ADD: Mick Ryan's Lament (Robert Emmet Dunlap)

Subject: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: GUEST,Jacqued
Date: 26 Apr 06 - 04:03 PM

Have come across song lyrics "Mick Ryans's Lament" to tune of Gary Owen.   Can anyone please tell me the name of the song writer?

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: Les from Hull
Date: 26 Apr 06 - 04:10 PM

Written in 1999 by Robert Emmet Dunlap, according to Tim O'brien's website.

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: bill kennedy
Date: 26 Apr 06 - 09:02 PM

He's from the Boston area. Great song, recently covered by Ged Foley and Kevin Burke on their new 'In Tandem' cd.

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: GUEST,Jacqued
Date: 27 Apr 06 - 03:02 PM

Many thanks - much better when we can credit a song.

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: GUEST,Robert Emmet Dunlap
Date: 02 May 06 - 11:28 AM

Just came across this. Yes, I'm from Boston. The songwriting info is Mick Ryan's Lament/Robert Emmet Dunlap/Prodigal Salmon Music/ASCAP. Thanks very much for the thread.

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: Wesley S
Date: 02 May 06 - 11:32 AM

Robert - It's nice to see you here. My trio performs your song on a regular basis - it's a favorite of ours. Thanks for writing it. Where can we find your recordings ?

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: Big Mick
Date: 02 May 06 - 03:57 PM

Sir, I have been singing your song since first hearing O'Brien's take on it. I changed the arrangement a bit, and sing it regularly with my band. I love the lyrics, and the messages they deliver. I would hope that Irish Americans would carefully examine them, especially in the context of 20th Century racism, most especially the portion that deals with the irony of an Irish immigrant fighting to displace a people from their land. It has relevance for so many issues.

Wonderful bit of songsmithing there.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: michaelr
Date: 02 May 06 - 07:46 PM

Any chance of the lyrics at all, at all?

Subject: Lyr Add: Mick Ryan's Lament (fRobert Emmet Dunlap)
From: bill kennedy
Date: 02 May 06 - 08:57 PM

Mick Ryan's Lament (as sung by Tim O'Brien on Two Journeys)

MICK RYAN'S LAMENT
(Robert Emmet Dunlap)

Well my name is Mick Ryan, I'm lyin still
In a lonely spot near where I was killed
By a red man defending his native land
In the place that they call Little Big Horn

And I swear I did not see the irony
When I rode with the Seventh Cavalry
I thought that we fought for the land of the free
When we rode from Fort Lincoln that morning

And the band they played the Garryowen
Brass was shining, flags a flowin
I swear if I had only known
I'd have wished that I'd died back at Vicksburg

For my brother and me, we had barely escaped
From the hell that was Ireland in Forty-Eight
Two angry young lads who had learned how to hate
But we loved the idea of Amerikay

And we cursed our cousins who fought and bled
In their bloody coats of bloody red
The sun never sets on the bloody dead
Of those who have chosen an empire

But we'd find a better life somehow
In the land where no man has to bow
It seemed right then and it seems right now
That Paddy he died for the union

Ah, but Michael he somehow got turned around
He had stolen the dream that he thought he'd found
Now I never will see that holy ground
For I turned into something I hated

And I'm haunted by the Garryowen
Drums a beating, bugles blowin'
I swear if I had only known
I'd lie with my brother in Vicksburg

And the band they played that Garryowen
Brass was shinin', flags a flowin'
I swear if I had only known,
I'd lie with my brother at Vicksburg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8WjluheE5E

Subject: Chords Add: MICK RYAN'S LAMENT
From: Big Mick
Date: 02 May 06 - 09:02 PM

Here you go. The chord spacings will be off, but you will be able to figure it out.

Mick Ryan's Lament


                  C                                          Am                         C                                              G
Well my name is Mick Ryan, I'm lyin here still, in a lonely spot near where I was killed
          C                                           Em    C                                                                  G         C
By a red man defending his native land in the place that they call Little Bighorn

   
         C                                        Am                      C                                        G
And I swear I did not see the irony when I rode with the Seventh Cavalry
C                                                          Em                                        C                                                 G          C
I thought that we fought for the land of the free when we rode from Fort Lincoln that morning


C                                                                               F
And the band they played the Garryowen, brass was shining, flags a flowin'
C                Em    Am    Em                   C                                                      G7       C
I swear if I had only known I'd have wished that I'd died back at Vicksburg


             C                                           Am                                        C                                           G
For my brother and me, we had barely escaped from the hell that was Ireland in forty eight
          C                                                Em                      C                                                    G          C
Two angry young lads who had learned how to hate but we loved the idea of Amerikay


               C                                             Am                                        C                                 G
And we cursed our cousins who fought and bled In their bloody coats of bloody red
C                                                 Em                   C                                                    G         C
The sun never sets on the bloody dead of those who have chosen an empire
C                                                                               F
But we'd find a better life somehow in the land where no man has to bow
    C                      Em             Am                  Em            C                               G7      C
It seemed right then and it seems right now that Paddy he died for the union

(break – Garryowen)
                C                                             Am                                        C                                                 G                  
Ah, but Michael he somehow got turned around he had stolen the dream that he thought he'd found
C                                              Em                         C                                           G       C
Now I never will see that holy ground, for I turned into something I hated
C                                                                   F
And I'm haunted by the Garryowen, drums a beating, bugles blowin'
C                Em    Am    Em             C                                     G7      C
I swear if I had only known, I'd lie with my brother in Vicksburg
                C                                                                  F
And the band they played that Garryowen, brass was shinin', flags a flowin'
C             Em      Am    Em             C                                     G7         C
I swear if I had only known, I'd lie with my brother at Vicksburg

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: michaelr
Date: 05 May 06 - 07:22 PM

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: paddymac
Date: 06 May 06 - 12:35 AM

I first hear this song pewrformed a couple of months ago bt a country/bluegrass m/f duet passing through town. Hearing the Garryowen played so slowly is what first caught my ear. Then the truly haunting lyrics. I whole-heartedly concur in Big Mick's comments above. Thanks for a great contribution.

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: GUEST,Robert Emmet Dunlap
Date: 08 May 06 - 02:50 PM

Thanks for all the kind words. Glad the song has struck a chord with folks and great to know it's being played and appreciated. Nearly finished with my first CD and will have a website soon. Not great about staying on top of these kinds of message boards so I apologize for gaps in time...but will try to check back occasionally. All the best..RED

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: Wesley S
Date: 08 May 06 - 05:47 PM

Keep us posted. If the rest of your music is anything like what we've heard so far you'll find a lot of customers for that CD.

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: GUEST,JOHNNY DEL RIO
Date: 10 May 06 - 03:58 PM

MY BAND PLAYS MR DUNLAP'S SONGS ALL THE TIME - HE IS A LEGEND IN NEW ENGLAND - HE HAS MANY GREAT SONGS IN ADDITION TO MICK RYAN. I THINK THERE IS A RECORD OUT SOON.

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: oombanjo
Date: 11 May 06 - 03:14 PM

keep us posted

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: oombanjo
Date: 11 May 06 - 03:17 PM

AND who wrote. John Rilly came from Galway town in the year of the Irish hunger, sailed away to America when the country was much younger.??? Oombanjo from the same cd

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: Declan
Date: 11 May 06 - 03:31 PM

That song was on "The Crossing" CD.

It was written by Tim O Brien and Guy Clark, with, i think, some input by Ron Kavanagh, who wrote a song called "The men that God made mad" on the same subject.

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 May 06 - 03:34 PM

My band does John Reilly as well. I arranged it with the "A" part of Loch Leven Castle as the break between verses and we end it with a breakdown of the full song. We steadily increase tempo until you would swear the arms would fly off the whole band. Brings the house down every time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mick Ryan's Lament
From: GUEST,Robert Emmet Dunlap
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 10:41 AM

Wanted to let those interested know that we finally completed the Robert Emmet Dunlap "Notes from Home" CD and website (www.robertemmetdunlap.com)....sound clips available for a listen including Mick Ryan's Lament. Happy New Year and thanks again for the thoughtful discussions. RED

Subject: Mick Ryan's Lament - Robert Emmet Dunlap
From: Splott Man
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 05:55 AM

I've been singing Mick Ryan's Lament by Robert Emmet Dunlap for a number of years, but I've become uncomfortable about sing the line:
'by a red man defending his native land'.

I wonder if anyone here has an acceptable edit that can be used, that maintains the meaning without giving offence.

Thanks
Splott Man

Subject: RE: Mick Ryan's Lament - Robert Emmet Dunlap
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 04:41 PM

But you don't mind offending the person whose song you are singing by changing his lyrics ?

Subject: RE: ADD: Mick Ryan's Lament (Robert Emmet Dunlap)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Mar 23 - 06:26 PM

Hi, Splott Man -
That's a hard one. I can't imagine one of Custer's soldiers using any term other than "red man" or "Indian." And since the song is written from a historical context, I think the use of "red man" is acceptable.

But I'm one who's likely to err on the side of accuracy. Many Mudcatters have disagreed with me vehemently when I refuse to euphemize the title of "Run Nigger Run."



The verse in Question:
MICK RYAN'S LAMENT
(Robert Emmet Dunlap)

Well my name is Mick Ryan, I'm lyin still
In a lonely spot near where I was killed
By a red man defending his native land
In the place that they call Little Big Horn

Subject: RE: ADD: Mick Ryan's Lament (Robert Emmet Dunlap)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Oct 25 - 02:11 PM

There's a great Web page on Mick Ryan's Lament from the songwriter himself, Robert Emmet Dunlap.

https://www.robertemmetdunlap.com/?page_id=316

Subject: RE: ADD: Mick Ryan's Lament (Robert Emmet Dunlap)
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Oct 25 - 01:33 AM

ao substitute brave man for red man