My name is George Campbell at the age of eighteen
I joined the United Men to strive for the green,
And many a battle I did undergo
With that hero commander, brave General Munro.
Have you heard of the Battle of Ballinahinch
Where the people oppressed rose up in defence?
When Munro left the mountains his men took the field,
And they fought for twelve hours and never did yield.
Munro being tired and in want of a sleep,
Gave a woman ten guineas his secret to keep.
But when she got the money the devil tempted her so
That she sent for the soldiers and surrendered Munro.
The army they came and surrounded the place,
And they took him to Lisburn and lodged him in jail.
And his father and mother in passing that way
Heard the very last words that their dear son did say!
"Oh, I die for my country as I fought for her cause,
And I don't fear your soldiers nor yet heed your laws.
And let every true man who hates Ireland's foe
Fight bravely for freedom like Henry Munro."
And twas early one morning when the sun was still low,
They murdered our hero brave General Munro,
And high o'er the Courthouse stuck his head on a spear,
For to make the United men tremble and fear.
Then up came Munro's sister, she was all dressed in green,
With a sword by her side that was well-sharped and keen.
Giving three hearty cheers, away she did go
Saying, "I'll have revenge for my brother Munro."
All ye good men who listen, just think of the fate
Of the brave men who died in the year Ninety Eight.
For poor old Ireland would be free long ago
If her sons were all rebels like Henry Munro.
I joined the United Men to strive for the green,
And many a battle I did undergo
With that hero commander, brave General Munro.
Have you heard of the Battle of Ballinahinch
Where the people oppressed rose up in defence?
When Munro left the mountains his men took the field,
And they fought for twelve hours and never did yield.
Munro being tired and in want of a sleep,
Gave a woman ten guineas his secret to keep.
But when she got the money the devil tempted her so
That she sent for the soldiers and surrendered Munro.
The army they came and surrounded the place,
And they took him to Lisburn and lodged him in jail.
And his father and mother in passing that way
Heard the very last words that their dear son did say!
"Oh, I die for my country as I fought for her cause,
And I don't fear your soldiers nor yet heed your laws.
And let every true man who hates Ireland's foe
Fight bravely for freedom like Henry Munro."
And twas early one morning when the sun was still low,
They murdered our hero brave General Munro,
And high o'er the Courthouse stuck his head on a spear,
For to make the United men tremble and fear.
Then up came Munro's sister, she was all dressed in green,
With a sword by her side that was well-sharped and keen.
Giving three hearty cheers, away she did go
Saying, "I'll have revenge for my brother Munro."
All ye good men who listen, just think of the fate
Of the brave men who died in the year Ninety Eight.
For poor old Ireland would be free long ago
If her sons were all rebels like Henry Munro.
envoyé par Bernart Bartleby - 5/11/2014 - 15:07
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Canzone di autore anonimo (o forse dello stesso narratore, che nella prima strofa viene individuato in tal George Campbell, giovane “United Man”) risalente alla fallita ribellione irlandese del 1798, quella capitanata da Wolfe Tone.
Nota anche come “General Munroe”
Testo trovato su A Small Collection Of '98 Songs
Incisa da moltissimi artisti, in ordine cronologico: Wallace House (1959), Billy Meek, The Abbey Tavern Singers (1965), Paddy Tunney, Arthur Kearney, Frank Kelly e Joe Tunney (1966), The McPeake Family (1969), The Battering Ram (1973), The Wolfe Tones (1978), Frank Harte e Donal Lunny (1998, in occasione dei 200 anni dalla Irish Rebellion).
Henry Munro era un commerciante di Lisburn, vicino a Belfast, tra le contee di Antrim e di Down.
Benchè fosse benestante e protestante di fede (presbiteriano), nel 1795 si unì agli United Irishmen e ne divenne uno dei leader nella regione. Nel 1798 guidò i ribelli nella battaglia di Ballynahinch, che si risolse in una grave sconfitta. Anche Henry Munro, come tanti altri sbandati – per esempio Betsy Gray – fu catturato nella ritirata. Processato e condannato a morte, Munro fu impiccato sulla soglia di casa sua, davanti ai suoi familiari. Il cadavere fu poi decapitato e la testa esposta sul mercato di Lisburn, infissa su di una picca. Tutte le sue proprietà vennero distrutte.