Come All You Warriors

Come All You Warriors (also known as Father Murphy) is a ballad concerning the rebellion against British rule that took place largely in Wexford, Ireland in 1798. The narrative focuses on the predominant figure in the Wexford rebellion, Father John Murphy of the parish of Boulavogue.

The song was written within a couple of years of the rebellion and is one of the texts on which the well known 'Boulavogue' was based by P.J. McCall a hundred years later for the centenary celebrations of the rebellion.

The song is referenced in the 'Memoirs of Joseph Holt, general of the Irish rebels in 1798', where he states:

'The fragments of a popular song of this period, which I picked up last summer (1836) in a tour through the county of Wexford asserts that

''At the Windmill hills, and at Enniscorthy,

''The British fencibles they ran like deers,

''But our ranks were scattered and sorely battered,

''For the want of Kyan and his Shelmaliers.'

Recordings

 * The song was recorded twice by Frank Harte on the albums 'Dublin Street Songs / Through Dublin City' and '1798, The First Year of Liberty'.
 * It is sung by Jerry O'Reilly on the album 'The Croppy's Complaint'
 * A slightly different version with alternate first verse was sung by Phil Berry on the albums 'Father and Son' and 'Wexford Ballads 1798', which also contains many other songs of the rebellion.

Lyrics
(First verse as collected in Colm Ó Lochlainn's "Irish Street Ballads")

Come all you warriors and renowned nobles

Give ear unto my warlike theme

While I relate how brave Father Murphy

He lately roused from his sleepy dream

Sure Julius Caesar nor Alexander

Nor brave King Arthur ever equalled him

For armies formidable he did conquer

Though with two pikemen he did begin

(Alternate first verse listed in 'Verse in English from Eighteenth-century Ireland' by Andrew Carpenter)
 * I

Come all you warriors and renowned nobles

Who once commanded brave warlike bands

Throw down your plumes and your golden trophies

Give up your arms with a trembling hand

For Father Murphy of the County Wexford,

Lately roused from his sleepy dream

To cut down cruel Saxon persecution

And wash it away in a crimson stream.

Camolin cavalry he did unhorse them
 * II

Their first lieutenant he cut him down

With shattered ranks and with broken columns

They soon returned to Camolin town

At the hill of Oulart he displayed his valour

Where a hundred Corkmen lay on the plain

At Enniscorthy his sword he wielded

And I hope to see him once more again

When Enniscorthy became subject unto him
 * III

Twas then to Wexford we marched our men

And on the Three Rock took up our quarters

Waiting for daylight the town to win

The loyal townsmen gave their assistance

We will die or conquer they all did say

The yeomen cavalry made no resistance,

For on the pavement their corpses lay

With drums a-beating the town did echo
 * IV

And acclamations came from door to door

On the Windmill Hill we pitched our tents then

We drank like heroes but paid no score

On Carraig Rua for some time we waited

And next to Gorey we did repair

At Tubberneering we thought no harm

The bloody army was waiting there

The issue of it was a close engagement
 * V

While on the soldiers we played warlike pranks

Through the sheepwalks, hedgerows and shady thickets

There were mangled bodies and broken ranks

The shuddering cavalry, I can't forget them

We raised the brushes on their helmets straight

They turned about and made straight for Dublin

As though they ran for a ten pound plate

Now, some crossed Donnybrook and more through Blackrock
 * VI

And some up Shankhill without wound or flaw

And if Barry Lawless be not a liar

There was more went groaning up Luggela

To the Windmill Hill of Enniscorthy,

The British Fencibles they fled like deers

But our ranks were tattered and sorely scattered

By the loss o Kyan and his Shelmaliers

With flying colours we marched on to Limerick,
 * VII

And to Kilcavan we did repair;

'Twas on Mount Pleasant we called the county,

And pointed cannon at the army there.

When we thought fit we marched on to Gorey;

The next was Arklow we did surround.

The night being coming, we regretted sorely,

Tho' one hundred soldiers lay on the ground.

The streets of England were left quite naked
 * VIII

Of all their army both foot and horse

The Highlands of Scotland were left unguarded

Likewise the Hessians the seas did cross

But if the Frenchmen had reinforced us

And landed transports at Baginbun

Father John Murphy, he would be their seconder

And sixteen thousand with him would come

Success attend you sweet County Wexford
 * IX

Threw off the yoke and to battle run

Let them not think we gave up our arms

For every man still has a pike and gun