Lyr Req: This Irish Shore

Subject: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: Gabriel
Date: 21 Sep 17 - 03:50 PM

This rather good song has only one recorded version that I can find. That is by Áine Uí Cheallaigh on the ITMA website.
This Irish Shore
The very start of the song is missing in the recording and there are bits of it that are indistinct to me. Does anybody have the lyrics? I can't find them in any of the usual places. Any history of the song would be welcome as well of course.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 12:04 PM

Here's my attempt at a transcription. Note there are several gaps. Corrections and suggestions are welcome. I also Googled with several phrases found here, and failed to find any similar lyrics.


THE IRISH SHORE
As sung by ?ine U? Cheallaigh, heard at the Irish Traditional Music Archive.

? Hibernia unto my narration,
I pray pay attention until I reveal
Without an address to our brave Irish nation,
? bankruptcy soon will prevail.
The badness of times and the weight of taxation
Are now universal the country all o'er.
The poor are distressed and their lowly condition
Cause our ? address upon this Irish shore.

The landlord will call for his rent at the quarter,
And the rector as ardently calls for his due.
To answer all these sure can be no easy matter,
For our wives and our children would need something too;
But the produce of labour with all our endeavour
Has proven quite unequal to pay off the score.
With a train of vile taxes one after another
We are loaded to death upon this Irish shore.

The Irish mechanic, the spinner and the weaver,
Will all bear testimony to what I say.
They loudly will cry for the want of the money,
Oh, the want of the money for it's all ta'en away.
Could the ? condescend but today or an hour
To uphold(?) the privations the poor must endure,
Oh they surely would use ev'ry means in their power
To grant some relief unto this Irish shore.

This beautiful nation has long been recorded
For friendship and sweet hospitality too.
The air of this island it could not be exceeded
If you were to travel the universe through;
But the greatest legislator we now must petition,
Whom kingdoms and people are taught to adore.
Only he now can better our lowly condition
And grant some relief unto this Irish shore.

Ah but I have been wasting my ink and my paper
In singing and writing the badness of times,
So now I'll away till I get some other matter
To furnish a song or to fill up my rhymes.
This country was a-thriving when Boney was a-?.
We had food and clothing and whiskey galore.
Ah but now that he lies upon the isle of Saint Helena.
Prosperity's fled from this Irish shore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 10 Oct 17 - 06:43 AM

Hmmm... Should know this one? Sounds like one from Shiels of Dundalk. John Moulden will certainly know. If he doesn't post over next few days, I'll check with Áine.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: Gabriel
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 05:07 PM

Martin, No sign of any further postings. Can you check with ?ine? She seems to be the only person who sings it.
Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 04:01 AM

Enquiry started ...

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 05:14 AM

Aine tells me that she learned it from a booklet of songs by Hugh McWIlliams (19C. schoolteacher songwriter in the North of Ireland) published by - John Moulden! I think I even have a copy in my collection. If not... I'll chase up John.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 07:55 AM

Hugh McWilliams called it The Irish Shore. I'll post a full text as he wrote it. If anyone wants a copy of the booklet, let me know and we can exchange contacts.

A small thing - the Shiel of Dundalk mentioned by Martin is actually Sheil from Drogheda. He's the most astonishing of all Ireland's known song makers in English

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 09:14 AM

Thanks, John.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 07:05 PM

That's great. It's good to come across another Hugh McWilliams song. I really like his "Peace in Erin"

Subject: Lyr Add: THE IRISH SHORE (Hugh McWilliams)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 11:20 AM

From a Transcription of McWilliams' second book of 'Poems and Songs on Various Subjects' by Hugh McWilliams, Schoolmaster (Belfast, 1831) and republished verbatim in my booklet of the same name (Portrush, 1994)- which contained a selection with suggested tunes, either from traditional versions or plausibly those named by McWilliams.

If there are any discrepancies please follow them up in this thread.

I've already received one inquiry about the booklet - the first characters of my email are jmoul81075 - the rest is at the end of this posting.

THE IRISH SHORE.
Words, Hugh McWilliams; Tune: Brave Donnelly.

YOU sons of Hibernia unto my narration,
Pray lend your attention, until I reveal,
Without a redress to our brave Irish nation,
A general bankruptcy soon must prevail;
The badness of times and the weight of taxation,
Are now universal the country all o'er,
The poor are distressed, and their lowly condition
Calls loud for redress on the Irish shore.

The landlord will look for his rent at the quarter,
The Rector as ardently calls for his due,
To answer all these, can be no easy matter,
Our wives and our children would need something too.
The produce of labour, with all our endeavour,
Appears quite unequal to pay up the score,
With a train of vile taxes, one after another,
We're loaded to death on the Irish shore.

The Irish mechanic, the spinner, the weaver,
Can bear testimony to all that I say,
They loudly complain for the want of the money,
The want of the money, the money's away.
Would the great condescend buy a day or an hour,
To thole the privations the poor must endure,
They surely would use every means in their power,
To grant some relief to the Irish shore.

But I am but wasting my ink and my paper,
In sketching or writing the badness of times,
Therefore I'll desist, till I get something better,
To furnish a song, or to fill up my rhymes.
Our commerce still flourished when Boney was reigning,
We had food and clothing, and whiskey gallore;
But now since he sleeps in the Isle of Saint Helen,
Prosperity's fled from our Irish shore.

This beautiful nation has long been recorded,
For friendship and sweet hospitality too.
The air of our Island can not be exceeded,
If you were to travel the universe through.
But the great Legislator, ah! let us petition,
Whom kingdoms and people are taught to adore,
'Tis he that can better our lowly condition,
And send a redress to our Irish shore.

Historically, this song refers to a period of economic hardship and cash crisis that followed the defeat of Napoleon that was strongly felt across Ireland and is expressed in other songs.

The remainder of my email address is [AT] aol.com.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: This Irish Shore
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 05:58 PM

There are two errors in my post above. My booklet was issued, not in 1994 but 1993 and the word 'buy' in line 5 of the third stanza should, of course, be 'but'.