I wrote this song as part of a group of Highland Clearance songs. It is set around 1820 and tells the story of a Widow of a soldier she had accompanied during his campaigns in Spain etc., as was the custom then. When she returned to Scotland she suffered more there than abroad!

The tune is 'Saddle the Pony', a lively, pawky Irish jig but slowed down in places where the mood suggests.

HENNY MUNROE
(Jim McLean 1968)

Now Henny Munroe, she married a soldier,
And followed him round the whole world over,
Wherever he fought, there was no one bolder,
Than beautiful Henny, the wife of Munroe.
But one day in Sicily, Donald lay dying,
A bullet had caught him and laid him out low,
Our Henny she buried him where he was lying,
And back to Grumbeg came our Henny Munroe.

When Henny Munroe to Scotland came back,
Her neighbours agreed that nothing she'd lack,
So they gave her a cow, a cottage and tack,
For to pass the old age of brave Henny Munroe.
They gave her a chair, a table and chest,
And they listened at night to the tales that she told.
Of campaigns in Spain and the wounds that she dressed,
Oh, wild were the stories of Henny Munroe.

Now Henny was grey, the snow was a falling,
When Sellar the factor, one night came calling.
"Get out with you fast!", his men were a yelling,
"We're burning the cottage of Henny Munroe"
"We've orders from Sutherland, Duke of this county,
It's wanted for sheep so away you must go!"
The one of his company threw in a faggot
And frightened the life out of Henny Munroe!

They took her meal chest and laughingly spilled it,
They took her one cow and laughingly killed it,
The Minister said "The Good Lord had willed it"
To punish poor wicked old Henny Munroe.
"I've travelled the world and seen the Barbarian,
Followed my Donald wherever he'd go,
But Scotland, my country, the land I was born in
Has broken the heart of old Henny Munroe!"

A man took a pole and smashed in her gable,
Her furniture burned, her chair and her table,
To save her own skin she was only just able,
Oh loud were the roarings of Henny Munroe!
"A curse on your children ", cried Henny the widow,
"If Donald was living he'd give you a show.
What Russia and Turkey and Sicily couldn't do
Scotland has done to old Henny Munroe!"

Cheers,
Jim McLean