Songs of Passion

The Sash/ The Fields of Athenry - What’s the Problem?

The Sash My Father Wore and The Fields of Athenry are both excellent tunes and when set to lyrics, they both lend themselves to passionate and rousing song renditions. When football fans such as those of Glasgow Rangers and Celtic get into them, a fire gets ignited. Passionate, rousing renditions however, stir different people in different ways and the passion can be interpreted as offensive and insightful. Now the media and the great and the good, seem to have a collective understanding that the singing of The Sash, or even the playing The Sash as a tune, is a definite no no. In other words, sash bashing is socially acceptable. The impact that rousing renditions of The Fields of Athenry has on certain people however, should not be underestimated. I know a folk singer, actually an Ulster Protestant but not a football fan, who several years ago was severely beaten for singing this song in a Belfast club. The wrong song in the wrong place; in fact, he actually had a television set smashed over his head. Definitely an extreme reaction, especially when you examine the words of the song.

By a lonely prison wall
I heard a young girl calling
Micheal they are taking you away
For you stole Trevelyn's corn
So the young might see the morn.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.
Chorus
Low lie the Fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly.
Our love was on the wing we had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.

By a lonely prison wall
I heard a young man calling
Nothing matter Mary when your free,
Against the Famine and the Crown
I rebelled they ran me down
Now you must raise our child with dignity.

By a lonely harbour wall
She watched the last star falling
As that prison ship sailed out against the sky
Sure she'll wait and hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry

No, there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to get upset at those lyrics – not even if you are the great, great grandson of the British civil servant, Charles Trevelyan. Ok, the sentiments are about fighting for freedom against British oppression in Ireland during the famine of 1845 – so what? It was actually only written in the 1970’s by a Pete St. John who I assume shortly afterwards became a millionaire on the royalties.

Now the words of The Sash on the other hand, go back over 100 years. The tune is probably at least early 19^th century and an earlier song set to the tune was called, “The Hat My Father Wore”. Other more recent songs have been set to the tune as well. Several years ago I happened to be standing in a train station in Manchester. All was quiet and calm until about a hundred football fans came roaring in – clapping and signing passionately at the top of their voices. The tune was The Sash and with the way their voices echoed around the station the words sounded like The Sash. I thought for a moment I had missed a few stops and ended up in Glasgow. I soon found out though that they were Stockport County fans and they were actually signing their anthem, “The Scarf My Father Wore”

As in any old traditional song, there are many variations in the lyrics of The Sash but the gist of the song is always the same. It is essentially about an Orangeman from Ulster going over to celebrate the 12^th Day in Glasgow. A common traditional version would be

Chorus:
Sure it's old, and it is beautiful
And its colours they are fine
It was worn at Derry, Aughrim,
Enniskillen, and the Boyne.
Sure my father wore it as a youth
In the bygone days of yore,
And it's on the Twelfth I love to wear
The sash my father wore.

Sure I'm an Ulster Orangeman
And from Erin's Isle I came
To see my Glasgow brethren

All of honour and of fame.

A good true blue blade that’s just arrived
From the dear old Ulster shore
All on the 12th day of July
In the sash my father wore.

So here I am in Glasgow town
Youse boys and girls to see
And I hope in good old Orange style
You all will welcome me.

For I can sing and dance like any man

In the bygone days of yore

And it’s on the 12^th I love to wear

The sash my father wore.

And when I'm going to leave you all
Good luck til youse I'll say
And as I cross the raging sea,
On my Orange flute I'll play.
And returning to my native land
To the dear old Ulster shore
To be welcomed back by Orangemen
In the sash my father wore.

Ok, another popular version talks about “our ancestors who fought in days of yore” and the chorus refers to battles involving King William III of Orange, including the Boyne in 1690. In this battle, Roman Catholic soldiers fought on the side of King Billy and his victory was celebrated by the Pope in the Vatican. What is there to be offended about?

The fighting of battles gets a mention in national anthems. In the Irish National Anthem - The Soldiers Song, it says “Mid canons roar and rifles peal, we’ll chant a Soldiers Song.” “We’re children of a fighting race, that never has known disgrace”. In verse 2 of the British National Anthem, God Save the Queen, it says “our Lord our God arise, scatter her enemies and make them all fall”. The British version is a wee bit diluted perhaps, but it’s all the same message. It may seem regrettable that our ancestors; my ancestors and your ancestors, had to fight for their freedom and against oppression, or what they perceived as oppression – but they did. There’s nothing wrong with commemorating the past. It doesn’t mean that you have a desire for history to repeat itself.

Now there are songs that are sung today that are clearly offensive and are clearly meant to be. These songs should not be tolerated in public places when they are deliberately sung to offend. National anthems, The Sash My Father Wore or The Fields of Athenry, don’t fit into this category. The powers that be, the media and others who see themselves as being beyond such primal practices would better spend their time educating people that they don’t really have the right to obstruct others in singing their songs of passion.