A Requiem For the Fallen

[MadKalnod]

After hearing of the first Coalition fatalities this weekend, I was moved to look up an old Irish song to honor them. While "The Foggy Dew" was originally written about the 1916 Easter Rebellion in Dublin, also called the Post Office Rebellion, the last two verses are highly appropriate to the current effort to end the tyranny of one of the most brutal despots in living memory.

"The bravest fell, and the requiem bell
Rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide
In the springing of the year
And the world did gaze, with deep amaze,
At those fearless men and true
Who bore the fight that freedom's light
Might shine through the Foggy Dew.

Ah, back through the glen I rode again,
And my heart with grief was sore
For I parted then with valiant men
Whom I never shall see more
But to and fro in my dreams I go
And I'd kneel and pray for you
For slavery fled, O glorious dead,
When you fell in the Foggy Dew."

 

[Celticrose2001]

Nice Find MK

I second that MK...God Bless our troops over there and god rest the souls of those who gave their life for their county.
I don't know where it comes from but there is also the old saying :No greater love hath he that lays down his(or her) life for their country

Maggie

PS are you of Irish descent?

 

[luv2bt&tickled]

Amen! Thanks for posting this MK, God bless our troops, and God bless America!!!!

 

[Dave2112]

Thank you so much for taking the time to find this classic. It's fittingly appropriate, and I'm sure our men and women who are risking thier lives appreciate the mass sentiments being sent thier way.

 

[qjakal]

A tribute to better times...

Those of you who have closed your minds about France will need to skip this one....there's sentiments in here that echoed strongly for me after 9-11, and there's a hint of the glory and majesty that France once attained. May better times come for all soon:


Place de la Condorde, August 14, 1914
[Since the bombardment of Strasburg, August 14, 1870, her statue in Paris, representing Alsace, has been draped in mourning by the French people.]

Near where the royal vicitims fell
In days gone by, caught in the swell
Of a ruthless tide
Of human passion, deep and wide:
There where we two
A Nations's later sorrow knew --
To-day, O friend! I stood
Amid a self-ruled multitude
That by nor sound nor word
Betrayed how mightily its heart was stirred.

A memory Time never could efface --
A memory of Grief --
Like a great Silence brooded o'er the place;
And men breathed hard, as seeking for relief
From an emotion strong
That would not cry, though held in check too long.

One felt that joy drew near --
A joy intense that seemed itself to fear --
Brightening in eyes that had been dull,
As all with feeling gazed
Upon the Strasbourg figure, raised
Above us -- mourning, beautiful!

Then one stood at the statue's base, and spoke --
Men needed not to ask what word;
Each in his breast the message heard,
Writ for him by Despair,
That evermore in moving phrase
Breathes from the Invalides and Père Lachaise --
Vainly it seemed, alas!
But now, France looking on the image there,
Hope gave her back the lost Alsace.

A deeper hush fell on the crowd:
A sound -- the lightest -- seemed too loud
(Would, friend, you had been there!)
As to that form the speaker rose,
Took from her, fold on fold,
The mournful crape, gray-worn and old,
Her, proudly, to discolose,
And with the touch of tender care
That fond emotion speaks,
'Mid tears that none could quite command,
Placed the Tricolor in her hand,
And kissed her on both cheeks!

Florence Earle Coates

 

[cleopatra2003]

🙂 These were great! Thanks for sharing with those of us who would not have saw them had you not shared.

 

[venray]

Bless the souls of those we have lost...bless the souls of the innocent victims....may the casualties be few and the days of war short.......




Ven

 

[red indian]

Not very bright thinking I,m afraid........

........I doubt many of the British forces currently shouldering the burden in Basra would find it an appropriate choice, given the number of their colleagues who may have fallen to American backed terrorism in Northern Ireland, although this funding thankfully dried up very quickly post 9/11 but it makes you wonder about those that did give money before 9/11 and then stopped, I presume they knew what they were paying for?

 

[qjakal]

Presume away...

And I presume you're speaking of individuals or organizations rather than the American government, or else you'd presumably produce documentation? 😕 Q

 

[Limeoutsider]

Thanks for sharing! Don't forget about the little kids who've been left motherless/fatherless (hopefully for just the duration of) because of the war

 

[magnolia2day]

Bless the souls of those we have lost...bless the souls of the innocent victims....may the casualties be few and the days of war short.......




Ven

Yes, Amen! Thanks for posting this, it was touching!🙂

 

[MadKalnod]

Re: Not very bright thinking I,m afraid........

........I doubt many of the British forces currently shouldering the burden in Basra would find it an appropriate choice, given the number of their colleagues who may have fallen to American backed terrorism in Northern Ireland

As I said, Red, I know what the song was originally about, and I agree that the rest of it was not appropriate. That's why I did not post the stanzas about the 1916 Rebellion itself, because, apart from their having no relevant application to the present matter, I didn't want to get into any accusations of moral equivalence between it and the current situation. In truth, it's always irritated me to no end that these last two stanzas are preceded by a maudlin paean to an ill-fated and selfishly-intended attempt to preserve Irish isolationism in WWI. I merely felt that the portion cited was sufficiently universal and moving in its sentiment to warrant sharing in this circumstance.

 

[red indian]

OK Mal point taken............

.........just dont try to sing it anywhere near "2 Para"!!!

 

[JoBelle]

Re: Re: Not very bright thinking I,m afraid........

I merely felt that the portion cited was sufficiently universal and moving in its sentiment to warrant sharing in this circumstance.

And it did warrant such, Mad. I think everyone else took it the way you intended it to be taken. The phrasing was beautiful, and I'm sure anyone can understand the history of appointing words for one situation to the life of another.

What you shared with us is a certain sentiment of thought. It wasn't a political view, and I thank you for the SENTIMENT. I'm sure everyone (who realized that was the point) would appreciate it just as much.

Jo