The Minstrel Boy

In keeping with the theme of Veteran's Day and Remembrance Sunday, I'll be uploading a few more items over the weekend.

This famous melody was written by Thomas Moore (1779–1852) who set it to the melody of The Moreen, an old Irish air. It is widely believed that Moore composed the song in remembrance of a number of his friends, whom he met while studying at Trinity College, Dublin and who had participated in (and were killed during) the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

The song gained widespread popularity and became a favourite of many Irishmen who fought during the American Civil War and gained even more popularity after World War I. he melody is frequently played, typically on bagpipes, at funerals of members and/or officers of such organisations who have died or been killed in service. Unsurprisingly, given its lyrics, it is also associated with the Irish Army and with traditionally Irish regiments in the armies of the United Kingdom and the United States as well as other armies of the world.

"The Minstrel Boy" is played every Remembrance Sunday (2nd Sunday in November) in the UK during the annual ceremony that takes place at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

I just "made this up" as I went along, and this is the "1st version". While the Harmonique Flute of the Solo is unbeatable for this, the "harp strums" don't show enough, and the 2nd verse is probably "too churchy."

A photo the ceremony at the Cenotaph is attached below, as is a "period drawing" of the Minstrel Boy.

The complete text of the song is given in the First Comment.

More Remembrance Day items to follow.