Friday, March 29, AD 2024 2:19am

The Irish Volunteer

Something for the weekend.  The Irish Volunteer.  A mainstay of the Union armies in the eastern theater during the Civil War were Irish Americans who volunteered in huge numbers to fight.  This song was popular among the men who fought so gallantly on many a field for their adopted nation.

My name is Tim McDonald, I’m a native of the Isle,
I was born among old
Erin’s bogs when I was but a child.
My father fought in ” ‘Ninety-eight,” for
liberty so dear;
He fell upon old Vinegar Hill, like an Irish
volunteer.
Then raise the harp of Erin, boys, the flag we all revere
We’ll
fight and fall beneath its folds, like Irish volunteers!
Then raise the harp
of Erin, boys, the flag we all revere
We’ll fight and fall beneath its folds,
like Irish volunteers!

When I was driven from my home by an oppressor’s
hand,
I cut my sticks and greased my brogues, and came o’er to this
land.
I found a home and many friends, and some that I love dear;
Be
jabbers! I’ll stick to them like bricks and an Irish volunteer.
Then fill
your glasses up, my boys, and drink a hearty cheer,
To the land of our
adoption and the Irish volunteer!
Then fill your glasses up, my boys, and
drink a hearty cheer,
To the land of our adoption and the Irish
volunteer!

Now when the traitors in the south commenced a warlike
raid,
I quickly then laid down my hod, to the devil went my spade!
To a
recruiting-office then I went, that happened to be near,
And joined the good
old “Sixty-ninth,” like an Irish volunteer.
Then fill the ranks and march
away!–no traitors do we fear;
We’ll drive them all to blazes, says the Irish
volunteer.
Then fill the ranks and march away!–no traitors do we
fear;
We’ll drive them all to blazes, says the Irish volunteer!

When
the Prince of Wales came over here, and made a hubbaboo,
Oh, everybody turned
out, you know, in gold and tinsel too;
But then the good old Sixty-ninth
didn’t like these lords or peers
They wouldn’t give a damn for kings, the
Irish volunteers!
We love the land of Liberty, its laws we will
revere,
“But the divil take nobility!” says the Irish volunteer!
We love
the land of Liberty, its laws we will revere,
“But the divil take nobility!”
says the Irish volunteer!

Now if the traitors in the South should ever
cross our roads,
We’ll drive them to the divil, as Saint Patrick did the
toads;
We’ll give them all short nooses that come just below the
ears,
Made strong and good of Irish hemp by Irish volunteers.
then here’s
to brave McClennan whom the arny now reveres
He’ll lead us on to victory,
the Irish volunteers.
Then here’s to brave McClellan, whom the army now
reveres
He’ll lead us on to victory, the Irish volunteers.

Now fill
your glasses up, my boys, a toast come drink with me,
May Erin’s Harp and the
Starry Flag united ever be;
May traitors quake, and rebels shake, and tremble
in their fears,
When next they meet the Yankee boys and Irish
volunteers!
God bless the name of Washington! that name this land
reveres;
Success to Meagher and Nugent, and their Irish volunteers!
God
bless the name of Washington! that name this land reveres;
Success to Meagher
and Nugent, and their Irish volunteers!


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Dale Price
Dale Price
Saturday, July 30, AD 2011 10:30am

I remember an anecdote about an Irish-born Union soldier who was captured during a battle. One of his Confederate captors looked at him and said “Move it, Yankee!” He said that was the first time it sank in that he was an American.

Mike McLaren
Mike McLaren
Saturday, July 30, AD 2011 4:48pm

The Irish gained the world, but forfeited their souls. Let us pray for the reconversion of our beloved Erin.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Sunday, July 31, AD 2011 7:54am

That was then. This is now.

We have Kennedys, Dalys, O’Bamas, et al.

Tom Connelly
Tom Connelly
Tuesday, August 2, AD 2011 6:55am

Love the sound of the bodhrán.

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