Building Up and Tearing England Down - The Mary Wallopers

Film & edited by Kyle Chase @chase_kiyall
Sound recorded by Marianne Chase

[@BrianMcElwain]

My grand dad was a navvy from Monaghan. Then he fought in Italy. He came to Toronto and founded Shamrock Construction building stations on Toronto's subway. "Suicide John" McElwain. On the occasion that a man on his crew fell down some hole with no air to breath, had passed out to die my grandad lashed rope around his ankles and immediately had himself to be lowered in. He would yank them out even before the troopers arrived. The firemen told him "it's suicide, don't do that again!". My grandad would explain "Well he's got X number of kids etc... "

[@Toupret]

Toasts yer Grandad.

[@Toupret]

...with a coffee x

[@iamconmasfra]

Cheers to your grandpa and family, the Irish roots run deep and proud in Canada. Bless all our ancestors that forged a life for us in the North.

[@maireadmulholland5996]

The song was written by Doiminic Ó Beacháin who was a Socialist not a pira sympathiser so therefore you should not claim on you tube that it was written by mwallopers,if only. Both the wolve tone deaf and other Nationalists groups take songs written pre 1970 about the ira and pretend that they are a modern take when they are not. So I would safely say that Doiminic would be appalled by the breach in copyright and the misuse of his work .

[@BrianMcElwain]

@@maireadmulholland5996 Binn béal 'na chomhnuidhe.

[@Shane-ib2ip]

A new Mary Wallopers fan boy has been gained here in Appalachia. Love yalls stuff!

[@TheDrumlinBoy]

Dominic Behan would be very proud to have one of his classics sung so well. Looking forward to seeing the Wallopers in Denmark

[@Bighairyjoesph]

I worked on the sites in London in the late 80s - this is an excellent tune. Reminds me of the theme behind the Pogues's, Navigator.

[@AlanMcGuinness-gy9ll]

When you sung this one last night in Melbourne Charles it was my favourite bit of the gig. It took a while to settle them down though.... I left Dundalk in 86 and worked on the building sites in London up to the mid 90s so I can relate to a lot of the songs content...now I'm a construction safety Inspector!

[@prangbro]

So classy to to do a live recording for a video. Love these guys, Charles is a genius!

[@XYAgain420]

You guys just don't miss. Grand stuff, lads.

[@to13726]

Hello from Newfoundland. You fellers would fit right in at the pubs over this way.

[@W-E-A-P]

strong Irish Gael blood lines in Newfoundland tál 🇮🇪

[@ShapeyFiend]

Class. I'd damn near worn out the refresh button on the RnaL version already.

[@lukemcleod8483]

It slaps big time

[@jackgill1550]

If that seagull legit squaked at the end of the song, just absolutely fuckin perfect timing. love it

[@carlo5608]

Class song boys. Can't wait to see ye in Oz

[@Chan-rc2hw]

Love you guys. Been a fan for years. From Australia.

[@cubanheelsbeerbelly]

This is fantastic minimalism at it's finest.

[@ashlaylee]

The raw beauty of this rendition cannot be put into words. Every second is pure magic.

[@brianburu-hd1ej]

I love this band 🎉🎉🎉

[@therumjacks]

Had you guys on repeat for about three or four months now. Respect.

[@AXISMEDIATV]

This just made my day.. thanks boys!

[@nathanbryan8073]

just discovered these guys, love it

[@ffionpearl5893]

My dad from Cork and Antrim worked for all these names. When we passed a McAlpine Billboard he would spit. later on he became a quantity surveyor and was shocked that he was allowed to use the bosses toilet on construction sites. To him that meant he had made it. He worked on the flood barrier and Canary wharf and many other London projects

[@Rhubarb.and.Crustard]

Class as always 👍

[@alanoconnor-gl9gn]

Ah that’s a deadly rendition

[@matthewgaffney9319]

A whiff of McAlpine's Fusiliers and it smells amazing

[@joesoap1960]

So glad i found yas. Doesn't get any better than this

[@kevinf5837]

Excellent

[@christopherlackperth]

Head over to play Perth Australia. Crackin band!

[@marcywhyte6159]

Brilliant

[@shaney91]

What a tune

[@paddycanavan8301]

Mighty Stuff. Top Class

[@ArsenalDad]

Epic show in D.C.!!! When are you coming back? Shawn needs to come next time as well…😂

[@Ispeakthetruth.]

Love that yiz are playing EP 2023🎉❤

[@vicw9223]

I'm so happy I found out about you guys.

[@mobsiesixsixsix9785]

Perfect....

[@niamhlavelle1526]

i miss kickn the counter in Owneys to this song well done charles@band

[@Vandalgrease]

Gonna sing Rockall please? You guys could find a modern definitive version of it x

[@jdion79]

One word: DIGNITY.

[@LeRooky]

Ye coming to Australia lads? Come do a show in Melbourne!

[@BrFAB]

Come to Helsinki immediately

[@deshealy7867]

i love this song

[@jesselewis5699]

Love these boys. From Washington, D.C.! 🇺🇸🇬🇧

[@StuartJebbitt]

brilliant song

[@anthonykenneally9256]

💚Legend💚

[@dessieflanagan3625]

👏👏👏

[@JohnBreenFolk]

Well executed 👍

[@AXISMEDIATV]

YES!

[@LouLou-tl1gv]

A Navvy is a builders labourer

[@bookwormsurfer]

Lovely! See you in Cambridge, USA!

[@raskaskoneisto]

Hell yeas

[@ballysham10]

Tye "concrete master race" is such a gas way to refer to the British haha may start using it

[@diskopartizan0850]

Famously, the British are the only people to use concrete and labourers.

[@crashmanjones7286]

This is fuckin brilliant, bless up b'ys

[@Petemotox]

It’s hard not to think that this song influenced the highwaymen by Johnny, Kris, Willie and Waylon!

[@dankealey6176]

wahey!

[@TrueBlueEG8]

You should be able to thumbs up this a thousand times

[@stebrazil85]

Qatar 2022

[@MrThebarron007]

fantastic, was just telling my people about yall!

[@chrisgraham6916]

Remembering the Pogues (Navigator) Rum , sodomy & lash . Fantastic .❤

[@chrisgraham6916]

Revise my last comment 😂😂 Christy Moore....ordinary man .

[@jacopoturini7700]

✊

[@010010100100101001]

910 upvotes, eh my mates? Keep on the good work

[@zaceaston3543]

Anyone know what specific model of Fender he's picking here?

[@jameshealy4096]

Seems like a good place to ask, what is a navvy?

[@johnoregan5430]

It’s a builder’s labourer

[@johncagney4443]

Originally meant a worker digging out canals, or "navigations", later used more generally for a labourer

[@TheActualCathal]

Song written by Dominic Behan.

[@michellek5789]

Does anyone know what fender model that is?

[@jaydaawg.8191]

The Fender Gender Bender 1000 .

[@tommynocash2419]

fucking quality

[@darreng9775]

Thought this was a parady ,funny