Origins: Irish Ways and Irish Laws

Subject: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Dug
Date: 09 Dec 01 - 06:22 PM

I am trying to track down the author of the above song, which I believe to be a man called John Gibbs. Does anybody know if he has a website or if he is contactable? Any other information about him would be useful.

Thanks a lot.

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Dec 01 - 06:38 PM

Bit of a story at the bottom of THIS PAGE

Chords and Lyrics both HERE

Reference on another page refers to him being "Norfolk Based".....

Not much help, but....

Spwa

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: IRISH WAYS AND IRISH LAWS (J Gibbs
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Jan 02 - 11:50 PM

Copied from one of the above websites:

IRISH WAYS AND IRISH LAWS
(John Gibbs)

[Am] Once [G] upon a [Am] time there [Em] was
[Am] Irish [Em] ways and [Am] Irish [G] laws,
[Am] Villa[G]ges of [Am] Irish [Am] blood
[Am] Waking [G] to the [Am] morning,
[Am] Waking [G] to the [Am] morning.

Once upon a time there was
Irish ways and Irish laws,
Villages of Irish blood
Waking to the morning,
Waking to the morning.

Then the Vikings came around,
Turned us up and turned us down,
Started building boats and towns,
And tried to change our living,
They tried to change our living.

Cromwell and his soldiers came,
Started centuries of shame,
But they could not make us turn,
We are a river flowing,
We are a river flowing.

Again, again the soldiers came,
Burnt our houses, stole our grain.
Shot the farmers in the fields
Working for a living,
Working for a living.

800 years we have been down,
The secret of the water sound
Has kept the spirit of a man
Above the pain descending,
Above the pain descending.

Today the struggle carries on,
I wonder will I live so long
To see the gates been opened up
To people and their freedom,
To people and their freedom.

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 03 Jan 02 - 06:10 AM

See also these previous discussions (no particular order):

Irish Ways and Irish Laws  Lyric with suggested chords, and a quote from Christy Moore on how he learned the song (same as in Catspaw's first link).
Lyr Add: IRISH WAYS & IRISH LAWS  Lyrics again.
Irish ways and Irish laws  Lyrics again.
Irish Ways and Irish Laws  Brief discussion of the tune.
Lyr Req: Irish ways and Irish Laws  Another request, answered with two links.
Lyr Add: IRISH WAYS AND IRISH LAWS  Lyric yet again.

Although the text has been posted here at least five times, Gibbs hasn't always been mentioned, and very little information about him has emerged.

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Sean Mac
Date: 03 Jan 02 - 02:53 PM

silly song!!

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 04 Jan 02 - 06:00 PM

The notes from Christy Moore's songbook suggest he knew the author. Maybe someone could rope in Christy or some other member of the Moving Hearts for help. What about Donal Lunny? He knows about everybody, and is much more likely to be on the Net than Christy!

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Dug
Date: 02 Feb 02 - 07:22 PM

Thanks- that's a great idea.

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 03 Feb 02 - 11:18 AM

Methinks we have two parallel threads running on this! The newer thread is here.

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Dug
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 05:50 PM

No- this is the newer thread.

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Dug
Date: 23 Nov 02 - 06:27 PM

Thanks to all those who tried to help. I managed to contact Gibbs.   I'm in regular contact with him now and he's a friend of mine.

Subject: RE: Help: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 01:04 PM

His,
John was here today - and he name me his web side



Best regards, Fritz

Subject: RE: Origins: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: GUEST,Engin Demir Turkey
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 04:57 PM

I don't know who else in Turkey knows and loves this beautifull song!!!!!!

But I do!!!

Subject: RE: Origins: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 05:44 PM

Welcome Engin! (Hope that's correct!) If you like other songs as well stay with us and become a member. We might even learn a bit about Turkish folk songs!

Which reminds me of the question: How many languages are represented in the DT to date?

Subject: RE: Origins: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: GUEST,lass
Date: 15 Oct 07 - 02:33 AM

I LOVE THIS SONG... Sinead O'Connor sings so well... it give me goose bumps :)

Subject: RE: Origins: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: GUEST,Dennis
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 03:14 AM

I bought a CD many years ago that contains a beatiful version of the song with just a Bodhran as accompangement.
It is on "Circle of stone" with Paul O'Brien & Joe Murphy.

Regards
Dennis

Subject: RE: contact John Gibbs
From: GUEST,Diarmuid
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 12:09 PM

Hi, I too would like to be in contact with John Gibbs (thought it was Gibb). I have sung the Irish Ways and Irish Laws song often enough myself and knew John briefly in SE London (I'm now back in native Dublin).
Diarmuid Breatnach

Subject: RE: Origins: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: GUEST,John Gibbs
Date: 12 May 10 - 04:55 AM

Hello Diarmuid,Just read your message from the 23rd of March.

Best Wishes,

John.

Subject: RE: Origins: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: ruairiobroin
Date: 12 May 10 - 10:02 AM

Not back in Kilmacud then John

Subject: RE: Origins: Irish Ways and Irish Laws
From: GUEST,John Gibbs
Date: 14 May 10 - 04:28 AM

Ruairi,

Drop us a line per email.

My email address is [e-mail]

Best wishes,

John.