Heritage Blog - Tara McGrath
“Danny Boy and Possible Clara Connections – Tara McGrath
A recent poetry recital organised by Clara Heritage Society on the sylvan grounds of Clara House, featured a poem by Jack Saunders. A local man about whom little is known, but one who left a wealth of poetry including “The Monastery Bell” which many readers of “Clara Pictorial Record” will recall.
In an attempt to learn more about Jack Saunders I came across a very interesting piece from the Clara Notes of the Westmeath - Offaly from March 1984. The short notes reported that:
“Every household contains a gem of information. Unfortunately they are unearthed far too seldom. One which Clara man Mick Deehan unfolded to the Westmeath – Offaly concerned Ireland’s unofficial national anthem “Danny Boy”. According to Mick his late father always related the story that the works were written by a Jack Saunders who lived in Aughamore about 70 years ago. He composed a poem about a young lad named Danny Fitzpatrick who lived in Kilbride (opposite where Devery’s live now) and who died when he was twelve years old. The name of the poem was “Danny Boy”.
Digging a little deeper and some twenty years further back, I came across a second article in the now long defunct Irish Press from 1964. In a column written by Patrick Lagan, entitled “Danny Boy Research” he reports that:
“My Danny Boy research unit is working overtime. Added to all the information already collected about the tune I now have a suggestion about the authorship of the words and even a suggested identification for “Danny”.
Cormac Mac Fionnlaic has passed on a letter sent to him by one of my readers.
The note reportedly confirmed that “The composer of “Danny Boy” he writes firmly, “was Jack Saunders a Clara, Co. Offaly man. And “Danny” was Danny Fitzpatrick a son of James Fitzpatrick who was a librarian in Capel Street, Dublin for years.”
“Danny Boy” which many would consider an “Irish” song is actually attributed to an English lawyer – Frederic Weatherly who was a renown lyricist and broadcaster. It is reported that Weatherly’s sister in law Margaret who was living in the United States at the time, sent him a copy of the “Derry Air” a traditional Irish tune to which he added the lyrics of “Danny Boy” which he had previously composed in 1910.
Local Derry historians report that the original air to “Danny Boy” known as the “Derry or Londonderry Air” was first played by a blind fiddler called Jimmy McCurry who would play music on the streets of Derry to earn a living. Jane Ross a collector of traditional Irish songs and music recorded the music later passing it on to George Petrie who first published the music in 1855.
The timing of Weatherly’s version of Danny Boy in 1913 just prior to World War 1, came at a time of huge turmoil and tragedy, and may account for its popularity as the song captures so evocatively the deeply felt emotion of love and loss during mourning.
The accepted fact is that Frederick Weatherly composed the words to Danny Boy – however it is strange that two papers – 20 years apart, both mention Jack Saunders, from Clara as the original author. An urban myth in a pre-internet world? perhaps, but one which deserves some further research if nothing else but to learn more about the enigmatic Jack Saunders!
Danny Boy
Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen and down the mountain side
The summer's gone and all the roses falling
It's you, it's you, must go and I must bide
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so
But when ye come and all the flowers are dying
If I am dead and dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an 'Ave' there for me
And I shall hear tho' soft you tread above me
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me
