Directory of Part 1

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Lilli Burlero

Ho brother Teague, dost hear de decree?
Lilli burlero, bullen a la (insert every other line) Dat we shall have a new deputie,

CHORUS: Lero, lero, lilli burlero,
Lilli burlero, bullen a la
Lero lero, lero lero,
Lilli burlero, bullen a la.

Ho, by my Soul, it is a Talbot;
And he will cut all de English throat,
Though by my soul, de English do prate,
De law's on dere side and de divil knows what,
But if Dispense do come from de Pope,
We'll hang Magna Carta and demselves on a rope.
And de good Talbot is now made a Lord,
And with his brave lads he's coming aboard.
Who all In France have taken a swear,
Dat day will have no Protestant heir.
O but why does he stay behind?
Ho, by my soul, 'tis a Protestant wind,
Now that Tyrconnel is come ashore,
And we shall have Commissions galore.
And he dat will not go to de Mass,
Shall be turned out and look like an ass,
Now, now de hereticks all will go down,
By Christ and St. Patrick's the nation's our own.
Dere was an old prophecy found in a bog,
Dat our land would be ruled by an ass and a dog.
So now dis old prophecy's coming to pass,
For James is de dog and Tyrconnel's de ass.

Note: This immensely catchy tune first turned up in 1641 in Ulster. In 1688, King James II designated Colonel Richard Talbot, a Catholic, as Earl of Tyrconnel and sent him to Ireland as Lord Lieutenant. This enraged the English and Irish Protestants, who took up this song-"For James is de dog and Tyrconnel's de ass"-as their protest. It's been claimed that this tune "whistled James from the throne of England." A nice, if apocryphal, line.

X: 7
T:Lilliburlero!
M:8/8
L:1/8
C:Traditional
S:Lilliburlero!
K:G
D|GAGB2B|ABAc3|
BdGc2B|AGFG3|GAGB2B|
ABAc3|BdGc2B|AGFG3|
g2de2d|g2de2d|defgfe|
dcBA3|dcBABc|dcBABc|
BdGc2B|AGFG2:|

The Song : The Protestant Boys (below)  is sung to the same ancient tune:

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To the Directory for Part 1 click here

The Protestant Boys

(For tune see Lilliburlerro above)

The Protestant Boys are loyal and true
Stout hearted in battle and stout-handed too
The Protestant Boys are true to the last
And faithful and peaceful when danger has passed
And Oh! they bear
And proudly wear
The colours that floated o'er many a fray
Where cannons were flashing
And sabers were clashing
The Protestant Boys still carried the day

When James half a bigot, and more of a knave
With masses and Frenchmen the land would enslave
The Protestant Boys for liberty drew
And showed with the Orange the banner of Blue
And Derry well
Their might can tell
Who first in their ranks did the Orange display
The Boyne had no shyers
And Aughrim no flyers
And Protestant Boys still carried the day

When treason was rampant and traitors were strong
And law was defied by a vile rebel throng
When thousands were banded the throne to cast down
The Protestants rallied and stood by the Crown
And oft in fight
By day and night
They countered the rebels in many a fray
Where red pikes were bristling
And bullets were whistling
The Protestant Boys still carried the day

And still does the fame of their glory remain
Unclouded by age and undimmed by a stain
And ever and ever their cause well uphold
The cause of the true and the trusted and bold
And scorn to yield
Or quit the field
While over our heads the old colors shall play
And traitors shall tremble
When' er we assemble
For Protestant Boys shall carry the day

The Protestant Boys are loyal and true
Though fashions are changed and the loyal are few
The Protestant Boys are true to the last
Though cowards belie them when danger has past
Aye still we stand
A loyal band
And reck not the liars whatever they say
For let the drums rattle
The summons to battle
The Protestant Boys must carry the day

To the Directory for Part 1 click here
 

Lisnagade: A very Old Song

Ye Protestants of Ulster, I pray you join with me,
Your voices raise in lofty praise and show your loyalty;
Extol the day we marched away with Orange flags so fine,
In order to commemorate the conquest of the Boyne.

The first who fought upon the day the Prince of Orange was,
He headed our brave forefathers in their most glorious cause;
Protestant rights aye to maintain, and pop'ry to degrade;
And in the memory of the same we fought a Lisnagade.

'Twas early in the morning before the rise of sun,
An information we received, our foes each with his gun
In ambush lay, near the highway, intrenched within a fort,
Just to disgrace our Orange flag, but soon we spoilt their sport.

We had not march'd a mile or so, when the white flag we espy'd
With a branch of podoreens displayed, on which they much rely'd
And this inscription underneath-"Hail Mary! Unto thee-
Deliver us from these Orange dogs, and then we shall be free,"

At half an hour past two o'clock the firing did commence,
With clouds of smoke and showers of ball;'mid passion most intense;
They called unto their patron saint, to whom they us'd to pray,
But none were near their prayer to hear, and so they ran away. 

X: 3
T:Lisnagade A Very Old Song
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:145
C:Traditional
S:Lilliburlero
K:D
|A|d2 ddcB|A2GFGA|BGED2C|D3X
A|d2ddcB|A2GFGA|BGE2D2C|D3X
E|FEFD2F|A2AF2A|BGE2E|E3X
E|FDFD2F|A2AF2A|Bcde2c|d5

Lisnagade, the fort of the hundred, not far from Scarva, was the site of the large faction fight of 12 july 1791 described in this song. A large party of "Defenders", a secret Roman Catholic agrarian society, took up position in the fort to attack a party of Peep O' Day Boys who were celebrating King William's victory at the Boyne. The song is thought to date from the early 1790's.

To the Directory for Part 1 click here
 

Portadown

In sixteen hundred and forty one those fenians formed a plan
To massacre us Protestants down by the River Bann
To massacre us Protestants and not to spare a man
But to drive us down like a heard of swine into the River Bann

Brave Porter fell a victim, because he did intend
To help his brother Protestants heir lives for to defend
The blood did stain the waters red, their bones lay all around
As they drove them down into the Bann that flows Through Portadown

A lady living in Loughgall and with her children five
She begged for the sake of them to let her be alive
That she might go to England her husband there to see
And to live in peace and unity and far from Popery

But O they would not hear her cry, they placed her on the ground
And after having tortured her the six of them they bound
They said you are a heretic, the Pope you do defy
And its from this bridge in Portadown this day your doom to die.

And after having tortured her to a pain she could not stand
Down through the streets of Portadown they dragged her to the Bann
OShane appointed as her guard to guide her on her way
And the thought of five young children was leading her astray

At least the hundred faithful souls in Portadown were slain
All were the deeds of Popery their wicked words to gain
But god sent down brave Cromwell our Deliverer to be
And he put down Popery in this land us Protestants set free

King William soon came after him and planted at the Boyne
An Orange Tree there that we should bear in mind
How Popery did murder us Protestants did drown
The bones of some can still be seen this day in Portadown. 

X: 4
T:Portadown
M:4/4
L:1/8
C:Traditional
S:Lilliburlero
K:C
|G, |C2CCDE|G2GG2
G|A2GA2B|G3
G|A2GA2B|G2GE2
G|C2DC2A, C3
G, |C2CCDE|G2GG2
G|A2GA2B|G3
G/2 G/2 |A2GA2B|G2GE2
G|C2DC2A,|C3:|| 

This song was collected by Drew in his native Portadown from a friend,David Somerville, who had the words and the air. It recounts the sufferings of the Protestants of the town during the 1641 Rebellion, when the town was taken by the Irish rebel Captain Toole McCann acting under the orders of Sir Phelim O'Neill.
Thirdy-two volumes of sworn depositions, preserved in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, bear a shocking but eloquent witness to the sufferings of Protestant men, women, and children at the hands of a blood- thursty and merciless enemy. Many of the victims did not die by the sword but perished miserably in the bitter Irish winter, stripped of clothing and left without food by the rebels. 

Down the years the terrible events of '41 have echoed through the protestant folk memory, a blood-stained witness to the sufferings which can be visited upon a defenceless people by a well equipped and ruthless enemy.

To the Directory for Part 1 click here
 
 

Dolly's Brae Version 1

Being on the 12th day of July, eighteen and forth-nine
The pagans of this country together did combine,
To shoot and slay our Orangemen upon that glorious day,
They did encamp in thousands great at a place called Dolly's Brae

Lord Roden was Grand Master of the Orangemen just then,
No better chieftain could be found among the sons of men:
To humanists he would not yield, nor any Popish foe.
He firmly stood like Joshua on the plains of Jericho.

He sent an invitation to Rathfriland Orange corps,
To come and spend the day with him at sylvan Tollymore
The Orangemen they did obey their noble chief's command:
So over Dolly's Brae they marched, a loyal, stalwart band.

The sun did shine with splendor in a bright and cloudless sky,
Our drums did beat and fifes did play, and Orange flags did fly,
Each loyal son, with sword and gun, was ready for the fray,
Had the rebel hordes attacked us going over Dolly's Brae.

Priest Mooney and Priest Murphy went through the rebel lines,
Distributing the wafer god among the Phillistines;
Priest Mooney cursed the Orangemen with candle, book and bell,
While the rebel crowd did cry aloud, "We'll drive them all to hell."

But still the Orangemen marched on thru Castlewellan town,
Brave Jordan being in command, he feared no Popish frown,
He nobly led his brethren on like William, Prince of yore,
Until they reached the entrance gate of sylvan Tollymore.

A splendid arch that gate did span which we all passed thru,
And in the center of the arch these words appeared in view;
"Welcome all to Tollymore, this day we gladly join,
To commemorate and celebrate the victory of the Boyne".

Lord Roden gave a brief address, and then to us did say,
"Beware, my Orange brethren, going home by Dolly's Brae,
Give no offense to any man as you're returning home,
But don't look shy when passing by those pagan troops of Rome".

We loudly cheered for Roden then and for the British Crown;
Slieve Donard sent the echo back o'er Castlewellan town.
The pagans heard our loyal cheers, as they lay on the hill,
Awaiting there, like hungry wolves, our Orangemen to kill.

We formed in full procession and unfurled our flags once more;
We bade adieu to all the friends we left at Tollymore.
With fifes and drums and loaded guns we gaily marched away.
Resolving to defend ourselves going home o'er Dolly's Brae.

With courage strong we marched along thru Castlewellan town,
And when we reached the Boretree Hill, a messenger came down.
He says, "Prepare both front and rear, attend to what I say.
A hot reception you will get before you're o'er the Brae.

As o'er the Brae we did proceed, the road being very bare,
The Ribbonmen advantage took and fired upon our rear;
Like lions stout we wheeled about, with powder and with ball,
The volley we sent into them caused scores of them to fall.

The battle it raged loud and keen along the mountain-side,
To save ourselves, as best we could, our ranks we opened wide;
The volleys from the rebel guns had no effect at all,
For not a man among our ranks fell by a Papish ball.

As fearlessly we charged them, their terror it was great,
Thru rocks and whins, to save their shins, they beat a fast retreat
The Coolagh tykes threw down their pikes and boldly ran away,
And cursed the day they came to fight at fatal Dolly's Brae.

The battle being over, the glorious victory won.
We reached our homes that evening by the setting of the sun,
Our wives and sweethearts met us, returning home that day;
With shouts of joy they greeted us safe back o'er Dolly's Brae.

So now my song I mean to end, my pen I will throw down,
I say success to every man supports the British Crown,
And generations yet unborn shall sing this loyal lay,
And speak of those that beat their foes at famous Dolly's Brae.

This is one of the several versions of the song. Dolly's Brae is a steep road with a difficult pass which on 12 July 1848 was occupied by a large assembly of Ribbonmen intent on stopping by violence the traditional march of Orangemen to Tollymore. To prevent trouble the Orangemen avoided the Brae that year, a concession which merely allowed the jubilant Ribbonmen to circulate songs deriding the Orangemen for their supposed cowardice. Confrontation the following year was inevitable: indeed the triumphant Ribbonmen sent a letter to a magistrate, George Shaw, challenging both police and soldiers to meet them on the Brae and boasting that it would be the last Twelfth on which the Orangemen would walk through their country. The Orangemen got through to Castlewellan and held their demonstration but, on their returning over the Brae, they were ambushed. The first shots were fired by the Ribbonmen but the Orangemen were well prepared and on returning the fire killed about 30 Ribbonmen without loss to themselves.
The Government, no friend of Orangeism or of the right of the Orangemen to march, used the Dolly's Brae affray as the excuse for the passing of the Party Processions Act a biased piece of law which penalized Protestants while ignoring the antics of the nationalists.

To the Directory for Part 1 click here
 
 

Dolly's Brae Version2

'Twas on the twelfth day of July in the year of '49
Ten hundreds of our Orangemen together did combine,
In the memory of King William, on that bright and glorious day
To walk all round Lord Roden's park, and right over Dolly's Brae.

And when we came to Westbridge, wasn't that a glorious sight
To see so many Orangemen all willing for to fight,
To march all round the old remains, the music so sweetly did play,
And the tune we played was "The Protestant Boys" right over Dolly's Brae.

And as we walked along the road not fearing any harm,
Our guns all over our shoulders, and our broadswords in our hands,
Until two priests came up to us, and to Mr. Speers did say,
"Come, turn your men the other road, and don't cross Dolly's Brae.

Then out bespeaks our Orangemen, "Indeed we won't delay,
You have your men all gathered and in a manger lay.
Begone, begone, you Papist dogs, we'll conquer or we'll die
And we'll let you see we're not afraid to cross over Dolly's Brae.

And when we came to Dolly's Brae they were lined on every side
Praying for the Virgin Mary to be their holy guide;
We loosened our guns upon them and we gave them no time to pray,
And the tune we played was "The Protestant Boys" right over Dolly's Brae.

The priest he came, his hands he wrung, saying, "My brave boys, you're
dead,
Some holy water I'll prepare, to sprinkle on your heads,"
The Pope of Rome he did disown, his heart was grieveful sore,
And the Orange cry, as we passed by, was "Dolly's Brae no more!"

Come all ye blind-led Papists, wherever that ye be,
Never bow down to priest or Pope, for them they will disown;
Never bow down to images, for God (you must) adore,
Come, join our Orange heroes, and cry "Dolly's Brae no more".

There was a damsel among them all, and one we shall adore,
For she wore the Orange around her head and cried "Dolly's Brae no more!"
And if they ever come back again, we'll give them ten times more,
And we'll christen this "King William's Bridge", and cry "Dolly's Brae no
more."

From The Voice of the People, Mulcahy and Fitzgibbons
Note: Dolly's Brae is a pass in County Down. The song refers to a fight
between Orangemen and Ribbonmen. M & 

X: 2
T:Dolly's Brae
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:120
C:Trad.
S:#16 P.46 Lilliburlero!Vol-2,The Ulster Society
K:C
E/2E/2|E2EC2E|G2GE2|G|c2c dcB|c4|B|A2AABc|G2GE2|G|AFDC2C|C4|C|E2EC2E|G2GE
2|G|A2DD2D|D4|CD|E2EC2E|G2GE2|G/2G/2|c2c dcB|c4||B|A2A ABc|G2GE2|G/2G/2|
AFDC2C|CC4:||

To the Directory for Part 1 click here

The Orange Lily,O!

AND did you go to see the show,
Each rose and pink a dilly, O!
To feast your eyes, and view the prize,
Won by the Orange Lily, O!

Chorus:

Heigh ho, the Lily, O!
The royal,loyal Lily,O
Beneath the sky, what flower can vie
With Erin's Orange Lily, O!

The Viceroy there, so debonair,
Just like a daffadilly, O!
With Lady Clarke, Blithe as a lark,
Approached the Orange Lily, O!

CHORUS

Sir Charley too, looked, very blue,
While laughed Horse Master Billy, O!
To think his EX- a flower should vex
And that an Orange Lilly, O

CHORUS

A fairer flower, throughout the bower
He sought, but willy nilly, O!
With moistened eyes, he gave the prize
To Erin's Orange Lily, O!

CHORUS

The lowland field may roses yield,
Gay heaths the Highland hilly, O!
But high or low, no flower can show,
Like Erin's Orange Lily, O!

CHORUS

Let dandies fine in Bond Street shine,
Gay nymphs in Picadilly, O!
But fine or gay must yield the day
To Erin's Orange Lily, O!

CHORUS

The elated muse, to hear the news,
Jumped like a Connaught filly, o!
As gossip fame did loud proclaim
The triumph of the Lily,O!

CHORUS

Then come brave boys, and share her joys,
And toast the health of Willy, O!
Who bravely won, on Boyne's red shore,
The Royal Orange Lily, O!
CHORUS

A famous Orange song but one whose origins and content remain something of a mystery. It may be a eulogy for a flower the very wearing of which was banned in the middle of the last century by the repressive Emblems Act. Fun is poked at the Viceroy no doubt because he, as a head of the much disliked Dublin Castle administration would have symbolized the repressive act.

X: 5
T:The Orange Lily,O
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:155
S:Lilliburlero
K:C
ED|C2E2G,2A,B,|C3DC2
E2|D3EFEDC|E2A,2 A,2
ED|C2E2G,2A,B,|C3DC2
cB|A2G2ABcG|E2C2C3
x|A2B2c3E|F3GA3
E|D3EFEDC|E2A,2 A,2
ED|C2E2G,2A,B,|C3DC2
cB|A2G2ABcG|E2C2C2:|

To the Directory for Part 1 click here
 
 
 

OLD ORANGE FLUTE

In the county Tyrone, in the town of Dungannon
Where many a ruckus meself had a hand in
Bob Williamson lived there, a weaver by trade
And all of us thought him a stout-hearted blade.
On the twelfth of July as it yearly did come
Bob played on the flute to the sound of the drum
You can talk of your fiddles, your harp or your lute
But there's nothing could sound like the Old Orange Flute.

But the treacherous scoundrel, he took us all in
For he married a Papish named Bridget McGinn
Turned Papish himself and forsook the Old Cause
That gave us our freedom, religion and laws.
And the boys in the county made such a stir on it
They forced Bob to flee to the province of Connaught;
Took with him his wife and his fixins, to boot,
And along with the rest went the Old Orange Flute.

Each Sunday at mass, to atone for past deeds,
Bob said Paters and Aves and counted his beads
Till one Sunday morn, at the priest's own require
Bob went for to play with the flutes in the choir.
He went for to play with the flutes in the mass
But the instrument quivered and cried."O Alas!"
And blow as he would, though he made a great noise,
The flute would play only "The Protestant Boys".

Bob jumped up and huffed, and was all in a flutter.
He pitched the old flute in the best holy water;
He thought that this charm would bring some other sound,
When he tried it again, it played "Croppies Lie Down!"
And for all he would finger and twiddle and blow
For to play Papish music, the flute would not go;
"Kick the Pope" to "Boyne Water" was all it would sound
Not one Papish bleat in it could e'er be found.

At a council of priests that was held the next day
They decided to banish the Old Flute away;
They couldn't knock heresy out of its head
So they bought Bob another to play in its stead.
And the Old Flute was doomed, and its fate was pathetic
'Twas fastened and burnt at the stake as heretic.
As the flames rose around it, you could hear a strange noise
'Twas the Old Flute still a-whistlin' "The Protestant Boys". 

> X: 2
T:The Old Orange Flute
M:4/4
L:1/8
C:Traditional
S:The Orange Lark
K:D
DD|D2F2A2|A2G2F2||E2D2E2|F2D|zD2F2A2|d2e2d2|c2A2B2|c2A2z
A|d2e2 c2|d2A2F2|G2F2G2|A4
DE|F2E2F2|G2A2G2|F2D2D2|D4
AA|d2A2A2|A2B2 =c2|B2G2G2|G2A2
B2|A2G2F2|F2G2A2|G2E2E2|E2A2
AA|d2e2c2|d2A2F2|G2F2G2|A4
DE|F2E2F2|G2A2G2|F2D2D2|D4:||

To the Directory for Part 1 click here
 

THE SASH MY FATHER WORE

Sure l'm an Ulster Orangeman, from Erin's isle I came,
To see my British brethren all of honour and of fame,
And to tell them of my forefathers who fought in days of yore,
That I might have the right to wear, the sash my father wore!

cho: It is old but it is beautiful, and its colors they are fine
It was worn at Derry, Aughrim, Enniskillen and the Boyne.
My father wore it as a youth in bygone days of yore
And on the Twelfth I love to wear the sash my father wore

 For those brave men who crossed the Boyne have not fought or died in vain
Our Unity, Religion, Laws, and Freedom to maintain,
If the call should come we'll follow the drum, and cross that river once more
That tomorrow's Ulsterman may wear the sash my father wore!

And when some day, across the sea to Antrim's shore you come,
We'll welcome you in royal style, to the sound of flute and drum
And Ulster's hills shall echo still, from Rathlin to Dromore
As we sing again the loyal strain of the sash my father wore!

This could well be the best known Orange song From The Orange Lark, published by The Ulster Society

X:2
T:The Sash My Father Wore
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G
|dc|B2 D2 G2 A2|B3 A G2 Bc|d2d2cBc2 A6|
|A2|A2F2D2F2| A3 B c|2 BA |G2 D2G2A2|B3
|dc| B2 D2G2A2|B2B2G2 Bc2|d2d2cBc2|A6
A2|A2F2D2F2|A3 Bc2BA|d2d2|cBA2|G6||
|dc|B2D2G2A2|B3 A G2 Bc|d2d2 cB c2|A6
|AA|A2 F2D2 F2|A3 B c2BA|G2D2G2A2|B6
|dc|B2D2G2A2|B2BA G2 Bc|d2d2 cB c2|A6
|A2|A2 F2 D2 F2|A3 B
c2 BA|d2d2cBA2|G6

To the Directory for Part 1 click here
 

The Green Grassy Slopes

Some folks sing of mountains and valleys
Where the wild flowers abundantly grow,
And some of the wave-crested billows
That dash 'neath the waters below.
But I'm going to speak of a river,
And I hope in the chorus you'll join--
Of the deeds that were done by King William,
On the green grassy slopes of the Boyne.

CHORUS:

On the green grassy slopes of the Boyne,
Where the Orangemen with William did join,
And fought for our glorious deliv'rance
On the green grassy Slopes of the Boyne
On the banks of that beautiful river,
There the bones of our forefathers lie,
Awaiting the sound of the trumpet
To call them to glory on high.
In our hearts we will cherish their memories,
And we all like true Brethren will join.
And praise God for sending us King William,
To the green Grassy slopes of the Boyne

CHORUS

Orangemen will be loyal and steady,
For no matter what'er may betide,
We will still mind our war-cry "No Surrender!"
So long as we've God on our side,
And if ever our service is needed.
Then we all like true Brethren will join,
And fight, like valliant King William,
On the green grassy slopes of the Boyne

CHORUS 

X: 8
T:The Green Grassy Slopes
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:120
C:Traditional
S:The Orange Lark
K:F
EF|G2 G/2G G2 c/2B| BAA2
E/2F |G2GGG2 c\2B|A6
AB|c2dcBAGF|EDD4
d2|c2AFC2EG|F6
EF|G2G/2GG2cB/2 |BAA4
EF|G2GGG2 cB/2 |A6
AB/2|c2dcBAGF|EDD4
dd|c2AFC2EG|F6|
EF|G2GGG2 cB/2 |A6
EF|GGGGG2 cB/2 |A6
AB|c2dcBAGF|EDD4
dd|c2AFC2 DE/2 |F6|:||

To the Directory for Part 1 click here
 

The Battle of Garvagh

The day before the July fair
The Ribbonmen they did prepare
For three miles round to wreck and tear
And burn the town of Garvagh

The Tory whistle loud and shrill
We heard it o'er the high Mourne Hill
Fall on, brave oys, well slay and kill
The Protestants in Garvagh

The day cam on they did repair in multitudes to Garvagh Fair
Some traveled thirty miles and more
To burn the town of Garvagh
They all appeared in greatest haste

White handkerchiefs tied round their wasts
But their jackets we did soundly baste
That July fair in Garvagh
To Coleraine straightaway we went

For aid but none for us they sent
This bloody crew all to prevent
From their design on Garvagh

To Provines then we quick applied
For aid which he soon us denied
Saying Longest stands the toughest hide
I'll find no aid for Garvagh

The Protestants and Orangemen
Like brothers did assemble then
To keep the town was their design
Or die like men in Garvagh

We fired blank shots of no avail
The Orange balls they flew like hail
While Ribbonmen soon turned their tail
With deadly wounds from Garvagh

Then Captain Douay cried, Brave Boys
Maintain your Cause and fear no noise
We'll massacre these Orange Boys
And burn the town of Garvagh

He had not turned himself well round
Till he received a deadly wound
His heels went up his head went down
At the third tree in Garvagh

We gave the word to clear the street
While numbers flew like hunted sheep
When Protestants did Papists meet
At Davidsons in Garvagh

Oh then brave boys if you had seen
Twas the best man through Ballinameen
While Orange Boys pursued them keen
And cleared the town of Garvah

But mark what followed this affray
They thought to swear our lives away
To jail we went without delay
We had no guards from Garvagh

They horrid oaths against us swore
Such swearing you ne'er heard before
McCluskey swore three hours of more
Against the Boys of Garvagh

The Judge then he would us condemn
Had it not been for our jurymen
Our grateful thanks are due to them
For they cleared the Boys of Garvagh

All thanks and praise we'll tender still
To Mr. Price and brave George Hill
The Beresfords befriend us still
For they cleared the Boys of Garvagh.

(refers to the 26th of July 1813) 

X: 6
T:The Battle of Garvagh
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:100
C:Traditonal
S:Lilliburlero
K:G
|D|B,2D2D2EF|G2A2G3
F|E2D2E2G2|A2B2A3
D|B,2D2D2EF|G2A2B3
A|GFEDG2B2|A4G3:||

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The Boyne Water

by Lieutenant Colonel William Blacker
July the First in Ouldbridge Town there was a grievous battle
Where many a man lay on the ground by cannons that did rattle;
King James he pitched his tents between the lines for to retire,
But King William threw his bombballs in and set them all on fire.
There at they vowed revenge upon King William s forces
And oft did vehemently cry that they would stop their courses;
A bullet from the Irish cam an grazed King William s arm,
They thought His Majesty was slain, yet it did him little harm.
Duke Schomberg then, in friendly care, his King would often caution
To shun the spot where bullets hot retained their rapid motion;
But William said, He don t deserve the name of Faith s Defender,
Who would not venture life and limb to make a foe surrender.
When we the Boyne began to cross,the enemy descended,
But few of our brave men were lost, so stoutly we defended;
The Horse it was that first marched o er, the Foot soon followed after,
But brave Duke Schomberg was no more by venturing o er the water.
When valiant Schomberg he was slain, King William he accosted
His warlike men for to march on and he would be foremost;
Brave boys he cried be not dismayed for the loss of one commander,
For God shall be our kin this day and I ll be general under.
Then stoutly we the Boyne did cross to give the enemies battle;
Our cannon to our foes great cost, like thundering claps did rattle;
In majestic mien our Prince rode o er his men soon followed after,
With blow and shout put our foe to the rout, the day we crossed the water.
The Protestants of Drogheda have reason to be thankful
That they were not to bondage brought, they being but a handful;
First to the Those they were brought and tried at Millmount after,
But brave King William set them free by venturing o er the water.
The cunning French near to Duleek had taken up their quarters,
And found themselves on every side still waiting for new orders;
But in the dead time of the night they set the fields on fire
And long before the morning s light to Dublin did retire.
Then said King William to his men after the French departed
I m glad, said he that non of ye seem to be faint-hearted;
So sheath your swords and rest awhile , in time we ll follow after
These words he uttered with a smile the day he crossed the water.
Come let us all with heart and voice applaud our lives defender
Who at the Boyne his valor showed and mad his for surrender
To God above, the praise we ll give now and ever after,
And bless the glorious memory of King William that crossed the water.
pp.171-2Faolain,Turlough,Blood on the Harp,Whitston,Troy,1983.

Version 2

Sir Charles Gavan Duffy

July the First, of a morning clear one thousand six hundred and ninety,
King William did his men prepare-of thousands he had thirty-
To fight King James and all his foes, encamped near the Boyne Water
He little feared,though two to one their multitudes to scatter
King William called his officers saying: Gentlemen, mind your station,
And let your valor her be shown before this Irish nation;
My brazen walls let no man break, and your subtle foes you ll scatter
Be sure you show them good English play as you go over the water.
Both foot and horse they marched on ,intending them to batter
But the brave Duke Schomberg he was shot as he crossed over the water
When that King William did observe the brave Duke Schomberg falling,
He reined his horse with a heavy heart, on the Enniskilleners calling
What will you do for me , brave boy-see yonder men retreating?"
Our enemies encouraged are,and English drums are beating.
He says My boys, feel no dismay at the losing of one commander,
For Good shall be our king this day, and I ll be general under..
Within four yards of our forefront before a shot was fired
A sudden snuff they got that day which little they desired
For horse and man fell to the ground and some hung in their saddle
Others turned up their forked ends which we call coup de ladle
Prince Eugene s regiment was the next, on our right hand advantaged
Into a field of standing wheat where Irish horses pranced-
But the brandy run so in their heads, their senses all did scatter
They little thought to leave their bones that day at the Boyne water.
This ws the third assault they made
Thinking their foes to scatter
But here they got a dismal stroke
And their bones left at the water
The Irish they ran fast away
The French they soon did follow
And he that got the farthest away
Was aye the happiest fellow
They threw away both fife and drum
And firelocks from their shoulder
King William's men pushed very hard
to let them small their powder
But aye the faster that we shot
The faster they did scatter
And now the ford is all myde clear
And you may cross the water
Had Enniskillen men ot leave
When they their foes defeated
For to pursue the victory
In honor they had gained
Ten thoushand brougeineers and more
They ne'er had bred much cumber
Nor Jame's men mad head again
By the third part of their number
Now, praise God all true Protestants and heaven s and earth s Creator
> For the deliverance that He sent our enemies to scatter...
The Churches foes will pine away, like churlish hearted Nabal
For our deliverer came this day like the great Zerubbobel
So praise God all true Protestants, and I will say no further
But had the Papists gained the day, there would have been open murder.
Although King James and many more were ne erthat way inclined
It was not in their power to stop what the rabble they designed.

from - Street songs and Ballads ,Irish Literature.,pp.3271-2,Justin McCarthy Editor, John Hand, author. 

X: 1
T:The Boyne Water
M:4/4
L:1/8
C:Traditional
S:The Orange Lark
K:D
|ED|B, 2 B2 BcdB|AGFED2|
EF|G2FE BAGF| E3D|b,2
ED|B, 2 B2 BcdB|AGFED2
EF|G2E2BAGF|E4E2
A2|A3 B dcdedcBA3
A|B2cde2f2|e2d2B2
c2|d3ed2cBAGFED2
EF|G3ABAGF|E4E2:|

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Unless otherwise indicated songs are from either ( see ABC notation for citation:)
Lilliburlero!,Vol.2,The Ulster Society,1988
or: The Orange Lark,Second Edition,The Ulster Society,1987.

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