"Roddy McCorley" - Irish Song

Roddy McCorley (died 28 February 1800) was an Irish nationalist from the civil parish of Duneane, County Antrim, Ireland. Following the publication of the Ethna Carbery poem bearing his name in 1902, where he is associated with events around the Battle of Antrim, he is alleged to have been a member of the United Irishmen and claimed as a participant in their rebellion of 1798.
Lyrics:
See the host of fleet foot men
Who sped with faces wan
From farmstedt and from fishers cot
Along the banks of Bann
They come with vengeance in their eyes
Too late, too late are they
For young Roddy McCorley goes to die
On the bridge of Toome today
Up the narrow streets he steps
Smiling proud and young
About the hemp rope on his neck
The golden ringlets clung
There was never a tear in his blue eyes
Both sad and bright are they
For young Roddy McCorley goes to die
On the bridge of Toome today
When the last stepped up the street
His shining pike in hand
Behind him marched in grim array
A stalwart earnest band
For Antrim town, for Antrim town
He led them to the fray
And young Roddy McCorley goes to die
On the bridge of Toome today
There's never a one of all your dead
More bravely died in fray
Than he who marches to his fate
On the bridge Toome today
True to the last! True to the last
He treads the upwards way
And young Roddy McCorley goes to die
On the bridge of Toome today

[@seanmccann8368]

Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories of my late father; he loved this song and sang it often and well.

[@DariusOfPersia]

See the fleet-foot host of men who speed with faces wan
From farmstead and from fisher's cot along the banks of Bann
They come with vengeance in their eyes, too late, too late are they
For young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today
Up the narrow street he stepped, smiling, proud, and young
About the hemp rope on his neck, the golden ringlets clung
There was never a tear in his blue eyes, but sad and bright are they
For young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today
When he last stepped up that street, his shining pike in hand
Behind him marched in grim array a stalwart, earnest band
For Antrim town, for Antrim town, he led them to the fray
And young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today
There was never a one of all your dead more bravely fell in fray
Than he who marches to his fate on the bridge of Toome today
True to the last, true to the last, he treads the upward way
And young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today

[@adamlucid4752]

You should do the Irish Volunteers

[@FionanUaMurchadha]

Who is it by?

[@adamlucid4752]

​@@FionanUaMurchadha David Kincaid or the wolfe tones

[@debhin]

Great song.. but uhh what happened there in the lyrics in the description? 😂

[@FionanUaMurchadha]

I had no clue 🤣🤣