08 Sep 00 - 07:54 AM (#293392) Subject: Ballad of Lindsey Mooney From: Wolfgang This'll be the last song of my short series of songs from recent Irish history for now. It can be found, e.g., at http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/eire/lindsey.htm. I'd love to post an English (British) song about these events (I don't know of any) and I'd like to post a republican and loyalist song telling different tales about the same event together in one thread. But since I don't know of such songs, you'll be spared further posting of that kind for now. Some subjective thoughts on republican and loyalist songs. I had thought of making a thread out of these thoughts but I don't like what might happen then. I feel more confident to bury these thoughts deep in this thread. Do I have a bias for republican songs? One response is obviously, yes, since I posted up to now about eight recent republican songs and one loyalist . Maybe the reason is that I usually feel more positively towards people (minority or, see Kosovo and SA, majority) that fight for equal human rights (jobs, voting system, access to police forces, access to decent housing,...) than for those defending old privileges. Mind that this bias does not mean I support the means by which they fight for these rights. Another reason is the scarcity of recent loyalist songs (they only seem to replay the old ones). That might be a selection bias, but the few recent ones I have found are here (if you are there go to Part II). Compare that with the abundance of republican songs, e.g. here (click on 'rebel songs, once there). [In both cases you can easily go with a few clicks to material that is partisan, one-sided and might offend you, so stick to the songs] Some observations I find conspicuous from reading all of the songs (you'll find exceptions but that's the general picture) I could get access to: The enemy for the loyalist songs are the republican paramilitaries, especially the IRA, the enemy in the republican songs are rarely the loyalist paramilitaries, but the British (English). Both sing more often about an enemy they fight less often: Republican paramilitaries have killed more fellow countrymen from Northern Ireland than persons from Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) but sing about the British as enemy. Loyalist paramilitaries sing about the IRA but have killed much more catholic civilians than they have killed republican paramilitaries. Taking recent and old songs together you very rarely if ever can read that the religion of the enemy is mentioned in republican songs, you often find allusions to the religion of the enemy in loyalist songs. The last observation might be my bias, but I find more often statements denying human qualities to the opponent in loyalist songs ('not human', 'not even men', 'scum') than I do find in republican songs ('critters'). This observation might be a further reason for my posting bias. As much as I dislike the trigger happy sentiment in many songs (e.g., My little armalite), I mostly find republican song less repulsive. A selected loyalist song, similar in quality to many republican songs in my eyes (I haven't heard it) follows below. Wolfgang The Ballad of Lindsey Mooney Come gather round my comrade a saddened tale I'll tell about upon a foreign land our brave young comrade fell his young life fitted from this land so torn by bomb and strife for Ulster's cause he gave his all and sacrificed his life. Was on a cold St. Patrick's night when Lindseys life was shed as to a bar where rebels were was a car bomb he was spared but something happened on that night our comrades life was through in a foreign land he gave his life in defense of all that's true. We pray that by his sacrifice the world shall see the truth * his young life he gave valiantly his death was not in vain. The Ulster flag with its red hand on this land shall remain. So listen now you loyalists as this my tale I end he gave his life for liberty Ulster's people to defend so lets remember always in letters aged and bold remember well this young mans name and the story you've been told. So lift a glass in Lindseys name and remember one and all that while young lads like Lindsey fight Ulster's cause shall never fall his life he gave so loyally the final price he paid in Ulster's cause he lived and died to fight the IRA. *There seem to be two lines missing It is well known that the republican paramilitaries have fought and killed outside of Northern Ireland, most often, but not exclusively in the British mainland. It is less well known that the loyalist paramilitaries have fought and killed outside of Northern Ireland, that is in the Irish Republic. The song above is about one such incident. "17 March 1973 Lindsay Mooney (19) Protestant Status: Ulster Defence Association (UDA), Killed by: Ulster Defence Association (UDA) Died in premature bomb explosion while parking car outside Kirk's Bar, Cloughfinn, near Lifford, County Donegal." (from the Sutton Index of Deaths from the Conflict in Ireland) |
08 Sep 00 - 09:47 PM (#293829) Subject: RE:big bad bill is sweet william now From: GUEST,milton ager jack yellen |