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Also known as "Down by the Glenside". Words from ‘Irish Music Hall’, George M. Cohan 1907. Judy Collins did a version, Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem recorded it in 1969, and it was used in the John Ford/John Wayne film Rio Grande (1950). Notes from Cantaria: This song was written by Peadar Kearney (1883-1942), who also wrote the national anthem of Ireland. Incidentally, Brendan Behan, the Irish playwright, poet and singer was Kearney’s nephew.
The sheet music in the book was truncated.
Bold Fenian Men
by Peadar Kearney
[Dm] Down by the [Am] glenside, I [Dm] met an old [Am] woman,
A’ [Dm] plucking young [Am] nettles, nor [Dm] saw I was [Am] coming
I [Dm] listened a while to the song she was [Am] hummin’
Glory [Dm] O!, Glory [Am] O!, to the [Dm] bold [Gm] Fenian [Dm] men.
‘Tis fifty long years since I saw the moon beamin’
On strong manly forms and their eyes with hope gleamin’
I see them again, sure, thro’ all my daydreamin’
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
When I was a girl, their marchin’ and drillin’
Awoke in the glenside sounds awesome an’ thrillin’
They loved poor old Ireland, and to die they were willin’
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
Some died by the glenside, some died ‘mid the stranger
And wise men have told us their cause was a failure
But they stood by old Ireland and never feared danger,
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
I passed on my way, God be praised that I met her
Be life long or short, I shall never forget her
We may have great men, but we’ll never have better.
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
A’ [Dm] plucking young [Am] nettles, nor [Dm] saw I was [Am] coming
I [Dm] listened a while to the song she was [Am] hummin’
Glory [Dm] O!, Glory [Am] O!, to the [Dm] bold [Gm] Fenian [Dm] men.
‘Tis fifty long years since I saw the moon beamin’
On strong manly forms and their eyes with hope gleamin’
I see them again, sure, thro’ all my daydreamin’
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
When I was a girl, their marchin’ and drillin’
Awoke in the glenside sounds awesome an’ thrillin’
They loved poor old Ireland, and to die they were willin’
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
Some died by the glenside, some died ‘mid the stranger
And wise men have told us their cause was a failure
But they stood by old Ireland and never feared danger,
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
I passed on my way, God be praised that I met her
Be life long or short, I shall never forget her
We may have great men, but we’ll never have better.
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.