The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) is committed to providing free, universal access to the rich cultural tradition of Irish music, song and dance. If you’re able, we’d love for you to consider a donation. Any level of support will help us preserve and grow this tradition for future generations.
Leslie Shepard (1917–2004), born in London, was a world authority and prolific writer on street literature, early film, the paranormal, and many other subjects.
He settled in Dublin for the last decades of his life, bringing with him a large collection of ephemeral prints and popular images, to which he constantly added.
He generously donated much material of Irish interest to the Irish Traditional Music Archive shortly after its foundation, and bequeathed to it in his will (kindly administered by his daughter Jill Shepard Glenstrup) the remainder of his Irish-interest items. The following ballad sheets are a selection from his collection, which is fully available to visitors within the Archive.
With thanks to Jill Shepard Glenstrup. ITMA would welcome the donation of other materials of this kind which are not yet in its collections (check our catalogues here), or of their loan for copying.
Nicholas Carolan and Maeve Gebruers, 1 August 2008
The jacket green
Joe in the copper. Katty Mooney
John O'Dwyer - a - glana
The jolly rake of all trades
Kelly the deserter. Squire and thrasher
Kerry eagle. Kick'd out of home
Kill or cure. Paddy Connor's wedding
Kitty Wells. Maggie's secret. The Paddy mouse. I was despised for being poor
Lamentation on the dreadful robbery & murder of the Widow Ryan & child
The land of old Erin. The star of Glengarry. The Moorish maid : A very favorite song, sung at all the London concerts
Lannigan's ball
Lannigan's ball. Rolling down Wapping
Let a woman have her way. Pat McCarthy
Lines written on the barley corn
Lines written on the illiberation [sic] of the clergy
Lines advocating the release of the Irish prisoners. The bard of Armagh
The little shamrock green. The rakish young fellow
Lines on the expected testimonial of His Grace the late much lammented [sic] Most Rev'd Doctor O'Connor Bishop of Saldis / by Joseph Sadler