Lyr Add: Willie Ward

Subject: Lyr Add: WILLIE WARD (Brian McGinnis)
From: Turlough
Date: 26 Oct 03 - 05:57 AM

This one is sung by Jim MacFarland on the CD "Where Linnets sing" from the Goilin Club. The little booklet that goes with it says it was written by one Brian McGinnis (born in Glack, 1912). I also have the tune, but, once again, I don't know how to put that in here...

WILLIE WARD
^^
Mid beauty and splendour, in grace do meander
flows the Roe's gentle tide by the Pelliper glade
Near the town of Dungiven our hero is living
His name's Willie Ward, he's a cobbler by trade

A word to his credit and when I have said it
You'll agree, he's a prince with a hammer and awl
And without one omission give due recognition
In return to the service he gives to us all

Sure he stacks the best leather and puts it together
It's easy to see that his work is his pride
Perfection procuring yet strong and enduring
No better a man has laid hands on a hide

His skill is so famous that household his name is
From his Owenbeg and around Derryyard
If you think past repairing the pair you are wearing
Don't throw them away till you see Willie Ward

For he'll brush them and scrape them, remodel and shape them
The uppers he won't desecrate with a knife
He'll patch them and sew them, heel them and toe them

He'll add a full year, maybe more, to their life
And when you're in town you just take a run down
You'll find them all mended and ready for you
And there won't be a scramage when you hear the damage
You'll find, like himself, the charge is modest too

O 'tis great satisfaction to watch him in action
He'll always take care the fine points to display
A touch of the master, it's quite a disaster
That men of his talents are fading away

No time to be lazy, he's always kept busy
Footwear of all kind you will find on the floor
There are black ones and brown ones and big ones and small ones
On just a wee tab from the fire to the door

His smile as you enter, icebox it would temper
The cares of the world he would melt into wax
The truly repairing true son of old Erin
With a heart full of love and a mouth full of tacks

All you who use leather join voices together
And wish him the best that the future might bring
May he always be near us to comfort and cheer us
And keep our feet happy through winter and spring

Good fortune assail him, good health never fail him
Give him strength to his arms for to hammer and sew
Long has he repaired us, long may he be spared us
To keep our feet dry on the banks of the Roe