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Quiz about O Carolan
Quiz about O Carolan

O, Carolan! Trivia Quiz


Perhaps no man had so great a role in bringing Irish music to the world stage as harpist, poet, and composer Turlough O'Carolan. Today, his compositions survive only as single line melodies, but his music still inspires.

A multiple-choice quiz by maderine. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
maderine
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
280,088
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
157
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Carolan was born in Ireland in County Meath. In what year was he born? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In his late teens, Carolan lost his sight to an illness and, as was the tradition of the time, began to study the harp. What illness did he suffer from? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. This woman was Carolan's patron for most of his life, affording him an education as a young man and a start to his career. In thanks, he composed many songs for her and other members of her family. Who was she? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. What was the first piece that Carolan composed? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. What composer did Carolan claim to greatly admire? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. "Carolan's Devotion" also known as "Miss Fetherston" was composed in honour of a lady whom Carolan met on his way to a church service, and later at Mass. What is significant about this piece? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Which song of his did Carolan claim was inspired by a dream-vision of the Fairy Queen? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. "Máire an Chúil Fhionn" ("Mary of the Fair Locks") was written for a lady who felt slighted that Carolan had not composed a tune for her after, as she put it, "all her attention and kindness to him." Who was this lady? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In grief, Carolan composed a solemn lament on the occasion of the death of his good friend. However, as it turned out, the man had not actually died! Who was that friend? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Today, only one copy of Carolan's collected works exists in print. It was published by Dr. Patrick Delany in conjunction with Carolan's son. Where is his work housed? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Carolan was born in Ireland in County Meath. In what year was he born?

Answer: 1670

Carolan was born in 1670. He was one of the last Irish harpists to compose and many of his pieces are still performed today by classical and folk musicians.
2. In his late teens, Carolan lost his sight to an illness and, as was the tradition of the time, began to study the harp. What illness did he suffer from?

Answer: small pox

Carolan was blinded by small pox at the age of 18. Due to the fact that he began his study of the harp so late in life, he was never renowned for his performing skill. Rather, he was praised for his composing ability, both for his music and lyrics.
3. This woman was Carolan's patron for most of his life, affording him an education as a young man and a start to his career. In thanks, he composed many songs for her and other members of her family. Who was she?

Answer: Anne MacDermott

The MacDermott-Roe family were of great help to Carolan. It was Ruairi MacDermott-Roe who taught Carolan to play the harp, and it was Mrs. MacDermott who gave him his first harp, a horse, and some money and set him on the road as an itinerant harper.

Susanna Kelly and Bridget Cruise are both women for whom Carolan composed tunes ("Súsaí Ní Cheaelaigh" and "Brighid Ní'c Fheóruis" respectively) and Mary MacGuire was his wife.
4. What was the first piece that Carolan composed?

Answer: Sheebeg and Sheemore

"Sheebeg and Sheemore" is a song about a battle fought between the Daoine Maithe (Good People, ie. fairies) from two neighbouring hills, Sigh Beg and Sigh Mór, in County Leitrim. Carolan composed this tune at the age of twenty-one.
5. What composer did Carolan claim to greatly admire?

Answer: Gemiani

Though influenced by the style of his contemporaries, Vivaldi and Corelli, Carolan greatly admired the composer Gemiani whom he likely met in Dublin.

Carolan travelled widely throughout Ireland, but his music was known as far away as Italy. His music was unique in that it blended the traditional Irish forms with the baroque style of the continent, bridging the gap between art and folk music.
6. "Carolan's Devotion" also known as "Miss Fetherston" was composed in honour of a lady whom Carolan met on his way to a church service, and later at Mass. What is significant about this piece?

Answer: It was the only song he composed in English

Of all the songs for which Carolan wrote lyrics, only "Carolan's Devotion" was in English. Like many Irish Catholics of the time, Carolan's first language was Irish Gaelic, but even then Anglophone Protestantism was beginning to take over.
7. Which song of his did Carolan claim was inspired by a dream-vision of the Fairy Queen?

Answer: A Brighid Bheusach

According to the story, Carolan would wander through the hills in a swoon and visions would come upon him of the queen of the "Good People". It was during one of these dreams that he composed the tune and lyrics to "A Brighid Bheusach", dedicated to his childhood sweetheart, Bridget Cruise.
8. "Máire an Chúil Fhionn" ("Mary of the Fair Locks") was written for a lady who felt slighted that Carolan had not composed a tune for her after, as she put it, "all her attention and kindness to him." Who was this lady?

Answer: Mrs. O'Rourke

Mrs. Mary O'Rourke was apparently offended that Carolan had composed a tune for her husband, his patron Owen O'Rourke, but not for her. Carolan, having a reputation for always wanting the ladies on his side, dutifully wrote "Máire an Chúil Fhionn" for her.
9. In grief, Carolan composed a solemn lament on the occasion of the death of his good friend. However, as it turned out, the man had not actually died! Who was that friend?

Answer: Charles MacCabe

Charles MacCabe was a good friend and drinking companion of Carolan and it is said that on one occasion he disguised himself as a peasant and announced to Carolan his own death as a dark joke. Carolan, filled with grief, improvised the heartfelt lines of the song later titled "Uaill-Chumha Chearbhaliláin Os Cionn Uaighe Mhic Caba" ("Carolan's Lament for Charles MacCabe") only to then learn that his dear friend was not actually dead at all.

However, many years later, on the occasion of Carolan's death, Charles MacCabe spoke these words (translated from Gaelic):

"One thousand, seven hundred, eighteen-and-twenty years
Since the Son of God came to save us from the bonds of pain
The poet of highest renown was laid in earth,
Carolan, wise, distinguished, musical still."
10. Today, only one copy of Carolan's collected works exists in print. It was published by Dr. Patrick Delany in conjunction with Carolan's son. Where is his work housed?

Answer: The National Library of Ireland

The book was originally believed to have been published in 1721, but was actually published much later, after Carolan's death, in 1748. Therefore, it is believed to be a copy of the work published by Dr. Delany and not by Carolan himself.

Some of Carolan's works were also later published by Edward Bunting, an English cleric, in 1840 for performance by traditional players. Bunting transcribed many of these tunes from harpists who had preserved Carolan's pieces in aural tradition since his death and so Bunting's original transcription had many of the elements of the old style, however the final version was heavily adapted for the pianoforte.
Source: Author maderine

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ertrum before going online.
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