Dying Rebel
"The Dying Rebel"(My Only Son was Shot in Dublin) is a popularIrish rebel songabout a man finding a dyingIrish rebelfromCounty CorkinDublinduring the 1916Easter Rising.Its age is uncertain, but it is still sung by contemporary Irish singers.[1]
The song does not refer to the death of any particular rebel.[2]It reflects on the human cost of rebellion rather than the glorification of the conflict and the martyrdom of its leaders.[3]It has been performed and recorded by many Irish artists. It originates from sometime before 1961, but the author is unknown.
In 1957, the Glasgow born skittle playerLonnie Doneganmade a recording of the song, which was released in 1958.
It was recorded in Ireland on the Glenside label in 1961 by Patricia Blake.[4]
It was recorded byTommy Drennanand the Monarchs in 1966 and released on the Ember label albumFifty Years After.[5]It was re-released on the Celtic Pride label, onKevin Barry,in 1999.Dominic Behanrecorded it on the soundtrack of the 1966 TV documentaryRebellion At Easter.[6]
More recently it was recorded byThe Wolfe Tones,Sonny Knowles(onSunshine and Shamrocks),MargoonCountry and Irish,The Jolly Beggarmen (onThe Very Best of Irish Rebel Songs), Athenrye (onThe Dying Rebel,1997), Clover Rebel Band, and the Merry Ploughboys (on their second album,Unharnessed,1999).[7]A popular version of the song was recorded by Éire Óg, although the song was written decades before the band formed.
References[edit]
- ^Songs and recitations of Ireland, Book 2, "The Harp".Cork, Ireland: C. F. N. 1973. p. 14.
- ^Glassie, Henry H.(2008).Passing the time in Ballymenone: culture and history of an Ulster community.University of Pennsylvania Press, 1982. p. 833.ISBN978-0-8122-7823-1.
- ^Warfield, Derek;Daly, Raymond (2010).Celtic and Ireland in Song and in Story.University of Michigan. p. 289.ISBN978-0956104700.
- ^Billboard, 23 October 1961
- ^Billboard, 17 June 1967
- ^"Irish Film and TV Research Online".Rebellion at Easter.Trinity College Dublin.RetrievedMarch 20,2013.
- ^"The Merry Ploughboys".Irish Music CDs.Merry Ploughboys.RetrievedMarch 20,2013.