Ms Annie Moore (1874–1924), named in the song hereunder, was an Irish immigrant, and the first person in the United States to pass through federal immigrant inspection at the Ellis Island Station, in New York Harbour. As the first person to pass inspection at this then newly opened facility, she was presented with an American $10 gold piece, by an American immigration official.
Annie had set sail from Co. Cork, Ireland, aboard the Guion Line steamship ‘Nevada’ in the year 1892. Her brothers, Anthony and Philip, who journeyed with her, were aged just 15 years and 12 years respectively.
Her parents, Matthew and Julia, had arrived in the United States 4 years earlier, in 1888, and were both residing at No. 32 Monroe Street, Manhattan, New York, USA.
Annie would go on to marry the son of a German Catholic immigrant, named as Joseph Augustus Schayer (1876–1960), latter a salesman at Manhattan’s Fulton Fish Market, with whom she had possibly some eleven children.
She sadly died of heart failure on December 6th, in 1924, at just aged 50 years. She was buried in Calvary Cemetery, at Maspeth and Woodside, Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
Lyrics: Irish songwriter and novelist Brendan Graham.
Vocals: The distinctive Irish (Galway) singing voice of Sean Keane.
Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears
On the first day of January, eighteen ninety-two, They opened Ellis Island and they let the people through. And the first to cross the threshold of that Isle of hope and tears, Was Annie Moore from Ireland, who was only fifteen years.
Chorus Isle of Hope, Isle of tears, Isle of freedom, Isle of fears, But it’s not the Isle you left behind, That Isle of hunger, Isle of pain I will never see again, But the Isle of home is always on your mind.
Repeat Chorus In a little bag she carried all her past and history, And her dreams for the future in the Land of Liberty, And courage is the passport, when your old world disappears, But there’s no future in the past, when you’re fifteen years.
Repeat Chorus When they closed down Ellis Island in Nineteen Forty-Three, Seventeen million people, had come there for sanctuary, And in springtime when I came here and I stepped onto it’s piers, I thought of how it must have been, when you’re fifteen years.
Lyrics: American singer-songwriters Max Barnes and Vern Gosdin. Vocals: Irish teenage country singer Owen Mac.
If Jesus comes tomorrow.
If Jesus comes tomorrow to spend some time with you, Would you answer all His questions or lie to hide the truth? Would you welcome Him with open arms or even let Him in? If Jesus comes tomorrow what then?
If Jesus calls your number could you leave today? Are you ready to lay down your worldly goods and walk away? Would it take a month of Sundays just to tell Him of your sin? If Jesus comes tomorrow what then?
If the sky turns black as midnight in the middle of the day, And somehow you knew that Jesus would soon be on His way. Would you have to beg forgiveness? Or could you reach out and take His hand? If Jesus comes tomorrow what then?
If the sky turns black as midnight in the middle of the day, And somehow you knew that Jesus would soon be on His way, Would you have to beg forgiveness? Or could you reach out and take His hand? If Jesus comes tomorrow what then? If Jesus comes tomorrow what then?
Vocals: Irish singer, songwriter, historian, Derek Warfield, a former member of the musical group The Wolfe Tones.
Lyrics: Original author unknown.
The following rebel song tells the story of an Irish freedom fighter listening to the last words of his comrade, who lies dying on a Dublin street. When the wounded man’s father arrives at the scene seeking his son’s whereabouts, he is informed, “there’s no use in searching, your son to heaven has gone.”
The ballad is set during Easter 1916, and according to one version the dying man came from Co. Tipperary with the song rendition containing the following lines:-
“The first I saw was a wounded soldier, Lying, dying, as he feebly cried, ‘God bless our home in sweet Tipperary. God bless the cause for I am dying’ My only son was shot in Dublin, Fighting for his country bold, He died for Ireland, and Ireland only, The Harp and Shamrock, Green, White and Gold”.
Some years later, a four-verse version of this ballad was published, written in a Dublin journal; then known as “The Bell”, latter which ceased publication in 1954. Same publication was an outspoken liberal voice at a time of great political and intellectual stagnation. The article containing this four-verse version was written by Donagh MacDonagh, latter son of Tipperary-born political activist, poet, playwright, educationalist and revolutionary leader Thomas MacDonagh, one of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation, who was executed on Wednesday May 3rd, 1916.
The Dying Rebel
The night was dark and the fight was over, The moon shone down O’Connell Street, I stood alone, where brave men perished, Those men have gone, their God to meet.
[Chorus] My only son was shot in Dublin, Fighting for his country bold, He fought for Ireland, and Ireland only, The harp and shamrock, green white and gold.
The first I met was a grey haired father, Searching for his only son, I said old man, there’s no use searching, For up to heaven, your son has gone.
[Repeat Chorus]
The old man cried out broken hearted, Bending low I heard him say, I knew my son was too kind hearted, I knew my son would never yield.
[Repeat Chorus]
The last I met was a dying rebel, Bending low I heard him say, God bless my home, in dear Cork City, And bless the cause for which I die.
Lyrics: Irish musician, songwriter and record producer from Derry, Northern Ireland, Phil Coulter.
Vocals: Irish folk band ‘The Fureys’, originally formed in 1974, from Ballyfermot, Dublin, and Irish folk singer, originally from Co. Donegal, Davy Arthur.
The Old Man
The tears have all been shed now, We’ve said our last goodbyes. His soul’s been blest, He’s laid to rest, And it’s now I feel alone. He was more then just a father, A teacher, my best friend, He can still be heard, In the tunes we’ve shared, When we played them on our own. Oh I’ll never will forget him, For he made me what I am. Though he may be gone, Memories linger on, I miss my old man. As a boy, he’d take me walking, Through mountains, field, and stream, And he’d show me things, Not know to kids, And secrets between him and me. Like the colors of the pheasant, As he rises in the dawn, And how to fish, and make a wish, Beside a holy tree. Oh, I’ll never will forget him, For he made me what I am. Though he may be gone, Memories linger on, I miss my old man. I thought he’d live forever, Sure he seemed so big and strong, But the minutes fly, And the years roll by, For a father and a son, And suddenly when it happened, There was so much left unsaid, No second chance to tell him thanks, For everything he’d done. Oh, I’ll never will forget him, For he made me what I am, Though he may be gone, Memories linger on, I miss my old man.
This song possibly sums up the sincere wishes of many in our Tipperary community, following a devastating week which witnessed unprecedented tragedies on our county roads.
Vocals: English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran.
Lyrics: Written by Amy Wadge, Ant Clemons, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Kim Lang Smith, Michael Pollack and Scott Carter.
Visiting Hours.
I wish that heaven had visiting hours, I could just show up and bring the news. She’s gettin’ old and I wish that you’d met her. The things that she’ll learn from me, I got them all from you. I just stay a while and we’ll put all the world to rights? The little ones will grow and I’ll still drink your favorite wine, They’re going to close, but I’ll see you another day. So much has changed since you’ve been away. I wish that heaven had visiting hours, I could just swing by and ask your advice. What would you do in my situation? I haven’t a clue how I’d even raise them. What would you do? ‘you would always do what’s right. We just talk a while until my worries disappear? I’d tell you that I’m scared of turnin’ out a failure. You’d say, “Remember that the answer’s in the love that we create”. So much has changed since you’ve been away. I wish that heaven had visiting hours, And I would ask them if I could take you home, But I know what they’d say, that it’s for the best. So I will live life the way you taught me, and make it on my own, But I will close the door, but I will open up my heart, Everyone I love will know exactly who you are, ‘Cause this is not goodbye, it is just ’til we meet again. So much has changed since you’ve been away.
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