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One of my favorite songs

Down by the Glenside

By Peader Kearney

‘Twas down by the glenside, I met an old woman
She was picking young nettles and she scarce saw me coming
I listened a while to the song she was humming
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

‘Tis fifty long years since I saw the moon beaming
On strong manly forms and their eyes with hope gleaming
I see them again, sure, in all my daydreaming
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.

Some died on the glenside, some died near a stranger
And wise men have told us that their cause was a failure
They fought for old Ireland and they never feared danger
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

I passed on my way, God be praised that I met her
Be life long or short, sure I’ll never forget her
We may have brave men, but we’ll never have better
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

****

Peader Kearney is the BIL of Brendan Behan, and wrote many many great songs. This is a slow, lovely song, almost a lament. Danny Doyle sings it beautifully, gorgeously. The Fenians, were men who felt Ireland should be united and free, under rule of Irishmen. Then politics got involved, but that is a whole ‘nother story. The “stranger” in the song is the occupier, England.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 28th, 2006 at 5:12 pm and is filed under Festival Legends, The Book, Irish Culture, Irish Music, Past and Present, The Legends, Lives of the Artists, Cleveland's Irish Cultural Festival. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.