The Stranger

[Caid]

One of my favourite Irish songs/poems is called the Stranger on an album by a Limerick ballad singer called John Ahern (that I found in a local library in London).

I can find no reference to this poem on the internet anywhere (except for links to the John Ahern album itself).  Does anyone anything about it? Did Ahern write it himself?

I will recite it below so that you too may enjoy it:

The Stranger
Well a crowd of the boys were moppin' it up in a Sandy Row saloon,
As they sang to an oul piano that was sadly out of tune,
The night was July the Eleventh, and they made the rafters roar,
With the most harmonious rendering of 'The Sash My Father Wore'

Outside the blazin' bonfires made the night as bright as day,
And all the crowd were dancing in a wobbly sort of way,
They were shoutin', they were singin', and all the din they made,
It early drowned the clangin' of the Belfast Fire Brigade

There were educated men among them, cultured men ye know,
Men like Billy Bothwell, from the village of Drumbo,
A painter by profession, but an artist to his friends,
He'd painted many a masterpiece on some Protestant gable ends

There was poor wee Tommy Fleming, a Prod from Donegal,
Especially invited, and beloved by one and all,
A ballad singer was Tommy, and singing still I hope,
Well known throughout Ulster, for his songs about the Pope

There were shipyard men and dockers, all with glasses in their hands,
There were transport men and fitters, aye the toughest in the land,
And standing there among them, and drinkin' up her fill,
Was a well known local lady, by the name of Orange Lil

But over in the corner, a stranger sat alone,
And nobody paid no heed to him, as the gaiety it wore on,
A tired and weary traveller, he had tramped for many a mile,
And he just came in to sit there, and rest himself a while

But Orange Lil soon noticed him, as her sort often does,
And she went like and sat beside him, and asked him who he was,
"I'm just a weary traveler, but a civil one you'll find",
"I just came in to hear the craic, now I hope the boys don't mind"

Now Orange Lil, for all her faults, had a heart as pure as gold,
She turned to all the fellas and said "look, some day we'll all be old"
"So give this man a drink or two and make him feel at home"
And so they did and soon the beer and whiskey began to come

And then someone said to the Stranger "Come on and give us a song"
But the old lad said "I'm sorry – my singing days are done"
"But I used to play the piano, and so if it's alright",
"I'd like to play some music, in honour of this night"

His coat was all in ribbons, you should of seen his hat,
His tattered sleeves were flappin' on the keyboard as he sat,
Everybody pitied him, he was a sorry sight,
But I can't help remembering, but his eyes were kinda bright

Now it wasn't very quiet in the pub, I needn't tell,
With the clatterin' of glasses and the gabblin' as well,
But as he started playin', and the notes rose in the air,
A mighty hush descended on the whole assembly there,

The shipyard men and dockers, they never made a sound,
The transport men and fitters, were rooted to the ground
And as the sweet notes twinkled on, there came a deathly still,
And I even saw a tear, roll down the face of Orange Lil

As long as I'm on this earth, I'll not forget that night,
I remember it like yesterday, a sad and a moving sight,
But the saddest part, I've yet to tell, I know a tear you'll shed,
Before the night was over, that poor old man was dead

Now he lies in his earthly grave, away from worldly strife,
But up above his head, a tombstone tells the story of his life,
It says "here lies the bravest man, he'll be remembered long",
"Because one night, in Sandy Row, he played the Soldiers Song"

[Lady GAA GAA]

I thought this thread was about masturbation.

[redhugh]

I thought this thread was about masturbation.

EH??

[Lady GAA GAA]

I thought this thread was about masturbation.

EH??

do you know how to use google or do you want me to get you a spoon and put the link in your mouth for you

[redhugh]

I thought this thread was about masturbation.

EH??

do you know how to use google or do you want me to get you a spoon and put the link in your mouth for you

oooh- er,  touchy tonight pet...still don't get it .You want to explain or just hit me with another snide retort.

[stpauls]

I thought this thread was about masturbation.

EH??

do you know how to use google or do you want me to get you a spoon and put the link in your mouth for you

just use this link, i think it will help!!

http://lmgtfy.com/

[stephenite]

What did he expect to happen?


Fairly rubbish poem in my view

[Zapatista]

I kill anyone who played the Soldiers Song on a piano in my company too.

[AbbeySider]

I kill anyone who played the Soldiers Song on a piano in my company too.

What?

[ballinaman]

Sound for that poem.....good 2 minutes of my life i'll never get back.

[omagh_gael]

Conal Gallen uses this poem in a lot of his shows...is that a good or a bad thing?

[leenie]

Conal Gallen uses this poem in a lot of his shows...is that a good or a bad thing?

That he uses it or that you know he does?

[omagh_gael]

Conal Gallen uses this poem in a lot of his shows...is that a good or a bad thing?

That he uses it or that you know he does?

Both 

[ross4life]

I thought this thread was about masturbation.

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=14503.0

[The Iceman]

I like it Caid - good post