Londonderry Air

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The "Londonderry Air" is an anthem of Northern Ireland. It is also popular among the Irish diaspora. The tune is played as the Northern Ireland anthem at the Commonwealth Games.

Contents 1 History 2 Danny Boy 3 The Confession of Devorgilla 4 Irish Love Song 5 Use as a hymn tune 6 He Looked Beyond My Fault 7 Reference 8 See also 9 External links

[edit] History

The title of the air comes from the name of the county in Ireland. The air was collected by Jane Ross of Limavady, County Londonderry, and was first published in book form by the Society for the Preservation and Publication of the Melodies of Ireland in 1855 in The Ancient Music of Ireland produced by George Petrie, in which it was listed as an "anonymous air". The title "Air from County Derry" is sometimes used (see also Derry-Londonderry name dispute).

[edit] Danny Boy

The most popular lyrics for the tune are "Danny Boy" ("Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling") written by the English lawyer, Frederick Edward Weatherly, in 1910 and set to the tune in 1913. The words are a love song of a woman to a man, though they are often mistakenly taken to be a call to arms, or a rebel song.

[edit] The Confession of Devorgilla

The first lyrics to be sung to the music were, almost certainly, "The Confession of Devorgilla", otherwise known as "Oh! shrive me, father".

'Oh! shrive me, father - haste, haste, and shrive me,

'Ere sets yon dread and flaring sun;

'Its beams of peace, - nay, of sense, deprive me,

'Since yet the holy work's undone.'

The sage, the wand'rer's anguish balming,

Soothed her heart to rest once more;

And pardon's promise torture calming,

The Pilgrim told her sorrows o'er.

The charms that caus'd in life's young morning,

The woes the sad one had deplor'd,

Were now, alas! no more adorning,

The lips that pardon sweet implor'd:-

But oh! those eyes, so mildly beaming,

Once seen, not Saints could e'er forget! -

And soon the Father's tears were streaming,

When Devorgilla's gaze he met!

Gone, gone, was all the pride of beauty,

That scorn'd and broke the bridal vow,

And gave to passion all the duty

So bold a heart would e'er allow;

Yet all so humbly, all so mildly,

The weeping fair her fault confess'd,

Tho' youth had viewed her wand'ring wildly,

That age could ne'er deny her rest.

The tale of woe full sadly ended,

The word of peace the Father said,

While balmy tear-drops fast descended,

And droop'd the suppliant sinner's head.

The rose in gloom long drear and mourning,

Not welcomes more the sun's mild ray,

Than Breffni's Princess hail'd returning

The gleam of rest that shriving-day.

The first writer, after Petrie's publication, to set verses to the tune was Alfred Perceval Graves, in the late 1870's. His song was entitled 'Would I Were Erin's Apple Blossom o'er You.' Graves later stated '.....that setting was, to my mind, too much in the style of church music, and was not, I believe, a success in consequence.' (ref Audley, below).

Would I were Erin's apple-blossom o'er you,

Or Erin's rose, in all its beauty blown,

To drop my richest petals down before you,

Within the garden where you walk alone;

In hope you'd turn and pluck a little posy,

With loving fingers through my foliage pressed,

And kiss it close and set it blushing rosy

To sigh out all its sweetness on your breast.

Would I might take a pigeon's flight towards you,

And perch beside your window-pane above,

And murmur how my heart of hearts it hoards you,

O hundred thousand treasures of my love;

In hope you'd stretch your slender hand and take me,

And smooth my wildly-fluttering wings to rest,

And lift me to your loving lips and make me

My bower of blisses in your loving breast.

And when the dew no longer pearls your roses,

Nor gems your footprint on the glittering lawn,

I'd follow you into the forest closes

In the fond image of your sportive fawn;

Till you should woo me 'neath the wavering cover

With coaxing call and friendly hands and eyes,

Where never yet a happy human lover

His head has pillowed—mine to emparadise.

[edit] Irish Love Song

The tune was first called "Londonderry Air" in 1894 when Katherine Tynan Hinkson set the words of her "Irish Love Song" to it:

Would God I were the tender apple blossom

That floats and falls from off the twisted bough

To lie and faint within your silken bosom

Within your silken bosom as that does now.

Or would I were a little burnish'd apple

For you to pluck me, gliding by so cold

While sun and shade you robe of lawn will dapple

Your robe of lawn, and you hair's spun gold.

Yea, would to God I were among the roses

That lean to kiss you as you float between

While on the lowest branch a bud uncloses

A bud uncloses, to touch you, queen.

Nay, since you will not love, would I were growing

A happy daisy, in the garden path

That so your silver foot might press me going

Might press me going even unto death.

[edit] Use as a hymn tune

As with a good many folk tunes, Londonderry Air is also used a hymn tune; most notably for "I cannot tell" [1], written by William Young Fullerton.

I cannot tell why He Whom angels worship,

Should set His love upon the sons of men,

Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wanderers,

To bring them back, they know not how or when.

But this I know, that He was born of Mary

When Bethlehem’s manger was His only home,

And that He lived at Nazareth and labored,

And so the Savior, Savior of the world is come.

I cannot tell how silently He suffered,

As with His peace He graced this place of tears,

Or how His heart upon the cross was broken,

The crown of pain to three and thirty years.

But this I know, He heals the brokenhearted,

And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,

And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,

For yet the Savior, Savior of the world is here.

I cannot tell how He will win the nations,

How He will claim His earthly heritage,

How satisfy the needs and aspirations

Of East and West, of sinner and of sage.

But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,

And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,

And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendour

When He the Savior, Savior of the world is known.

I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,

When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,

Or who can say how great the jubilation

When all the hearts of men with love are filled.

But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,

And myriad, myriad human voices sing,

And earth to Heaven, and Heaven to earth, will answer:

At last the Savior, Savior of the world is King

[edit] He Looked Beyond My Fault

Londonderry Air was also used as the tune for the Southern Gospel hit whose words were penned by Dottie Rambo of the group "The Rambos"

Amazing Grace shall always be my song of praise, For it was grace that bought my liberty, I do not know just why He came to love me so, He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

(Refrain)

I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary, To view the Cross where Jesus died for me, How marvelous His grace that caught my falling soul, When he looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

[edit] Reference

The definitive research on the tune is the following; Audley, B. 'The Provenance of the Londonderry Air'. Journal of the Royal Musical Association. Oxford University Press. vol. 125. part 2. pp205-247. 2000.

[edit] See also

• Radio 4 UK Theme
• Ireland's Call
• O'Cahan

[edit] External links

• The Londonderry Air: facts and fiction - by Brian Audley
• The melody as a MIDI file
• Easybyte - free easy piano sheet music arrangement of "Londonderry Air / Danny Boy" plus midi sound file