ADD: The Prayer of Shiel (Shield) / Sweet Liberty

Subject: Lyr Req: Garva and the prayer of Shields
From: widowmaker
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 07:11 AM

Can anyone help with the chords and lyrics for Garva's Prayer of Shields? I think it was on an album called "Sweet Liberty"

Subject: Lyr Add: SWEET LIBERTY (John Shields)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 09:18 PM

Is this the song you have in mind? I found it at the web site of The Black Brothers. It is on their album "Time for Touching Home" (1989).


SWEET LIBERTY
(John Shields)

A little Irish man am I,
A radical indeed, sir,
And radical I mean to die
In my religious creed, sir.
I love all men, I do declare.
Me church has taught me this, sir.
To some me love is quite sincere.
To others it is less, sir.

CHORUS:
Sweet liberty's the thing for me,
For it I ever feel, sir,
And Ireland free from slavery
It is the prayer of Shields, sir.

A man of my religious creed,
Suppose he was a bad man;
Were I to help him in his need,
Would I not be the madman?
The Jew he is me fellow man.
The Turk the same indeed, sir.
To the infidel I'd wish him well
And help him in his need, sir.
CHORUS

If one is good, it's naught to me
What is the creed or clan, sir.
The earth is all one family
From Adam and Eve began, sir;
But the one who puts oppression down,
Well, that's the one for me, sir;
I care not whether black or brown
Or church or country, sir.
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Garva and the prayer of Shields
From: GUEST,Bearheart
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 08:26 PM

Does anyone know the origin of this song, or where the Black Family got it? I have a recording of them singing it but no details. Love their rendition and the sentiments expressed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Garva and the prayer of Shields
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 10:50 PM

Hi, Bearheart - this page (click) has a review of a Black Family performance. The review says that "Sweet Liberty" was penned a century ago by Portadown’s John Shields.

Here's a Black Family recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMHNLSnQE64

Apparently, Shay Black was a member of the five-member Liverpool group Garva, which recorded the song as "The Prayer of Shields."

I found a review that says "Shay (Black) leads the up-tempo "Prayer of Shields," written by a 19th century Portadown linen weaver, it was written to promote harmony amongst peoples." (http://www.library.folknorthwest.co.uk/FNW%20V28%20Iss1%20Summer%202005.pdf - page 38)

Subject: RE: ADD: The Prayer of Shields / Sweet Liberty
From: Bearheart
Date: 16 Dec 18 - 08:49 AM

Sweet!!!! Thanks so much!

I am remembering why I used to haunt Mudcat so much in years past. I need to get back here more often.

Subject: RE: ADD: The Prayer of Shields / Sweet Liberty
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jan 19 - 08:41 PM

I remember learning the song off a program on RTE, the Irish radio station, way back in the early 70's. I had a little reel-to-reel tape that I held in front of the radio. Someone sang The Prayer of Shields on one of the trad programs, possibly a program called "The Long Note". Stretching back into the depths of my memory, it might have been sung by Sean Corcoran, but that is a guess at this stage.
If someone knows Sean, he might have some info about the song.
~ Shay Black

Subject: RE: ADD: The Prayer of Shields / Sweet Liberty
From: False Lankum
Date: 01 Jun 20 - 09:30 AM

The Prayer of Shiels is on a CD that was released last year called The Usher Family, where it is sung by Pat Usher. The Ushers were a renowned musical family who lived in Tenure Co. Louth, just outside of Drogheda. It is very likely that Pat Usher was the source for both Seán Corcoran's and the Black Family's versions.

Subject: RE: ADD: The Prayer of Shields / Sweet Liberty
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 23 - 01:51 PM

This is my best approximation of the text that Ian Lynch sings of John Sheil's song.

Sweet Liberty / The Prayer of Sheil
John Sheil, Drogheda, c. 1784—5th July 1872

A little Irish man am I,
A radical indeed, sir,
A radical I mean to die
It’s my religious creed, sir.
I love mankind, I do declare.
My life has taught me this, sir.
To some my love is quite sincere.
To others it is less, sir.

Chorus
Sweet liberty's the thing for me,
If I should ever feel, sir,
And Ireland free from slavery
Is still the prayer of Sheil, sir.

A man of my religious creed,
Suppose he were a bad man;
Were I to help him in his deed,
Would I not be a madman?
The Turk he is my fellow man.
The Jew the same indeed, sir.
To the infidel I raise my hand
And help him in his need, sir.


If man is just, it's naught to me
His colour or his clan, sir.
The earth is all one family
From Adam all began, sir;
But he who puts oppression down,
Well, that's the man for me, sir;
And I care not whether black or brown
His church or country, sir.

I’m still opposed to any strive
I love sweet peace I admit, sir
I wouldn’t hurt or take the life
Of any man on earth, sir
But still, I’ll try all valid means
To free my native land, sir
And through all Ireland’s lovely plains
All tyranny to ban, sir

Subject: RE: ADD: The Prayer of Shields / Sweet Liberty
From: GUEST,Gabriel Scally
Date: 11 Apr 24 - 06:10 AM

There is a very fine radio documentary about John Sheil (1784-1872) available. It was made by Seán Corcoran in 2012 and can be found on Soundcloud at: https://soundcloud.com/rollingwave/the-singing-weaver