Many people might not be familiar with the name William Pembroke Mulchinock but most will have surely sung one of his most famous songs at some stage. Irrespective of whether someone can sing or not, they will have joined in with words of the Rose of Tralee whether at a party, pub session of some such gathering.

There was a real Mary and she did win the heart of the man who wrote the song. Many who have visited the famous festival in Tralee will probably have visited a pub called the Brogue Inn. There was a place called Brogue Lane and Mary O’Connor lived there with her family. Her father is described as a brogue maker.

The Mulchinock family were wealthy merchants and they owned quite an amount of land outside the town. At 17, Mary got a job as kitchen maid in the Mulchinock household. She proved hard working and intelligent and was soon maid to the two grandchildren of the house.

The eldest son of the house, William, fell in love with Mary and they began meeting secretly. When his family found out they did not approve but in spite of that William proposed, however, Mary declined his offer of marriage. Even when he wrote his famous song for her she still refused because she knew the trouble it would cause between William and his family.

That was around the time of Daniel O’Connell and William attended an election rally in the town. A man was stabbed during a row at the rally. Even though William had nothing to do with it he was warned the next day that there was a warrant for his arrest and a reward for his capture. He was advised to leave Ireland.

William promised Mary that he would return and escaped on a wine ship that was leaving that night. He ended up in India, where he worked as a correspondent. While there, he became friendly with an army officer. When the officer heard William’s story he promised to clear his name and make it possible for him to return to Tralee.

After an exile of six years, William returned to Tralee but arrived in the town on the evening of Mary’s funeral. He was devastated but got on with his life. William married an old friend, Alicia Keogh, whom he had met years earlier, and they moved to New York. He remained in New York for a while but his grief for Mary caused the break-up of the marriage and he returned to Tralee.

He spent the rest of his life living in Ashe Street in Tralee, where he became taken with drink. He never forgot his first love. He regularly visited Mary’s grave and one of the last things he did was compose another verse for his great song.

In the far fields of India, ’mid wars dreadful thunders,

Her voice was a solace and comfort to me,

But the chill hand of death has now rent us asunder,

I’m lonely tonight for the Rose of Tralee.

His dying wish was to be buried in Clogherbrien Cemetery near his beloved Mary.

William Pembroke Mulchinock, the man who loved the original, Mary, the Rose of Tralee, died at the age of 44 on October 13, 1864 – 145 years ago this week.