Lyr Req: Connolly Was There

Subject: Song about James Connolly
From: Mikey joe
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 04:50 AM

Hello Mudcat.

I'm looking for the lyrics to a song about James Connolly for a friend of mine. Its not the well known one done by Christy Moore and the Wolfe Tones etc.The chorus of this goes something like:

"Connolly was there
James Conolly was there,
Great brave undaunted,
James connolly was there."

And the first couple of lines go someting like:

"Now there's a page in history when the workers first fought back".

Hopefully Mudcat can come up trumps again.

Cheers

Mj

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: greg stephens
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 04:56 AM

interesting, never heard that one. presumably tothe tune of "Brennan on the Moor". I look forward to seeing the rest.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Gareth
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 02:45 PM

It's the Trade Union tribute to Connolly, who should be better honoured for his work in organising the Irish Transport and General Workers. I think it was in the T&GWU song book at one time. That may give you a clue where to look for the full text.

I can vaguely recall one stanza/verse :-

"In Dublin in 1913, in the Great Transport Strike, He fought the Dublin Bosses and he faught them with his might
Singing Connelly, he was there, Connelly he was there,
Brave but then undaunted, Oh James Connolly he was there"

Brennan on the Moor was the tune I remember singing it to.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Gareth
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 02:59 PM

There is a mention of the Domenic Beredan version in Suzannes Songbook but unfortunately it don't seem to be in HTML Yet

Gareth

Link fixed. One of your brackets was pointing the wrong direction. --JoeClone, 20-Apr-02.

Subject: Lyr Add: CONNOLLY WAS THERE
From: Big Tim
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 03:33 PM

CONNOLLY WAS THERE

There is a page in history when the workers first fought back,
When the might of exploitation first began to crack.
In farm and field and factory, in workshop, mine and mill,
A flame was lit, a beacon bright. That flame is burning still.

For Connolly was there. Connolly was there.
Brave, brave undaunted James Connolly was there.

William Martin Murphy and his Dublin millionaires,
Tried bribery and corruption, hypocrisy and prayers.
To slash the Transport Union their scabs they did enlist,
But all their graft was shattered by a scarlet iron first.

For Connolly was there....

When the bosses tried to sweat (?) the lads way down in Glasgow's pride,
A voice like roaring thunder soon shook them in their stride.
In Liverpool and Belfast where the workers lived in hell,
James Connolly rose and gave them hope. The truth to you I'll tell.

For Connolly was there....

O Irishmen, the day will come when workers one and all,
Will rise up from dependence and rally to the call,
Throw off the bosses tyranny and fight from shore to shore
For a working man's republic and for freedom ever more.

And Connolly will be there. Connolly will be there.
Brave, brave undaunted James Connolly will be there.

Transcribed from "26 Irish Rebel Songs Vol. 2", Derry Records, 1997 [Belfast]. Composer not given, artist anon.
Note: William Martin Murphy (1844-1919) led the employers in the Great Dublin Lockout of 1913-14. The strikers lost and Connolly cried, "We Irish workers must once more go down into hell."

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 20-Apr-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Gareth
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 07:25 PM

Yup, Thats the song ! I suspect the version I knew had lost something in being translated to this side of the Irish Sea.

Gareth

Subject: Lyr Add: CONNOLLY WAS THERE
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 08:01 PM

Another verse:

They say that he was murdered, shot dying in a chair.
But go march on to freedom, Irish workers! Never fear!
In farm or field and factory, in workshop mine and mill,
A flame was lit, a beacon bright. The flame is burning still.

Connolly will be there. Connolly will be there.
Great brave undaunted, James Connolly will be there.

Learned from the singing of Dominic Behan on a record I lent to an old girlfriend, thirty-plus years ago!

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 20-Apr-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: The Pooka
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 08:19 PM

Wooo-hoo! Way to go Big Tim & Jon G! / This, I gotta memorize immediately. Great.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Big Mick
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 10:37 PM

Connolly was also a lyric writer in his own right. Contact the Cork Workers Club and they can send you a pamphlet of many of the verses he wrote, along with a number of other songs about him. A Google search will turn up a number of sites about him.

Gareth, unless I misunderstood your statement, I think I must disagree with it. It is not possible to separate, or remember, Connolly for his work with the Transport workers, without his leadership in the '16 rising. They were tied together by his basic philosophy on the state of workers, particularly Irish working men and women. His was a life well lived.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Amergin
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 10:40 PM

think there are one or two of connolly's songs in my copy of songs to fan the flames of discontent....

Christy Moore does a great song about Connolly on his Prosperous album....it focuses more on his being a labour leader more than his being a rebel....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Marc
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 12:20 AM

The song of which you seek was infact recorded by Christy, however on an earlier recording called "Paddy On The Road". I don't have time to right now, but if you badger me,I'll Transcribe the lirics for you. You Must Badger me cause I won't remember.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Big Tim
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 04:15 AM

"James Connolly" by Larry Kirwan of NY Irish band "Black 47" is also interesting. It's on "Fire of Freedom" album, EMI, 1993.

Two of Connolly's own lyrics, "A Rebel Song" and "Watchword of Labour" are included on the album "Songs of Irish Labour", 1998, produced by Dr Helena Sheehan of Dublin City University. Website: http://www.comms.dcu.ie/sheehanh/sheehan.htm email: [e-mail]. Cost (to UK) = 15 euros. I've been in touch with Dr Sheehan recently and she's happy to send out the CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Paddy Plastique
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 04:50 AM

Here's that link as a blue thingey: Labour Songs
There's details there too of an interesting event in Crossakiel, Co. Meath to commemorate the local-born
author of 'The Red Flag' over the May Bank Holiday, for any interested.
There's also a song on Connolly written by Donagh MacDonagh - as included in Frank
Harte's 'Songs of Dublin', as I remember

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Paddy Plastique
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 04:53 AM

Sorry, here's a more direct link to the Labour Songs part: Labour Songs Direct

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 05:52 AM

Here's the Donagh McDonagh song in the DT.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 06:30 AM

And THIS is the one on the Prosperous album.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Paddy Plastique
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 10:13 AM

Apologies again - didn't realise the D McD song was more about JL than JC...
It's to the same melody as 'Preab san Ól' in anywaze...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Big Tim
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 10:25 AM

Re the "Galvin" JC song, Christy Moore credits it to Galvin ok but Galvin himself makes no claim to it in his own book "Irish Songs of Resistance" which includes the song. Any ideas?

Interesting to note JC on JL, as quoted by Ruth Dudley Edwards "the man is utterly unreliable...he does not seem to want a Democratic Labour Movement but a Larkinite Movement only. He is consumed with jealously and hatred of anyone who will not cringe to him". True or false? I'm not a fan of RDE but JC must actually have said this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Big Mick
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 10:41 AM

Yeah, Tim. I am interested in the relationship meself. It is alluded to in much of the stuff that I read. It is also alluded to in "Song of My Da" from The Little Red Songbook, which is an IWW (Wobbly) songbook.

All the best,

The other "Big" guy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Willa
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 03:18 PM

I have
the words of 'Be Moderate,
the words/ music to 'A Rebel Song',
the words/music of a song 'James Connolly', which begins
'Where, oh where is our James Connolly,
Where oh where is that gallant man?',
and the words of a song 'Connolly'which begins
'The soldier was all shot through that came today into the barrack square.
a soldier I - I am not proud to say
We killed him there'
I,m going on holiday tomorrow, so don't have time to post the info, but if you are interested, I will post it when I get back at the end of April.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Gareth
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 04:17 PM

Mick. please read that post again. JC may be honoured for his death in 1916 - He should be equally honoured for his work before that.

Unfortunately that bit of history seems to have been airbrushed by republicans, rather than socialists.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Marc
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 06:50 PM

Now I'm confused. I was just drunk last night. Has Mickey Joe got the info he was looking for yet, or are we all just offering additional info because we have it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Amergin
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 06:53 PM

yes...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Big Mick
Date: 17 Apr 02 - 08:59 PM

Thanks, Gareth. That's why I started the post with a qualifier. Connolly should be remembered as a socialist labor organizer and a revolutionary. We do no honor to his memory, nor to accurate history, by ignoring either of these. Thanks for correcting my impression.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Paddy Plastique
Date: 18 Apr 02 - 05:04 AM

Marc, the lyrics Mikey Joe was looking for are in Big Tim's 1st post. The rest is just us
damn thread drifters again...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about James Connolly
From: Marc
Date: 18 Apr 02 - 11:55 PM

Thanks Paddy Plastique , I obviously missed that part the first time I looked at the thread. I'm glad I didn't invest alot of time playing the recording over and over to transcribe the lyrics. In hindsight, it would have been a huge under taking the other night.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Connolly Was There
From: Felipa
Date: 05 May 22 - 04:35 PM

a few recordings of Connolly Was There

sung by Dick Gaughan

sung by Christy Moore

sung by Dominic Behan with Lyrics on screen