Roddy McCorley
Roddy McCorley's Brave Stand: A Tale of Defiance and Destiny
Lyrics
O see the fleet-foot host of men,
The observer sees a swift-moving group of men.
Who march with faces drawn,
These men march with stern expressions on their faces.
From farmstead and from fishers' cot,
They come from farms and fishermen's cottages.
Along the banks of Ban;
Along the banks of the Ban River.
They come with vengeance in their eyes.
They carry a sense of revenge in their eyes.
Too late! Too late are they,
Unfortunately, they are too late for some purpose.
For young Roddy McCorley goes to die
Young Roddy McCorley is on his way to execution on the Toome bridge today.
On the bridge of Toome today.
Up the narrow street he stepped,
Roddy walks up a narrow street.
So smiling, proud and young.
He appears cheerful, proud, and youthful.
About the hemp-rope on his neck,
Around his neck, the golden ringlets cling to the hemp rope.
The golden ringlets clung;
There's ne'er a tear in his blue eyes,
No tears are seen in his blue eyes, indicating fearlessness and bravery.
Fearless and brave are they,
As young Roddy McCorley goes to die
Roddy McCorley is on his way to execution on the Toome bridge today.
On the bridge of Toome today.
When last this narrow street he trod,
On his last journey through this narrow street,
His shining pike in hand
He carries a shining pike in hand.
Behind him marched, in grim array,
Behind him, a serious and strong group marches in formation.
A earnest stalwart band.
To Antrim town! To Antrim town,
He leads them to the battle in Antrim town.
He led them to the fray,
But young Roddy McCorley goes to die
Roddy McCorley is on his way to execution on the Toome bridge today.
On the bridge of Toome today.
There's never a one of all your dead
No one among the dead showed greater bravery in battle.
More bravely died in fray
Than he who marches to his fate
The one who marches to his fate in Toomebridge town today is true to the end.
In Toomebridge town today; ray
True to the last! True to the last,
Roddy McCorley remains true to the last as he ascends towards his destiny.
He treads the upwards way,
And young Roddy McCorley goes to die
He is on his way to execution on the Toome bridge today.
On the bridge of Toome today.
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