"Noe, The Savage Boy." An Irish Tale Of Barbary Pirates!

[Thagarr]

There are times when I wonder to myself why I keep looking up stories and news for PA. My stories don't really get all that many views, and aside from a few individuals here, most people any more seem very apathetic to actual history. Then I run across a story that reminds me that I am not alone, there are still others out there who are actually looking at the past and trying to learn something about where we come from, so we can have a better idea of exactly where we are going. Then of course, there is the simple fact that history is just friggen cool! This is one of those stories!

In late June of 1631, Barbary Corsairs from Algeria raided a small town located on the southern tip of Ireland called Baltimore. The raid was the largest ever conducted against England or Ireland by the Barbary Corsairs, and it was led by Dutchman turned pirate Jan Janszoon. The towns folk were a mix of newly settled English, mostly sardine fisherman or tradesmen that supported the small industry, and local Irish natives. The corsairs captured 108 people and transported them to the Barbary Coast. Most were destined to be sold as galley slaves. Not a very pleasant prospect to be sure, as most galley slaves had an average life expectancy of less than a year, and those were the lucky ones. A few were kept by the local sultan as palace laborers and as part of his harem. Three were ransomed back, one almost immediately and two others in 1646. They were probably the only people from the original 108 to ever see Ireland again.

A comic book company, Irish publisher Atomic Diner, has started 3 book series based on the incident! It is called “Noe, The Savage Boy.” The first book in the series was published in February of last year, the second was published earlier this month. The series is based on an idea by Robert Curley, written by Malachy Coney, and illustrated by Stephen Downey. You can find out a bit more about the series over at Bleeding Cool. I was unable to find a copy of either book #1 or #2 for sale right off, but I will keep looking and post some links when I find some. In the meantime, here is a poem written about the raid written by Thomas Davis.

The summer sun is falling soft on Carbery’s hundred isles,

The summer sun is gleaming still through Gabriel’s rough defiles;

Old Innisherkin’s crumbled fane looks like a moulting bird,

And in a calm and sleepy swell the ocean tide is heard:

The hookers lie upon the beach; the children cease their play;

The gossips leave the little inn; the households kneel to pray;

And full of love, and peace, and rest, its daily labor o’er,

Upon that cosy creek there lay the town of Baltimore.



A deeper rest, a starry trance, has come with midnight there;

No sound, except that throbbing wave, in earth, or sea, or air!

The massive capes and ruin’d towers seem conscious of the calm;

The fibrous sod and stunted trees are breathing heavy balm.

So still the night, these two long barques round Dunashad that glide

Must trust their oars, methinks not few, against the ebbing tide.

Oh, some sweet mission of true love must urge them to the shore!

They bring some lover to his bride who sighs in Baltimore.



All, all asleep within each roof along that rocky street,

And these must be the lover’s friends, with gently gliding feet—

A stifled gasp, a dreamy noise! “The roof is in a flame!”

From out their beds and to their doors rush maid and sire and dame,

And meet upon the threshold stone the gleaming sabre’s fall,

And o’er each black and bearded face the white or crimson shawl.

The yell of “Allah!” breaks above the prayer, and shriek, and roar:

O blessed God! the Algerine is lord of Baltimore!



Then flung the youth his naked hand against the shearing sword;

Then sprung the mother on the brand with which her son was gor’d;

Then sunk the grandsire on the floor, his grand-babes clutching wild;

Then fled the maiden moaning faint, and nestled with the child:

But see! yon pirate strangled lies, and crush’d with splashing heel,

While o’er him in an Irish hand there sweeps his Syrian steel:

Though virtue sink, and courage fail, and misers yield their store,

There ’s one hearth well avenged in the sack of Baltimore.



Midsummer morn in woodland nigh the birds begin to sing,

They see not now the milking maids,—deserted is the spring;

Midsummer day this gallant rides from distant Bandon’s town,

These hookers cross’d from stormy Skull, that skiff from Affadown;

They only found the smoking walls with neighbors’ blood besprent,

And on the strewed and trampled beach awhile they wildly went,

Then dash’d to sea, and pass’d Cape Clear, and saw, five leagues before,

The pirate-galley vanishing that ravaged Baltimore.



Oh, some must tug the galley’s oar, and some must tend the steed;

This boy will bear a Scheik’s chibouk, and that a Bey’s jerreed.

Oh, some are for the arsenals by beauteous Dardanelles;

And some are in the caravan to Mecca’s sandy dells.

The maid that Bandon gallant sought is chosen for the Dey:

She ’s safe—she’s dead—she stabb’d him in the midst of his Serai!

And when to die a death of fire that noble maid they bore,

She only smiled, O’Driscoll’s child; she thought of Baltimore.



’T is two long years since sunk the town beneath that bloody band,

And all around its trampled hearths a larger concourse stand,

Where high upon a gallows-tree a yelling wretch is seen:

’T is Hackett of Dungarvan—he who steer’d the Algerine!

He fell amid a sullen shout with scarce a passing prayer,

For he had slain the kith and kin of many a hundred there.

Some mutter’d of MacMurchadh, who brought the Norman o’er;

Some curs’d him with Iscariot, that day in Baltimore.

 

[Jack Rackham]

There is this serie of three books by Tim Severin: Corsair, Buccaneer, Pirate.
The first one starts with exactly the same incident, a raid on Ireland by Barabary Corsairs.
but placed in the year 1677.

 

[Thagarr]

Interesting, thanks Jack!

 

[Pieter Boelen]

There are times when I wonder to myself why I keep looking up stories and news for PA. My stories don't really get all that many views, and aside from a few individuals here, most people any more seem very apathetic to actual history.

I am certain that your efforts are helping to make our site more visible.
It keeps attracting new followers on Twitter in any case and I'm pretty sure that is thanks to you.

 

[Bartolomeu o Portugues]

I am certain that your efforts are helping to make our site more visible.

more visible and more interesting

 

[ANSEL]

I always read your historical news and stories, with great pleasure.Thanks for your efforts,keep up the good work.

 

[Thagarr]

Thanks for the encouragement and support mates, it is very much appreciated!