Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford

Subject: need words 'Battle of the Yellow Ford'
From: GUEST,Len Wallace
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 06:18 PM

Hello Friends,

Just heard an Irish song about the battle at the Yellow ford, about the rising of O'Neill against Queen Elizabeth in the late 1500's. I heard it sung to the tune of the Houghs of Cromdale.

Does anyone have the words?

Many thanks.

Subject: RE: need words 'Battle of the Yellow Ford'
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 08:13 PM

The only thing I could find is a long poem, here(click), and I don't think that's what you are looking for.....

Subject: RE: need words 'Battle of the Yellow Ford'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 10:19 PM

Well, I certainly hope not; it's the worst bit of doggerel I've seen in a long time!  For what it's worth, there is a double jig from Tyrone in G Major called The Yellow Ford, also known as The Hazel Stick (An Maide Coill). It was printed by Breandán Breathnach in his Ceol Rince na hÉireann (vol. II, 1976; No. 13, pg. 10).  I haven't found notation for it on the net.  I suspect that the song in question is a modern composition, as none of the many online articles about the battle make any reference to it.  Others will know more.

Malcolm

Subject: Lyr Req: The Battle of Yellow Ford
From: maire-aine
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 11:29 AM

Greetings, all.
I have searched all over Mudcat and Google, without success. Perhaps this just hasn’t been discussed. I have the lyrics to a song about the Battle of Yellow Ford, but nobody is credited with writing it. Also, some of the words are guesses.
The first verse starts out
The Virgin Queen rests uncontented/Hugh O’Neill her crown has dented/Rebel ways he’s not repented/still defies her English laws.
The chorus goes
The noblest of Ulster Lords/Have joined O’Neill and pledged their swords/Swore an oath and gave their words/to win the day at Yellow Ford.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? Does anybody know who wrote the lyrics. It uses the tune for “The Battle of Yellow Ford”.
Thank you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 11:48 AM

Hi, Maire-aine - I combined your request with the existing thread. Can you post the entire lyrics that you have?
Thanks.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 02:53 PM

A few un-helpful notes.

First, I can't get Maire-aine's words to fit "The Haughs of Cromdale," so it may be that we're talking about two different songs.

Second, those lyrics really don't sound like Tudor English, especially as used in Ireland. I agree with Malcolm Douglas that we are almost certainly talking about a modern song, or at least one that has been modernized.

FWIW (I): The only traditional song I know with any real connection to the Yellow Ford is "O'Donnell Aboo (The Clanconnell War Song)."

FWIW (II): To save people time, the song is not in Peter J. Seng, Tudor Songs and Ballads from MS Cotton Vespasian A-25, Harvard University Press, 1978.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Paul Burke
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 03:48 AM

If it's any help, Athboy in Co. Meath is the Yellow Ford. There doesn't seem to have been any notable battle there. Maybe the only place in Ireland so.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 05:04 AM

Paul Burke wrote:

Athboy in Co. Meath is the Yellow Ford. There doesn't seem to have been any notable battle there.

Wikipedia entry on the Battle of the Yellow Ford (1598):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Yellow_Ford.

It was basically the O'Neills versus the English, and it was during the reign of Elizabeth I. Hence, presumably, the first lines of the song, " The Virgin Queen rests uncontented/Hugh O’Neill her crown has dented."

This is the context of the song I mentioned, "O'Donnell Abou."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: maire-aine
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 09:31 AM

Thanks, Joe, for combining the threads.

The lyrics fit a march called "The Battle of Yellow Ford". You can find the notes at https://thesession.org/tunes/1287.

I'm guessing that both the tune and the lyrics are modern, but no clue as to the source.

I will transcribe the lyrics & post tonight.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: maire-aine
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 09:54 AM

Here are the lyrics as I learned them.

THE BATTLE OF YELLOW FORD

The Virgin Queen rests uncontented
Hugh O’Neill her crown has dented
Rebel ways he’s not repented
still defies her English laws.
She has sent her forces north
Sir Henry Bagnell* leads them forth.
Has orders to relieve Fort More*
And end this treason evermore.

Chorus:
The noblest of Ulster Lords
Have joined O’Neill and pledged their swords.
Swore an oath and gave their words
to win the day at Yellow Ford.

The West has rallied to the call
And Hugh O’Donnell leads them all.
And Hugh McGuire, Fermanagh’s lord
Six hundred horsemen ride t’ the ford.
Above the sea, the times of old
A glorious victory is foretold
As spirits soar, their hearts made bold
Await the command of proud ________*.

The war pipes wail their marshal sound
Bagnell’s advance is turned around.
O’Neill pursues and gaining ground
The red hand banner flying proud.
Retreat is called; they’re undefended
Bagnell falls; the battle’s ended.
Quickly won and well contended.
Ulster is O’Neill’s once more.

*Notes: There are some liberties taken with lyrics so they scan. The English commander was “Bagenal”, but scans better as “Bag’nell”. The fort was “Blackwater” not “More”. The last word of the third stanza is lost to me, but it should be something that rhymes with “old/bold/foretold”.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 09:58 AM

That's "martial" sound, maire-aine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: cnd
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 11:25 AM

Thanks for sharing. Do you know the source, or where this recording came from? Any idea of provenance helps.

No guess here on whose proud command the many Hughs were awaiting.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 11:48 AM

Hi, Maire-aine - I combined your request with the existing thread. Can you post the entire lyrics that you have?
Thanks.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 09:58 AM

That's "martial" sound, maire-aine.

Subject: Lyr Req: The Battle of Yellow Ford
From: maire-aine
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 11:29 AM

Greetings, all.
I have searched all over Mudcat and Google, without success. Perhaps this just hasn’t been discussed. I have the lyrics to a song about the Battle of Yellow Ford, but nobody is credited with writing it. Also, some of the words are guesses.
The first verse starts out
The Virgin Queen rests uncontented/Hugh O’Neill her crown has dented/Rebel ways he’s not repented/still defies her English laws.
The chorus goes
The noblest of Ulster Lords/Have joined O’Neill and pledged their swords/Swore an oath and gave their words/to win the day at Yellow Ford.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? Does anybody know who wrote the lyrics. It uses the tune for “The Battle of Yellow Ford”.
Thank you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: maire-aine
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 09:31 AM

Thanks, Joe, for combining the threads.

The lyrics fit a march called "The Battle of Yellow Ford". You can find the notes at https://thesession.org/tunes/1287.

I'm guessing that both the tune and the lyrics are modern, but no clue as to the source.

I will transcribe the lyrics & post tonight.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: maire-aine
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 09:54 AM

Here are the lyrics as I learned them.

THE BATTLE OF YELLOW FORD

The Virgin Queen rests uncontented
Hugh O’Neill her crown has dented
Rebel ways he’s not repented
still defies her English laws.
She has sent her forces north
Sir Henry Bagnell* leads them forth.
Has orders to relieve Fort More*
And end this treason evermore.

Chorus:
The noblest of Ulster Lords
Have joined O’Neill and pledged their swords.
Swore an oath and gave their words
to win the day at Yellow Ford.

The West has rallied to the call
And Hugh O’Donnell leads them all.
And Hugh McGuire, Fermanagh’s lord
Six hundred horsemen ride t’ the ford.
Above the sea, the times of old
A glorious victory is foretold
As spirits soar, their hearts made bold
Await the command of proud ________*.

The war pipes wail their marshal sound
Bagnell’s advance is turned around.
O’Neill pursues and gaining ground
The red hand banner flying proud.
Retreat is called; they’re undefended
Bagnell falls; the battle’s ended.
Quickly won and well contended.
Ulster is O’Neill’s once more.

*Notes: There are some liberties taken with lyrics so they scan. The English commander was “Bagenal”, but scans better as “Bag’nell”. The fort was “Blackwater” not “More”. The last word of the third stanza is lost to me, but it should be something that rhymes with “old/bold/foretold”.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Paul Burke
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 03:48 AM

If it's any help, Athboy in Co. Meath is the Yellow Ford. There doesn't seem to have been any notable battle there. Maybe the only place in Ireland so.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: cnd
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 11:25 AM

Thanks for sharing. Do you know the source, or where this recording came from? Any idea of provenance helps.

No guess here on whose proud command the many Hughs were awaiting.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 28 Aug 23 - 02:53 PM

A few un-helpful notes.

First, I can't get Maire-aine's words to fit "The Haughs of Cromdale," so it may be that we're talking about two different songs.

Second, those lyrics really don't sound like Tudor English, especially as used in Ireland. I agree with Malcolm Douglas that we are almost certainly talking about a modern song, or at least one that has been modernized.

FWIW (I): The only traditional song I know with any real connection to the Yellow Ford is "O'Donnell Aboo (The Clanconnell War Song)."

FWIW (II): To save people time, the song is not in Peter J. Seng, Tudor Songs and Ballads from MS Cotton Vespasian A-25, Harvard University Press, 1978.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Battle of the Yellow Ford
From: Robert B. Waltz
Date: 29 Aug 23 - 05:04 AM

Paul Burke wrote:

Athboy in Co. Meath is the Yellow Ford. There doesn't seem to have been any notable battle there.

Wikipedia entry on the Battle of the Yellow Ford (1598):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Yellow_Ford.

It was basically the O'Neills versus the English, and it was during the reign of Elizabeth I. Hence, presumably, the first lines of the song, " The Virgin Queen rests uncontented/Hugh O’Neill her crown has dented."

This is the context of the song I mentioned, "O'Donnell Abou."