The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #32544   Message #429202
Posted By: Stewie
30-Mar-01 - 09:48 AM
Thread Name: Roddy McCorley: date of origin ?
Subject: RE: Roddy McCorley: date of origin ?
The version that Fiolar posted is the same as song #17 in Georges-Denis Zimmermann's 'Songs of Irish Rebellion'. Zimmermann has the same note - that he had it from Donal O'Sullivan who had it from Francis-Joseph Bigger. However, the text in Zimmermann has an additional 4 stanzas that accord with, but differ textually from, the latter verses in the O Lochlainn version posted by Jimmy C. His title is 'Rody Mac Corly' and the additional stanzas are:

They called upon an armed band, an armed band came soon
To guard this clever tall young man down to the Bridge of Toome
Since it's upon Good Friday he'll executed be
Convenient to the Bridge of Toome upon the gallows tree

He called upon Priest Devlin and his reverence came with speed
Here is one of Christ's shepherds now one of his flock to feed
He gave him the Heavenly Food that nourished his soul
That it might live eternally when his body is in moul'

Young Rody he stepped forward then, the scaffold he ascends
He looked east, he looked west, to view his loving friends
And turning round unto the north, he cries, 'O cruel Sam
It was you that proved my overthrow, you brought me as I am'

He then looked up unto the Lord and cries, 'O Lord receive
Here is a soul, I do bestow my body to the grave
That it may lie in peace and rest without the least surprise
Till Michael's trumpet sounds loud and says, 'The dead all rise'


--Stewie.