Matt Talbot Lyrics By Derek Warfield

The words and music of this wonderfull sad song is by derek warfield: It is from his wonderfull cd legacy on shanachi (Venerable Matt Talbot 1856- 1925 R.I.P.) Sent in by Patrick Burke.

Oh saintly matt talbot a labouring man
You worked and you toiled did the best
That you can.
There were times just for drinking you lived
Thru your life with reality clouded midst hardship and strife
For no hope it is offered there seemed no way out
And you found consilation in whiskey and stout
In to misery and suffering you soon were to stray
For this is the wage of the alcohol way:
 
 
Chorus
Now the city of dublin had europe’s worst slums
But for faith and for prayer you’d never have won
But the spirit of enda and brendan retold
Gave you inspiration thru christian way’s old
Then the path of st. Ciaran and colman you choose
And above the dublin city your proud spirit rose
For you sought thru your prayer that your voice
Would be heard and you showed thru your penance
you loved and you cared
 
 
2
In this town of eblana you were barren of hope
And you prayed for a way you could live and could cope
Then one saturday evening you stood back from the edge
And in holy cross college you then took the pledge
From that day till your death you spent time on your knees
Wanting only to pray and yor god for to please
And the workers of dublin said barney a chara
For they knew that you prayed for all children of sorrow

Full chorus as above

3
With the minds of your masters all blinded by greed
To the cause of the workers and families in need
Oh you stood, by your comrades, you knew their cause just
And your stand although simple in matt talbot there’s trust
And the streets and the alleys all echo your name
Just to know that you walked them in penance and shame
And there’s many a dublin man husband or wife
Who whisper your name for to let in god’s light

 
(full chorus as above)

Very last chorus words fadeing out
Very faint out in the distance at the very end below

Now the city of dublin
Had europe’s worst slums
But for faith and for prayer you’d never have won
But the spirit of end

This video is an interview with Derek Warfield who was a founder member of The Wolfe Tones. Here Derek explains the reason why The Wolfe Tones broke up.

Matt Talbot was a Dublin man who was fond of a drink, so much so that he became an alcholic. The reason he became famous is because when he died chains were found wrapped around his body. He wore the chains as a form of penance to God. Matt lived by himself for most of his life. He worked as a general labourer and came from The North Strand of Dublin, born into a poor family. The story goes that while standing outside a pub looking for ''The Entrance Fee'' all who knew him passed him by on their way into the pub. 

He was so browned off that he headed home and told the mother he was taking the pledge, he did just that and stayed of the drink for the next forty years. He attended mass every day of his life and even took time out to pray while working down the docks. He was a member of The Irish Transport And General Workers Union during the 1913 lock-out.

Derek Warfield song Matt Talbot