Lyr Req: Bodenstown Churchyard

Subject: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: Celtic-End Singer
Date: 02 Aug 99 - 09:01 PM

Read the lyrics to this one donkeys years ago in a songbook that I managed to lose one night after one too many ales. I can't remember any of the lyrics but it's about where Wolfe Tone is buried.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

PS - Also, if you have any idea of the tune that would be superb.

Subject: Lyr Add: BODENSTOWN CHURCHYARD
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 02 Aug 99 - 11:13 PM

A great song. The melody is very close to The Granemore Hare. If you need the exact melody (and I think you do), you could always buy Frank Harte's CD, 1798: The First Year of Liberty (Hummingbird HBCD0014). Frank does an excellent rendition. The notes are also very good. The CD would be available online from Ossian in Ireland or Ossian USA.

In Bodentown's churchyard there is a green grave
And wildly around it the wintry winds rave.
Small shelter I ween are the ruined walls there
When the storm sweeps down o'er the plains of Kildare.
Once I lay on that sod it lies over Wolfe Tone
And think how he perished in prison alone,
His friends unavenged and his country unfreed.
Oh bitter, I cried, is the patriot's meed.
How in him the heart of a woman combined
A heroic life and a governing mind?
A martyr for Ireland his grave has no stone,
His name seldom named and his virtue unknown.
I was awoke from my dreams by the voice and the tread
Of a band that came into the home of the dead.
They carried no coffin, they carried no stone
And the stopped when they came to the grave of Wolfe Tone.

There were students and peasants, the wise and the brave
And an old man who knew him from cradle to grave
And the children who thought me hard-hearted when they
On that sanctified sod were forbidden to play.
But an old man who saw I was mourning there said,
"We come, sir, to weep where young Wolfe Tone is laid,
And we are going to raise him a monument too,
A plain one yet fit for the simple and true."

My heart overflowed and I clasped his old hand
And I blessed him and blessed every one in his band.
Sweet, sweet 'tis to find that such faith can remain
In the cause and the man so long vanquished and slain.
In Bodenstown churchyard there is a green grave
And wildly around it the wintry winds rave,
Far better they suit him the ruin and gloom
Until Ireland a nation might build him a tomb.

All the best,
Dan

Subject: RE: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: Big Mick
Date: 02 Aug 99 - 11:37 PM

Darn Dan, you just beat me to this one. I will get the next one. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Big Mick

Subject: RE: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: Celtic-End Singer
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 02:19 AM

Cheers lads, much appreciated

Subject: RE: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: paddy
Date: 03 Aug 99 - 11:01 PM

The Franke Harte CD noted by Liam's brother is a "must" for serious students of the genre. I was especially taken by his rendition of "Dunlavin green". powerful stuff.

Subject: Lyr Add: BODENSTOWN CHURCHYARD
From: alison
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 08:10 AM

Thanks again to Philippa for sending me the tune to transcribe...from colm O/ Lochlainn "More Irish Street Ballads."

MIDI file: GRAVE_~1.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: BODENSTOWN CHURCHYARD
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: Bb
Start
0960 1 65 082 0118 0 65 082 0002 1 67 094 0115 0 67 094 0005 1 69 068 0235 0 69 068 0005 1 70 088 0718 0 70 088 0002 1 69 107 0238 0 69 107 0002 1 67 107 0478 0 67 107 0002 1 65 092 0238 0 65 092 0002 1 58 086 0718 0 58 086 0002 1 60 094 0478 0 60 094 0002 1 62 099 0238 0 62 099 0002 1 65 090 0718 0 65 090 0002 1 63 100 0238 0 63 100 0002 1 60 098 0238 0 60 098 0002 1 58 094 0958 0 58 094 0002 1 62 096 0478 0 62 096 0002 1 62 096 0478 0 62 096 0002 1 60 091 0718 0 60 091 0002 1 62 100 0238 0 62 100 0002 1 63 100 0478 0 63 100 0002 1 62 096 0478 0 62 096 0002 1 65 094 0238 0 65 094 0002 1 67 078 0238 0 67 078 0002 1 69 093 0238 0 69 093 0002 1 72 080 0718 0 72 080 0002 1 70 080 0238 0 70 080 0002 1 67 086 0238 0 67 086 0002 1 65 095 0958 0 65 095 0002 1 65 099 0478 0 65 099 0002 1 65 103 0478 0 65 103 0002 1 60 095 0478 0 60 095 0002 1 62 103 0478 0 62 103 0002 1 63 088 0478 0 63 088 0002 1 62 083 0715 0 62 083 0005 1 65 096 0120 1 65 091 0001 0 65 096 0117 0 65 091 0002 1 70 094 0478 0 70 094 0002 1 74 086 0478 0 74 086 0002 1 72 092 0478 0 72 092 0002 1 70 094 0958 0 70 094 0002 1 70 095 0238 0 70 095 0002 1 72 095 0238 0 72 095 0002 1 74 103 0478 0 74 103 0002 1 70 087 0478 0 70 087 0002 1 72 090 0478 0 72 090 0002 1 69 093 0238 0 69 093 0002 1 65 092 0718 0 65 092 0002 1 58 087 0238 0 58 087 0002 1 60 094 0238 0 60 094 0002 1 62 102 0238 0 62 102 0002 1 65 090 0718 0 65 090 0002 1 63 080 0238 0 63 080 0002 1 60 080 0240 1 58 084 0036 0 60 080 0922 0 58 084
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:BODENSTOWN CHURCHYARD
M:3/4
Q:1/4=100
K:Bb
F9/2G/2A|B3AG2|FB,3C2|DF3EC|B,4D2|D2C3D|E2D2FG|
Ac3BG|F4F2|F2C2D2|E2D3F/2F/2|B2d2c2|B4Bc|
d2B2c2|AF3B,C|DF3EC|B,6||

If you'd rather hear the tune without the hassle of translating try new MIDI site

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: Reiver 2
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 04:21 PM

I have the song from a record by the Wolfe Tones, "'Till Ireland a Nation", but without the "student's and peasants" verse. Otherwise the words are nearly identical to those quoted by Liam's Brother, Dan -- only a few minor word differences.

In the booklet that came with the record is the note, "Originally written by Thomas Davis, Irish poet and patriot. Adapted by the Wolfe Tones. Sung by Tommy."

Then this note: "'In Bodenstown churchyard there is a green grave.' It is the grave of Wolfe Tone, one of the most famous of Irish heroes and from whom the group take their name. The song tells of a visitor to the grave who recalls the patriot's struggle and total dedication to the cause of Irish freedom."

Subject: RE: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: paddymac
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 05:14 PM

Amen paddy!

Subject: RE: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: Melbert
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 06:09 PM

Don't know where you're based but I picked up a cheap cassette (in Dublin I think) which has this song on it. Sung by John Aherne it's on "The best of Irish Ballads" from Tara Records, 4, Anne's Lane, Dublin 2, Ireland (Only paid £2.99 for it!)

Subject: RE: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: GUEST,Seamus
Date: 27 Nov 04 - 02:25 AM

Is it true that Wolfe Tone was actually a protestant?

Subject: RE: Bodenstown Churchyard - Lyrics please
From: Big Tim
Date: 27 Nov 04 - 03:45 AM

Yes, he was a Protestant - Church of Ireland (Episcopalian).

Thomas Davis, the song's author, who died in 1845, visited Tone's grave and was angry to see its neglected condition. It's not neglected any more, having been turned into a major shrine. A Republican pilgrimage goes there each year at Easter, recalling both Tone and the 1916 Easter Rising, and modern day republican message making.

Bodenstown is located between the villages of Clane and Naas. Tone was born in Dublin but his family came from this area.