It's a Long Way to Stalybridge

An interesting public sculpture outside the former Market Hall in Stalybridge, entitled "Jack Judge accompanied by a WW1 soldier".

The plaque reads:
"Inspired to compose the famous marching song 'It's a Long Way to Tipperary'. He was the first to sing it publicly in 1912 at the Grand Theatre in Stalybridge, the town of its conception. Unveiled 16th December 2005 by Councillor Frank Robinson."

The plaque is carefully worded to avoid controversy by saying that the song was conceived in Stalybridge, rather than composed there, as is widely believed. This is because there is a rival claim from Oldbury, Staffordshire, which is where Jack Judge lived.

However, there is a story that while Judge was staying in Stalybridge, performing at the Grand Theatre, someone bet him that he couldn't write a song and perform it that night. He went off and wrote it and won the bet. [Read more]

Another story about the song is that it was originally going to be "It's a Long Way to Connemara" but Judge changed this to Tipperary just before the performance, because he thought more people would have heard of Tipperary!