The "Bonny Portmore" is an Irish traditional folk song
which laments the demise of Ireland's old oak forests,
specifically the Great Oak of Portmore or the Portmore
Ornament Tree, which fell in a windstorm in 1760 and
was subsequently used for shipbuilding and other
purposes. In 1664 an extensive castle was erected at
Portmore, near Portmore Lough, County Antrim by Lord
Conway, on the site of a more ancient fortress. It
contained accommodation for two troops of horse. The
old oak is believed to ...(+)
The "Bonny Portmore" is an Irish traditional folk song
which laments the demise of Ireland's old oak forests,
specifically the Great Oak of Portmore or the Portmore
Ornament Tree, which fell in a windstorm in 1760 and
was subsequently used for shipbuilding and other
purposes. In 1664 an extensive castle was erected at
Portmore, near Portmore Lough, County Antrim by Lord
Conway, on the site of a more ancient fortress. It
contained accommodation for two troops of horse. The
old oak is believed to have stood on the estate of
Portmore Castle.
The melody of this song was first published 1840 in
Edward Bunting's Ancient Music of Ireland and was
collected from the playing of Ulster harper Daniel
Black in 1796. The air is probably as old as the time
of the O'Neill's of Ballinderry, who, due to declining
fortunes were forced to sell the property to Lord
Conway. The first verse appears to make reference to
this sale.
A Scottish version laments the loss of a lover left
behind at Portmore, which William Tait identifies with
(St. Fillans). (There is also a Portmore Loch in the
Scottish Borders). While attributed to Donald Cameron,
Burns biographer Alan Cunningham believes it comes from
the north of Ireland. Peter Buchan published a version
which formed the basis of Burns' "My Heart's in the
Highlands".
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonny_Portmore).
Although originally written for Traditional Irish
instruments, I created this Interpretation of the
Folksong "The Bonny Portmore" for Flute, Oboe & Celtic
or Concert (Pedal) Harp.