Boys From Wexford

Subject: Boys From Wexford
From: JohnRedman
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 09:37 PM

We were sitting around discussing Irish music from County Wexford and thought to look up the lyrics for Boys From Wexford. Mudcat does not have then, so, I thought that I would fix that. I found them elsewhere.

"The Boys of Wexford" is a famous Irish ballad commemorating the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The ballad was lyrics were composed by Patrick Joseph McCall and music by Arthur Warren Darley, who also composed other wexford ballads "Boolavogue", "Kelly the Boy from Killanne".[1]
Lyrics

(Chorus):
We are the boys of Wexford,
Who fought with heart and hand
To burst in twain the galling chain
And free our native land.

In comes the captain's daughter,
The captain of the Yeos,
Saying "Brave United Irishmen,
We'll ne'er again be foes.
A thousand pounds I'll bring
If you will fly from home with me,
And dress myself in man's attire
And fight for liberty."

I want no gold, my maiden fair,
To fly from home with thee.
You shining eyes will be my prize,
More dear than gold to me.
I want no gold to nerve my arm
To do a true man's part -
To free my land I'd gladly give
The red drops of my heart."

And when we left our cabins, boys,
We left with right good will
To see our friends and neighbours
That were at Vinegar Hill!
A young man from our Irish ranks
A cannon he let go;
He slapt it into Lord Mountjoy
A tyrant he laid low!

We bravely fought and conquered
At Ross and Wexford town;
And if we failed to keep them,
'Twas drink that brought us down.
We had no drink beside us
On Tubberneering's day,
Depending on the long, bright pike,
And well it worked that way.

And Oulart's name shall be their shame,
Whose steel we ne'er did fear.
For every man could do his part
Like Forth and Shelmalier!
And if for want of leaders,
We lost at Vinegar Hill,
We're ready for another fight,
And love our country still!
[edit] References

   1. ^ Cómhrá na dTonn, a Book and CD About Irish Traditional Music

Subject: RE: Boys From Wexford
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 03:14 AM

If you put "Boys of Wexford" (note the preposition!) into the "Lyrics and Knowledge" search box, you'll find we have indeed looked at this one over the years. It was written, incidentally, by Robert Dwyer Joyce , rather than P J McCall IIRC.

Your last verse has an interesting variation on the usual - wonder where it came from?