Origins: Henry Joy, faithful to the last

Subject: Origins: Henry Joy, faithful to the last
From: GUEST,brownalemugger
Date: 20 Jan 19 - 07:28 AM

https://youtu.be/IHPH-5zMjNo

I'm looking for the writer of this song. I had presumed it was Ciaran Murphy but am failing to find concrete evidence of this online. Nor can I find his contact details.

I originally heard it from a Ewan MacLennan album but I have a digital version so no liner notes unfortunately.

Subject: RE: Origins: Henry Joy, faithful to the last
From: GUEST,Brownalemugger
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 10:15 PM

So apparently Ewan has it listed as anon.
I have the feeling it's recent enough in its creation but I still haven't pinpointed whose it is.

Subject: RE: Origins: Henry Joy, faithful to the last
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 02:59 AM

This page has chords:
https://www.cifras.com.br/cifra/ciaran-murphy/henry-joy-faithful-to-the-last

  D G D G D G D G D G 
  
       D                             Em            G 
  On a warm summer late morning in a field outside Glenarm, 
            D                                   G 
  There was two young fellas resting; they had toiled their father's farm, 
         D                     G 
  When a tall gentleman rider approached them with a smile, 
                              (Bm)           G 
  saying "brothers, would yis listen for a while?" 
  
  
           D                                      G 
  He said "our country's called Ireland, it's the garden of the earth, 
      D                 (Dm)               A                 G 
  And I've dreamed of a future where our people know their worth, 
             D                               Em                  G 
  Where the laws are written by reason, not landlords, kings, or priests 
  
  Yis can have this boys, if you would walk with me." 
  
  D G 
  
           D                           Em            G 
  "Ah well all people want freedom, so came the two replies, 
         D                             G      
  Oh but more people fear treason, the redcoats and their spies" 
          D                                  Em            G 
  But the tall rider embraced them, "I have true men in Belfast, 
                                      
  I am Henry, I'll be faithful to the last." 
  
           D                            G 
  "And the proud armies of Ulster boast twenty thousand men, 
            D                            Em                G 
  From the dark allies of Belfast, North Down and Antrim's glens, 
           D                          Em                 G 
  Sure, we rose yesterday morning and threw the gauntlet down,  
  
  And tomorrow boys we enter Antrim town." 
  
  
  
           D                                      G 
  Singing "our country's called Ireland, it's the garden of the earth, 
      D                 (Dm)               A                 G 
  And I've dreamed of a future where our people know their worth, 
             D                               Em                  G 
  Where the laws are written by reason, not landlords, kings, or priests 
  
  You can have this boys, if you would walk with me." 
  
  DGDD 
             D                                 Em                    G 
  With their pikes trembling before them, they stormed the barracks' gate, 
          D                              G 
  Let our proud nation adore them, every man there knew his fate, 
           D                      Em             G 
  They had no rifle or cannon, or wages from the crown, 
                            D    G 
  But the redcoats stood in line and shot them down. 
  
  D G D G 
  
         D                               G 
  To the dark, cold Belfast mountain the rebels they laid low, 
       D                           G 
  To a dark wattled cottage, young Henry he did go, 
             D               (Dm)           G     
  There were no French boats approaching, or allies from the south, 
  
  But not a word of doubt came out from Henry's mouth. 
  
                   D             G 
  Cold, tired, and hungry, young Henry made his vow, 
             D                                Em               G 
  "From your proud mothers I stole you, and I won't desert you now, 
         D                     G 
  We are sons of the republic, not panthers but free men, 
  
  And it's never going to be the same again." 
  
  
    D                                      G 
  "Our country's called Ireland, it's the garden of the earth, 
      D                 (Dm)               A                 G 
  And I've dreamed of a future where our people know their worth, 
             D                               Em                  G 
  Where the laws are written by reason, not landlords, kings, or priests 
  
  Yis can have this boys, if you would walk with me." 
  
  D G D G 
  
                D                        Em                   G 
  Through those dark Belfast alleys they dragged young Henry Joy, 
          D                                  Em             G 
  And the same Orangemen cursed him, who had loved him as a boy, 
          D                        Em                     G 
  In the true faith of Jehovah, he feared no death-drum's role, 
  
  "May God and the Republic take my sole." 
  
  
    D                                      G 
  "Our country's called Ireland, it's the garden of the earth, 
      D                 (Dm)               A                 G 
  And I've dreamed of a future where our people know their worth, 
             D                               Em                  G 
  Where the laws are written by reason, not landlords, kings, or priests 
  
  Yis can have this boys, if you would walk with me." 
  
  
  "Ye can have this boys, if you would walk with me." 
  
  
  G D G 

Subject: ADD: Henry Joy (faithful to the last)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 03:07 AM

And since I get annoyed reading chords, here are the naked lyrics:

HENRY JOY (FAITHFUL TO THE LAST)
(as sung by Ciaran Murphy)

On a warm summer late morning in a field outside Glenarm,
There was two young fellas resting; they had toiled their father's farm,
When a tall gentleman rider approached them with a smile,
saying "brothers, would yis listen for a while?"

He said "our country's called Ireland, it's the garden of the earth,
And I've dreamed of a future where our people know their worth,
Where the laws are written by reason, not landlords, kings, or priests
Yis can have this boys, if you would walk with me."

"Ah well all people want freedom, so came the two replies,
Oh but more people fear treason, the redcoats and their spies"
But the tall rider embraced them, "I have true men in Belfast,
I am Henry, I'll be faithful to the last."

"And the proud armies of Ulster boast twenty thousand men,
From the dark alleys of Belfast, North Down and Antrim's glens,
Sure, we rose yesterday morning we threw the gauntlet down,
And tomorrow boys we enter Antrim town."

Singing "our country's called Ireland, it's the garden of the earth,
And I've dreamed of a future where our people know their worth,
Where the laws are written by reason, not landlords, kings, or priests
You can have this boys, if you would walk with me."

With their pikes trembling before them, they stormed the barracks gate,
Let our proud nation adore them, every man there knew his fate,
They had no rifle or cannon, or wages from the crown,
But the redcoats stood in line and shot them down.

To the dark, cold Belfast mountain the rebels they laid low,
To a dark wattled cottage, young Henry he did go,
There were no French boats approaching, or allies from the south,
But not a word of doubt came out from Henry's mouth.

Cold, tired, and hungry, young Henry made his vow,
"From your proud mothers I stole you, and I won't desert you now,
We are sons of the republic, not panthers (??) but free men,
And it's never going to be the same again."

"Our country's called Ireland, it's the garden of the earth,
And I've dreamed of a future where our people know their worth,
Where the laws are written by reason, not landlords, kings, or priests
Yis can have this boys, if you would walk with me."

Through the dark Belfast alleys they dragged young Henry Joy,
And the same Orangemen cursed him, who had loved him as a boy,
In the true faith of Jehovah, he feared no death-drum's roll,
"May God and the Republic take my soul."

"Our country's called Ireland, it's the garden of the earth,
And I've dreamed of a future where our people know their worth,
Where the laws are written by reason, not landlords, kings, or priests
Yis can have this boys, if you would walk with me."

"Ye can have this boys, if you would walk with me."


Notes (from YouTube video above): Henry Joy McCracken was executed for leading the Republican armies of Ulster in 1798. Almost 50 years later his friend and comrade James Hope recalled his ideals and described him as 'Faithful to the last'.

I corrected the lyrics above according to the Ciaran Murphy recording here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHPH-5zMjNo&feature=youtu.be

I don't think the word "panthers" is correct, but I can't figure out what the correct word is. My guess is that this is not a traditional song, and that it may well have been written by the recording artist, Ciaran Murphy.

Subject: RE: Origins: Henry Joy, faithful to the last
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 04:04 AM

That’ll be “Planters”, Joe - the Scottish settlers brought in to settle Ulster in 17C. The process was known as the “Plantation of Ulster”.

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: Henry Joy, faithful to the last
From: mayomick
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 07:40 AM

So Henry Joy was a member of the Ancient Guild of Shoe Menders, was he? That used to be their motto .

Subject: RE: Origins: Henry Joy, faithful to the last
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 09:22 AM

Mayomick

The only possible reply to that is - Shoo!

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: Henry Joy, faithful to the last
From: GUEST,Ciaran Murphy.
Date: 02 Mar 19 - 06:54 PM

'Ciaran Murphy' (stage name) openly wrote and the song. Why Ewan decided to attribute it to nobody, God knows.