"All gave some. Some gave all."
He pushed forward the bowl of aïoli that he had made fresh that morning.
—Make sure you get some of this to dip the meat into.
I slathered it on thick. Garlicky mayonnaise, who wouldn't.
—You know that mayonnaise is one of the few Irish-derived words in French (We got garsún, and probably Seán from French).
—How so?
—Many people believe that it was first served to President Patrice MacMahon and the name stuck.
—But how did France come to have an Irish president.
—That's a whole other story best left to the poet and revolutionary, Thomas Davis.
The mess tent is full and the glasses are set
And the gallant Count Thomond is president yet
The veteran arose, like an uplifted lance
Crying “Comrades, a health to the monarch of France!”
With a thunderous cheer now they did as he bade
For King Louis is loved by the Irish Brigade.
A health to King James and to Sarsfield was quaffed
“Here’s to George the Elector,” and fiercely they laughed
“Good luck to the girls we wooed long ago
Where the Shannon, and Barrow and Blackwater flow”
You’d think in old Ireland that they were afraid
For in battle there’s none like the Irish Brigade.
“But surely, that light does not come from our lamp
And the boys — they’re all singing songs ’round the camp
Hurrah! boys, the morning of battle has come
And the generale’s beating on manys a drum”
They rushed from their revel to join the parade
For the sword is the light of the Irish Brigade.
They fought as they revelled: just, fiery, and true
And, though victors, they left on the field not a few
And they who survived fought and drank as before
Though the land of their heart’s hope they never saw more
In far foreign fields from Dunkirk to Belgrade
Lay the soldiers and chiefs of the Irish Brigade
In far foreign fields, from Dunkirk to Belgrade
Lie the soldiers and chiefs of the Irish Brigade.
Playlist:
The Irish Brigade
Wolfe Tones
Galtee Mountain Boy
Christy Moore and Jimmy Faulkner
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