The Foggy Dew

 

At a time when almost every part of the UK is calling for varying degrees of autonomy and independence – and is also trying to achieve this – a protest song has come back to mind.

The Foggy Dew was written in 1919 by Father Charles O’Neill to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising. In the song, it symbolizes the sudden, silent awakening of Irish nationalism and the spark of rebellion. The song’s main message is a direct criticism of the Irish who fought for the British Empire during the First World War. At that time, hundreds of thousands of Irish people joined the British Army – often encouraged by politicians who hoped this would secure Home Rule for Ireland after the war. The fact that this hope came to an end on the bloody battlefields of Gallipoli is a tragedy for everyone. Sinnead O’Connor recorded an outstanding version of this song years ago together with The Chieftains.

Another artist who always includes songs about an uprising in his set is Christy Moore. As an Irishman, in ‘Back Home In Derry’ he describes the consequences for the rebels of the United Irishmen back in the early 19th century, when they were exiled to Tasmania as punishment for the failed uprising. Bobby Sands took up this theme whilst in prison and compared the conditions on the ships to his own prison conditions.

They Never Came Home

 

In times like these when you should keep distance to people from another household I turn more and more to Netflix during the weekend. And I suppose that we will get a dusk-to-dawn curfew because the numbers of new infected people is still on a high level and many intensive care units around my place are completely occupied. So me and former Mrs. W., who still can't go home to Sri Lanka, watched the series about The Queen and her first 50 years regency a few days ago. She was impressed about the history and immense on the tragedy that happened in Aberfan, South-Wales in 1966 when a colliery spoil tip collapsed into homes and a school, killing 116 children and 28 adults. We discussed a lot about the reasons and agreed that only profit and ignoring public rules made this disaster happen. In this context I remembered another tragedy, happened on Valentines day 1981 in Artane, Dublin when a fire in a nightclub erupted and killed 48 children because the fire escape doors where locked. I love Christy Moore for telling us the story in a wonderful song and all the other folk singers who commented occasions and tragedies in their songs.

Christy Moore - They Never Came Home

 

Rebel Yell: Catalania is not spain

Hi,
tonight there will be one more time the classico in spanish football between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. What is new is the fact, that the supportes of Barcelona will demonstrate for more autonomy for the catalonians. I don't know, if it is because of the so called Euro-crisis or not. But I shure know, that the same effort becoming more autonomy was one of the main reasons for starting spanish civil war.

What happened there is also a dark side of german history. All the fascist leaders of europe supported the fascist nationalist general Franko. Remember Legion Condor an their horrible bombing of Guernica.

What is seldom told, is that in these war fought a lot of men from all over Europe to support the spanish people in their fight against the fascist. They are known as the international socialist brigades.

This song remains of them and give them a musical memorial.

Listen, enjoy and have a good week.
Christy Moore - Viva la quinta brigada