The Foggy Dew

I have recently encountered this Australian folk enthusiast on Youtube. (See http://uk.youtube.com/user/raymondcrooke). He has a fine repertoire and gives very helpful information about his material. He reminds me of someone and he seems a very nice bloke. Here he is with The Foggy Dew.



Here are the lyrics I have. Raymond seems to have acquired two more verses and I await response to my formal enquiry.

The Foggy Dew
(Fr. P. O'Neill)

'Twas down the glen one Easter morn
To a city fair rode I.
When Ireland's line of marching men
In squadrons passed me by.
No pipe did hum, no battle drum,
Did sound its dread tattoo,
But the Angelus bell o'er the Liffey's swell
Rang out in the foggy dew.


Right proudly high over Dublin town
They hung out a flag of war.
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky
Than at Suvla or Sud el Bar.
And from the plains of Royal Meath
Strong men came hurrying through;
While Britannia's sons with their long-range guns
Sailed in from the foggy dew.


'Twas England bade our wild geese go
That small nations might be free.
Their lonely graves are by Suvla's waves
On the fringe of the grey North Sea.
But had they died by Pearse's side
Or fought with Valera true,
Their graves we'd keep where the Fenians sleep
'Neath the hills of the foggy dew.


The bravest fell, and the solemn bell
Rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide
In the springing of the year.
And the world did gaze in deep amaze
At those fearless men and true
Who bore the fight that freedom's light
Might shine through the foggy dew.

Easter uprising 1916. I believe Fr. O’Neill wrote more verses and that. Originally, ‘Valera true’ was ‘Cathal Brugha’, otherwise known as Charles Burgess, who was second in command of the IRA during the uprising.

Thanks, Ray!

No offence intended, but I just had to add this. Here's Sinéad and The Chieftains: