Subject: RE: The Foggy Dew (NOT Bachelor)
From:
Minna
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 02:58 PM
Hello,
Today I had the chance to check the Irish Newspaper Archives and here's what I found:
1. the earliest completely certain reference to the song was in Meath Chronicle on October 28, 1922. That article doesn't really tell anything about the song but there's a part of the first verse.
2. some older articles mentioned "modern" or "most recent" version of Foggy Dew but I cannot know for sure which version they mean. I found these references from the time period January 3, 1920 - July 15, 1922. There might be more than one "modern" Foggy Dew these articles are refering to.
3. some articles also had some verses or even the whole song but the author wasn't mentioned. (e.g. in November 11, 1954 Leitrim Observer The Foggy Dew was under "Old Songs and Ballads" with no information about the origins.)
4. and finally, what was told about the author:
This is what Leitrim Observer says about the issue on June 8, 1957. ("The Foggy Dew", page 6, I don't know the writer of the article.)
' - - the version of "The Foggy Dew" (the words by Rev. Charles O'Neill, who was a Curate in St. Peter's Church, Belfast, about the time of the Rising). He adapted his verses to the melody of "The Foggy Dew" which was first printed in "Songs of the Irish Harpers," edited and arranged by Charlotte Milligan Fox.'
Then the article continues to tell about the origins of the melody and briefly discusses the meaning of "foggy dew". Later in the article the writer continues:
'When Father O'Neill adapted the air for his stirring song, he had the good fortune to be associated with the late Carl G. Hardebeck, who was then an organist in one of the Belfast churches. Mr. Hardebeck retained the melody as published by Mrs. Fox, but gave it a vigorous setting, so that it sounds quite different than the old folk song. Hardebeck gave militant touch to the accompaniment, which never fails to arouse an Irish audience to a high pitch of enthousiasm. In his lyrics, Father O'Neill stresses the fact that Irishmen who are duped in the service of Britain, receive very little recognition form the British Government after all the tumult and shouting has died down.'
And the article goes on with this analysis until it ends with lyrics to the song.
Reverend T. J. Lavin, Ph.D., M.A. in "Poets of the Easter Week" (page 8) in Irish Independent, April 7, 1969:
'Father Charles O'Neill of Belfast wrote the "Foggy Dew", a song that still stirs nostalgic memories in most of us, for it was sung in thousands of homes throughout the length and breadth of Ireland during the long and dark but glorious nights of the Black and Tan era.' (Lavin also writes about O'Neill: 'Other fine songs he wrote, too, for his sensitive nature was deeply moved by the glorious deed of the dead patriots.')
Especially the writer of the article in Leitrim Observer seems to know what they are talking about. And I think it's likely that the song was written between 1919 and 1921 based on both the references on news about concerts from that time and the couple of mentions that the song was sung during the Anglo-Irish War. What do you think? Am I completely wrong with this interpretation?
Minna
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sj
