Lillabullero

Lillabullero

Score
for Lillabullero.

According to Bishop Percy in his Reliques of Ancient English Poetry (4th. edn., 1794), the words 'Lilli-Burlero-Bullen-a-la' were 'the words of distinction used among the Irish Papists at the time of their massacre of the Protestants in 1641'. They were made the refrain of a nonsense song satirizing the Earl of Tyrconnel on the occasion of his going to Ireland in January 1686-7 as James II's Catholic lieutenant. The song was immensely popular and is said to have played a major part in rousing the anti-Catholic feeling which brought about the Revoultion of 1688. The words were by Lord Wharton and were set to music by Purcell.

Uncle Toby would whistle or hum Lillabullero in response to any kind of argument or issue he felt was nonsense or in a situation where he was shocked or embarassed by the subject at hand.



Click here for the first passage on Lillabullero in Volume I.


Characters
| Toby | Yorick | father (Walter Shandy) | mother | Trim | Tristram | Dr Slop |

Themes
| HOBBY-HORSE | Lillabullero | Don Quixote | Noses | Names |


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Last modified May 12, 1996. Maintained by Keith Earley.
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