Lyr Req: Highland Paddy

Subject: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From: Frank
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 10:27 AM

Does anyone know the Lyrics to an irish rebellion song, probably titled "Highland Paddy"? The first verse starts with:"One evening fair, as the sun was shining, to Kilkenny I did ride, I did meet with Captain Brady...." That's all I know and I didn't find it in the database. Thank you for your help...

Frank

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 06:51 PM

I've got the words on the sleeve of an old Finbar & Eddie Furey LP, 'Four Green Fields'. If no one beats me to it, I'll type them out over the weekend. - Susanne

Subject: Lyr Add: HIGHLAND PADDY
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 28 Jun 99 - 06:47 PM

Frank, I think this is what you're after:

Chorus:
You are welcome, Highland Paddy
And by my side you'll surely stand
Hear the people shout for freedom
We rise in the morning with the Fenian band

One evening fair as the sun was shining
To Kilkenny I did ride
I did speak with Captain Brady
He'd a tall commander by his side
Oh sir I've come to fight for Ireland
For to drive the Saxon from our land
He laughed at me his eyes were shining
Ah but then he caught me by the hand

So in the morning we rose early
And just before the break of dawn
Blackbirds singing in the heather
Greeting us through the smiling band
And gather round ye men of Ireland
And raise your voices to the sky
Let the green flag fly forever
In the cause of freedom we'll fighting die

Oh in our town close by the river
On a lonely summer's day
I saw the captain sorely bleeding
Oh I knelt beside him and I heard him say
Oh fare thee well my Highland Paddy
Drive them from our countryside
Freedom is a word we cherish
And the bird was silent and this young man died

Oh all my life I will remember
Yes I'll remember night and day
Once I rode into Kilkenny
And I heard that noble Fenian say

'Highland Paddies' - explained in the sleevenotes to Finbar and Eddie Furey's 'Four Green Fields' (1972) as Irishmen emigrated to Scotland, who returned to fight for Ireland in the '98.
^^

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From: Frank
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 03:55 AM

Thank you Susanne, that was exactly what I was looking for. You must be a walking Folksong Database, amazing...

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 07:24 PM

Not really - it's all the computer's doing ... And just once in a while the DT helps, of course (not in this case).

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From:
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 09:49 AM

a forum search with 'highland paddy' as 'subject' would have helped in this case.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 05:49 PM

I did a (brief) search before I promised to post it, and it didn't show up. Maybe it was the spelling again. The Fureys have 'Paddie'. I can't remember now what I used. Anyway, how's a person to know? - Susanne

Click here for related thread

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From: Philippa
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 02:04 PM

the song is written and copyrighted by Sean McCarthy

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From: Stewie
Date: 30 Nov 99 - 06:58 PM

Wolfgang, the version you gave in the related thread is exactly the one that the Wolfe Tones did on their 'Till Ireland a Nation' album. They also attributed it to Sean McCarthy. Which one did McCarthy actually write?

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Highland Paddy
From: Wolfgang
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 12:44 PM

Stewie, I don't know, but I guess 'both' could be a correct response. Often writers write more than one version, leave out a verse in the next and so on. Of course, it also can happen that somebody else (singing the song changes a line or two but thinks his changes are too small to mention and still attributes the lyrics to the first writer.

Wolfgang

Subject: Lyr Add: HIGHLAND PADDY
From: Philippa
Date: 01 Dec 99 - 02:15 PM

just slightly different in McCarthy's book:

HIGHLAND PADDY

One evening fair as the sun was shining
To Kilkenny I did ride
I did speak with Captain Brady
And the tall commander by his side

"I've come to fight for my land,
Drive the Saxon from our land
He looked at me his eyes were shining
And he took me by the hand

Chorus:
Ah! then you are welcome, Highland Paddy,
And by my side you'll surely stand,
Hear the people shout for Freedom
And we'll ride in the morning with the Fenian band,
We'll ride in the morning with the Fenian band

In the morning we rose early,
Just before the break of dawn,
Blackbirds singing in the heather,
Greetings to a smiling morn.

Gather round me men of Ireland,
Raise your voices towards the sky,
Let the green flag fly forever,
In the cause of freedom we will fight and die.

chorus:
We did meet the Saxon yeoman
A mile outside Kilkenny town
And to hand with sword and musket,
Men lay dead on the ground

I could hear the Captain calling
"Rally Fenians, rally round
Death to all the Saxon tyrants,
spill their blood upon this holy ground."

chorus:
In the glenside by a river
On a lovely summer's day
I saw the captain sorely bleeding,
I knelt beside him and I heard him say

Fare thee well my Highland Paddy
Drive them from our countryside
Freedom is a word to cherish
And the birds were silent when this Fenian died

All my life I will remember
I'll remember night and day
Once I rode into Kilkenny
And I heard this noble Fenian say:

Ah! then you are welcome, Highland Paddy,
And by my side you'll surely stand,
Hear the people shout for Freedom
And we'll ride in the morning with the Fenian band,
We'll ride in the morning with the Fenian band

by Sean McCarthy, as published in The Songs of Sean McCarthy (Listowel, Co Kerry, 1973)