Christmas Music in NLI Collections

Below is a small selection of well-known (and not so well-known) seasonal pieces drawn from the collections.

1) “The Enniscorthy Carol” (The Wexford Carol)

Popularly known as the Wexford Carol, this is one of Ireland’s best-loved Christmas carols. Its origins may date back as far as the 15th century. The carol came to wider attention in the 19th century when music historian Grattan Flood heard it sung by a local singer in Enniscorthy and transcribed the melody and lyrics. Flood later arranged for its inclusion in The Oxford Book of Carols, helping to secure its place in the international Christmas repertoire.

2) “A Political Christmas Carol” (William Hone, illustrated by George Cruikshank)

This striking 1820 publication demonstrates how the familiar language of Christmas song could also be used as a vehicle for political protest. Written by English radical and satirist William Hone and illustrated by George Cruikshank, the piece sets new lyrics to the tune of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. The text fiercely attacks Lord Castlereagh’s repressive “Six Acts,” introduced in the aftermath of the Peterloo Massacre of 1819. Dublin-born Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, was already notorious in Ireland for his role in suppressing the 1798 Rebellion and for steering the Act of Union through parliament, making this carol particularly resonant for Irish audiences.

3) “A Christmas Carol” (broadside, text in Irish)

Probably printed in Cork by Joseph Haly around 1840, this broadside is a remarkable survival. Although the text is in Irish, it is printed not in traditional seancló or classical Irish orthography, but in a phonetic spelling using English characters. Irish-language ballad sheets were extremely rare at this time, and this format suggests an audience fluent in spoken Irish but literate only in English.

In a recent blog post by Catherine Cullen, ethnomusicologist Deirdre Ní Chonghaile has provided a version of this text rendered into modern Irish, shedding further light on this unusual and culturally significant item.

4) & 5) Christmas music published in Dublin by Pigott in the 1950s

These songs are drawn from the Peggy Dell collection of popular music held by the National Library of Ireland. They reflect the coexistence of older Irish Christmas traditions alongside newer, imported influences during this period.