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The Rose of Tralee (song)


"The Rose of Tralee" is a nineteenth-century Irish ballad about a woman called Mary, who because of her beauty was called The Rose of Tralee. The Rose of Tralee festival had been inspired by the ballad.

The words of the song are credited to Edward Mordaunt Spencer and the music to Charles William Glover, but a story circulated in connection with the festival claims that the song was written by William Pembroke Mulchinock, a wealthy Protestant, out of love for Mary O'Connor, a poor Catholic maid in service to his parents.

The song was sung by John McCormack in the film Song o' My Heart (1930).

It was sung by the cast at the end of the play "Thirst" (1942) by Flann O'Brien.

In the film "The Luck of the Irish (1948 film)" the song is sung by Irish Tenor Jimmy O'Brien, who completes the song without missing a beat despite the outbreak of a brawl.

The song was used by the Ireland national rugby union team at the 1987 Rugby World Cup. It was a compromise choice instead of a national anthem, due to the political situation in Northern Ireland at the time.

The Rose of Tralee is referenced in the title track of Tom Waits' 1985 album Rain Dogs.

In the film "Auntie Mame," (1958), Brian O'Bannion (Robin Hughes) sings the first couplet of "The Rose of Tralee" as he finishes dressing to escort Mame (Rosalind Russell) to a black tie event to consider optioning the film rights of her autobiography to Warner Brothers.


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