt like something in me
yelled, “THAT’S IT!” I was able to find the contact information for the band, and
they responded to my slightly odd request.
They did not play the song at the concert, but I was thrilled to have the answer to the mystery that had plagued me all those years. It felt so satisfying to be able to download the song and now recognize it out and about in other settings and contexts.
Irish Thunder
On March 7, 2026, I went to see Irish Thunder, a bagpipe
band, perform at a local tavern. The band’s set was sadly very short, but they
played a lot of great music that I loved. One of the songs they featured was “Rakes
of Mallow.” I had never heard it on bagpipes before, so that was a great
experience!
Related Articles:
-Celtic Throughlines: Enya: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2026/02/celtic-throughlines-enya.html
-Beyond the Song: "Mo Ghile Mear": https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/11/beyond-song-mo-ghile-mear.html
-Beyond the Song: "The Minstrel Boy": https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/08/beyond-song-minstrel-boy.html