Fearless Females: A memoir to my grandmother

Oh, Danny Boy … sleep in peace 

Today’s Fearless Females prompt was to write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors. My grandmother (Mary Welsh Still) loved this song. She played it all the time.  

For years growing up I thought this was an “Old County” song. I was probably in my teens before I realized it was not. It was written in 1910 by an Englishman no less! It was written by Frederic Weatherly.

The song goes:

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,
'Tis you, 'Tis 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,
'Tis 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, as dead I well may be,
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And I shall hear, though 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!
(Oh Danny Boy, Oh Danny boy, I love you so.)

 

 

Fearless Females is a daily prompt throughout March celebrating Women’s History Month initiated by Lisa A Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist  

© Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015