The Gallant Morrow Song Lyrics And Chords
(Air: The Atholl Gathering/Gallant Murray)
This song is set during the siege of Derry (1688–1689), about a militia officer called Adam Morrow. Morrow, born in 1660 in County Derry, was an Ulster-Scot; his father Gideon Morrow having settled there from Scotland in 1648. Morrow was noted for leading numerous successful skirmishes against the Jacobite besiegers and commanded the regiment of cavalry raised to defend the city. His signature can be found on a July 1689 letter addressed to King William, alongside other defenders; the few mentioned in the song are John Mitchelburne, Rev. John Mackenzie, John McClelland, James Graham, and Alexander Stewart. His younger brother, Captain Samuel Morrow (b. 1670) would go on to father Jeremiah Morrow (b. 1711), the grandfather of Jeremiah Morrow (b. 1771), 9th Governor of Ohio. Governor Morrow’s Scotch-Irish heritage is well known, Donald MacDougall noting him as one of the many Ohio governors of ‘Scotch extraction’. There's a list of Scottish lyrics with chords here some of which are patriotic songs.
-Robert Morrow, 2019.
This song is set during the siege of Derry (1688–1689), about a militia officer called Adam Morrow. Morrow, born in 1660 in County Derry, was an Ulster-Scot; his father Gideon Morrow having settled there from Scotland in 1648. Morrow was noted for leading numerous successful skirmishes against the Jacobite besiegers and commanded the regiment of cavalry raised to defend the city. His signature can be found on a July 1689 letter addressed to King William, alongside other defenders; the few mentioned in the song are John Mitchelburne, Rev. John Mackenzie, John McClelland, James Graham, and Alexander Stewart. His younger brother, Captain Samuel Morrow (b. 1670) would go on to father Jeremiah Morrow (b. 1711), the grandfather of Jeremiah Morrow (b. 1771), 9th Governor of Ohio. Governor Morrow’s Scotch-Irish heritage is well known, Donald MacDougall noting him as one of the many Ohio governors of ‘Scotch extraction’. There's a list of Scottish lyrics with chords here some of which are patriotic songs.
-Robert Morrow, 2019.
Chorus
[G] Who would ride with gallant Morrow, who would now the [Em] foe [C] repel?
[G] Who would loose the musket’s ball and send the tyrant [Em] on to [C] hell!
[G] See his horse it [Em] brays for battle, [G] see his pistol [Em] by his [C] side,
[G] Here to strike for [Em] truth and freedom,
[G] Onward men with [Em] him we’ll [C] ride!
1.
See the walls of our dear city, siegèd by the traitor foe,
Here to starve us to submission, ah b’damned we’ll never go!
Bring the cannon, bring the powder, throw the sheath into the flame,
Mount the saddle, gallop forth, in Ireland’s cause we’ll never shame!
Chorus
2.
Mitchelburne and brave Mackenzie rally men unto their side,
Bold McClelland, Graham, and Stewart ready now and mount to ride,
Who would ride with gallant Morrow, who would take up freedom’s cause,
Londonderry’s walls shall thunder, shout for Liberty and Laws!
Chorus
[G] Who would ride with gallant Morrow, who would now the [Em] foe [C] repel?
[G] Who would loose the musket’s ball and send the tyrant [Em] on to [C] hell!
[G] See his horse it [Em] brays for battle, [G] see his pistol [Em] by his [C] side,
[G] Here to strike for [Em] truth and freedom,
[G] Onward men with [Em] him we’ll [C] ride!
1.
See the walls of our dear city, siegèd by the traitor foe,
Here to starve us to submission, ah b’damned we’ll never go!
Bring the cannon, bring the powder, throw the sheath into the flame,
Mount the saddle, gallop forth, in Ireland’s cause we’ll never shame!
Chorus
2.
Mitchelburne and brave Mackenzie rally men unto their side,
Bold McClelland, Graham, and Stewart ready now and mount to ride,
Who would ride with gallant Morrow, who would take up freedom’s cause,
Londonderry’s walls shall thunder, shout for Liberty and Laws!
Chorus
For thought:
I think it is often forgotten that patriotism works both ways, the defenders of Derry saw themselves as patriots protecting their country against a tyrannical rule. I think the song is a fitting tribute to the Ulster-Scots who are so often forgotten and unfortunately reviled by those who don’t know any better. “No Surrender” was the cry, extolling the men not to surrender Ireland to tyrants. Although Morrow, like most of the Ulster-Scots of his time, was a Presbyterian, by no means were all Williamites solely Protestant. In fact, it was said King William had more Catholics in his army than James did. We mustn’t fall into the trap of believing this was some ethnic war. Yes, we Scotch-Irish see Derry as our victory, but we see it as just that: a victory. Not a victory over the Native Irish or over Catholics, because that’s not what it was; it was a victory over what we perceived as tyranny and we’re proud of the part we played. But besides, not all defenders were Ulster-Scots, there were Anglo-Irish and Gaelic Irish names amongst them, too (Babbington, Radcliffe, Mulholland, Connolly, McCarthy, etc). So this song is dedicated to the Ulster-Scots at Derry, in the hopes to unite people in singing each other’s music.
Robert Morrow, 2019.
I think it is often forgotten that patriotism works both ways, the defenders of Derry saw themselves as patriots protecting their country against a tyrannical rule. I think the song is a fitting tribute to the Ulster-Scots who are so often forgotten and unfortunately reviled by those who don’t know any better. “No Surrender” was the cry, extolling the men not to surrender Ireland to tyrants. Although Morrow, like most of the Ulster-Scots of his time, was a Presbyterian, by no means were all Williamites solely Protestant. In fact, it was said King William had more Catholics in his army than James did. We mustn’t fall into the trap of believing this was some ethnic war. Yes, we Scotch-Irish see Derry as our victory, but we see it as just that: a victory. Not a victory over the Native Irish or over Catholics, because that’s not what it was; it was a victory over what we perceived as tyranny and we’re proud of the part we played. But besides, not all defenders were Ulster-Scots, there were Anglo-Irish and Gaelic Irish names amongst them, too (Babbington, Radcliffe, Mulholland, Connolly, McCarthy, etc). So this song is dedicated to the Ulster-Scots at Derry, in the hopes to unite people in singing each other’s music.
Robert Morrow, 2019.
