The Writing Of Tipperary
(Bill Caddick)
King Edward the 7th whom some called the Peacemaker. died in 19 & 10.
He was buried at Windsor, and in the procession were the finest and highest of men:
There were 9 crowned kings. 30 proud princes. leaders of many a land.
And old Kaiser Bill stood next to King George with his field marshal's baton in hand.
Crippen* was captured the very same year that Halley's Comet flashed by.
The first of the Labour Exchanges* was opened the year the old king died.
The Sydney St. Siege* of 1911 saw anarchy die in the flames.
In London in June. King George and his queen played their coronation game;
"Peace with a gun." said the Kaiser in Hamburg.as he watched his new battleships.
King George made India. Ireland and Wales places for right royal trips.
Titanic was launched the day of the Derby and London's last horse-bus was shelved.
Suffragettes* marched demanding their rights when in came 1912....
Jack Judge went down to West Bromwich town to welcome the brand new year.
He went to a pub and he had a little sup.lor he liked his pint of beer.
When he had a lew he began to sing and his voice he lifted high.
"My name is Jack Judge, and I'll write you a song, from old Bury town am I."
Now a Birmingham man who was sitting close by heard what Jack did say.
"A pound to a penny '"said he to Jack."you can't write a song in a day."
Well. Jack Judge laughed and sang another song and he said I'll take you on.
"I'll write you a song this afternoon that I'll sing before day is done.
"I'll write you a song this afternoon that I'll sing before day is done."
Well. Jack Judge laughed and he sang another song and he called for a pint of beer.
Then he caught the train to Stales bridge; that night he was due to appear.
On the very first day of 1912. old Jack Judge won his hot.
And the song he made and sang that day. we never will forget.
And the song he made and sang that day. we never will forget.
March 1912. brave Scott* and his comrades died as a snowstorm roared.
Later that year good General Booth* finally laid down his sword.
There were riots in Ireland concerning Home Rule:
Mrs Pankhurst* imprisoned again.
Wilbur Wright died - the first of the fliers
and the Royal Fying Corps was named.
Titanic went down in the spring of that year, taking one thousand
five hundred lives.
The Balkan states blazed form border to border and Death began
sharpening his knives.
Of the 1910 monarchs who mourned for King Fid ward,
in 1913 few survived.
Though some of them lived to a peaceful old age.
assassins took most of their lives.
Death came calmly to Denmark and Sweden.
but elsewhere the murder's hand
Claimed the Pasha of Turkey, the King of the Greeks, while
Spain was suiting death's plan;
And the armies of Europe paraded and postured.
the stockpile of weapons increased.
At the Hague as if in grim desperation.
they opened a palace of peace.
1914 saw more Suffragettes' marches.
and the Archduke of Austria slain.
In less than two months all of Europe was marching.
and Death was in business again.
And main's a lad from main's a family willingly ga\e of his all.
They died m their millions for dubious
victory answering Kitchener's* call.
As they went to the war in the trains and the troopships, they sat
as they hurried along.
And the words echoed back from the graveyards of 1 landers.
singing old Jack Judge's song..
It's a long way to Tipperary. it's a long way to go;
It's a long way to Tipperary. to the sweetest gal I know.
Goodbye Piccadilly. and it's farewell Leicester Square.
It's a long, long way to Tipperary. but my heart lies there
Notes:
*Crippen - English doctor who murdered his wife apprehended
at sea in one of the first uses of ship-to-shore radio; *Labour
exchanges - unemployment bureaus:
*Sydney St. Siege - anarchist revolt suppressed by the authorities:
*Suffragettes - activists for women's voting-rights: *Scott
Antarctic explorer: *General Booth - founder olf the Salvation
Army; *Mrs. Pankhurst - leader of the Suffragettes; *Lord
Kitchener- English field marshal.
- Seamus Kennedy
-
Seamus Kennedy in Concert
- The Liar Time: 2:57
- Down in the Coalmine Time: 2:30
- Murphy & the Snails Time: 3:39
- Hard Times Time: 3:20
- The Drover's Dream Time: 2:24
- The Writing of 'Tipperary' Time: 5:14
- TWA Recruiting Sergeants Time: 3:45
- The Nuns & the Devil/Johnny & the Bishop Time: 1:31
- The Widow & the Fairy/The King of the Fairies Time: 3:28
- Rose Time: 0:43
- The Mouse Time: 1:22
- The Wearing of the Green/The Rising of the Moon Time: 3:41
- Moses-Ri-Tooral-I-Ay Time: 2:01
- Take Her in your Arms Time: 3:16
- Scottish People Time: 2:45
- The Greatest Love/A Bottle of the Best Time: 2:42
- Look at Maggie Now Time: 3:01
- City by the Lagan Side Time: 2:34
- Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go Time: 4:39
- The Parting Glass Time: 2:01
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