“The Foggy Dew” is one of the most famous songs written about the Easter Rising. It was written by Charles O’Neill, who was a priest from County Antrim. This was his only known published ballad, and he never made a ton of money from the song.
The song was originally a poem written after a roll call
that commemorated the lives lost during the Easter Rising. It had such a
profound impact on O’Neill that he wrote the poem, though he used the pseudonym
“Iascar.” This was done to protect his identity since things were dangerous, and
he wanted to avoid unwanted attention.
In the early 1900s, the British had considered a Home Rule
Bill so that Ireland could make their own decisions about governing their
people. However, these considerations halted once World War I broke out. This
left the Irish wondering if they would ever gain independence.
The Irish saw the irony that those who fought in WWI did so
to help small nations, but Ireland itself is relatively small. Ireland had been
occupied by the British for years, and many thought they should be able to be
free and independent. Britain was fighting for Belgium’s independence while not
allowing Ireland their own independence.
Irish nationalists staged a rebellion in 1916 to make a
stand for Irish independence. The rebellion was quickly quelled by the British
and several of the rebels were executed for their participation in the Rising.
While many did not agree with the rebels initially, their minds changed when
they were executed.
The song talks about both the Easter Rising and World War I,
suggesting that it was better to die in Ireland than fight for the British
crown in faraway lands. This references the nearly 210,000 Irishmen who
enlisted in WWI to fight for the British. Those who fought in the Easter Rising
are remembered, but those who fought for the British have not been honored as much.
“Foggy Dew” is set to the tune of “Banks of the Mourlough
Side.” It is also called “Down The Glen.” The “wild geese” mentioned in the
song refers to the emigration of the Irish armed forces after Limerick’s
surrender in 1691.
The melody is written in ABA form, and the time signature
varies between 2/4 and 4/4. The song itself has not changed through the years,
but the arrangement has, depending on the artist who performs the song. “Foggy
Dew” has been recorded about 150 times.
Traditionally, the song was sungby men. However, in recent years, women have taken to singing the song.
Such women include Sinead O’ Connor and Sarah McLachlan. McLachlan was chosen
to sing the song for the Chieftans in the United States. Most of the male performers
tend to perform it at a tempo that resembles a fast polka.
Related Articles:
-Beyond the Song: "Four Green Fields" by Tommy Makem: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/05/beyond-song-four-green-fields-tommy-makem.html
-Beyond the Song: "Grace": https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/05/beyond-song-grace.html
-Beyond the Song: "Chasing Rainbows" by The High Kings: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/04/beyond-song-chasing-rainbows-high-kings.html