1 (edited by StranSongs 2010-04-25 07:04:18)

Topic: The Famine Battalion

The Chieftains ( irish music's long famed heroes ) have brought out an album of Irish and Mexican music. It's based on the story of "Los Patricios". I had never heard of them before. There were an irish ( and other ethnic) battalion that fought for Mexico against the US in the Mexican American War.

Many of those who fought in Texas were recruited as they stepped off the Famine ships that had had brought them from Ireland to America - from hunger to horror. Some of them eventually decided that the Mexican army suited them better. 30 of them were hanged at Chatapulpec as the us flag was raised above the town.

Their story is quite simply a tragedy - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Battalion  .Apparently,The Mexican Government commemorate los patricios with a piped lament every year.

The Famine Battalion.


   Behind the guns,
   In Monterey
   You stood
   Beside Your brother
   In gunsmoke and noise
   Beneath a flag of green
   You stood
   Beside Your brother.

The soil smelt sweet
The weather warm
As you crushed it in your hand
Blighted, black
and rotten
You cursed ill-favoured land.

And the ships that sailed
To life and Texas
Meant you survived the famine
But waitin' on
The other shore
Was a war for that famine batallion.

It's a long way from Leitrim
To the shores of Mexico.
It's a long way from one side to the other,
A uniform's a uniform
And guns can point both ways,
But a brother will always be a brother.

And now the pipes
Seem out of place
As they lament your slaughter
As the spangled banner rose
Above Chapultepec
And the Churubusco river

"Don't play what's there, play what's not there." Miles Davis

Re: The Famine Battalion

Hi Strans big_smile

Thanks for this piece on a bit of history I knew nothing about. It played out as the Mexican version of the Alamo and I find that very interesting. I'll be doing some reading on this for sure.

Nice write, it's amazing how destiny can take you from one corner of the world to another.
Cheers
Kenny



I posted this Wiki link as yours took me to a different page.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patr … _Battalion

Just Keepin on Keepin on
Martin DC15E
Cort MR710F
Squire Strat (Chinese)

Re: The Famine Battalion

I really like this Stran, touching piece of writing.  thank you-T

Re: The Famine Battalion

Very good Stransongs..

I love these pieces.. Christy Moores ..Viva La Quinta Brigada is a great fave of mine.

Ive just finished reading a book about,
John Barry from Wexford.
John Holland from Clare.   

Very interesting read about 2 Irishmen and American Maritime history. Theres no doubt us Irish got
our Sróne [ Nose ] or if your in Ulster its {Gaosán] in everywhere we went. lol

Love the piece. History in song is how my Dad taught us best.

For those who dont know Viva La Quinta Brigada heres the link..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IyvshOYelU
Thanks Strans.

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !

Re: The Famine Battalion

Stransongs very nice writing.  There were so many wars that we had to learn about in our American and World History classes in school that I often daydreamed during class.  I can say I didn't know much about the Mexican-American war at all myself.  Very interesting reading about this however.  I would choose to have an Irishman on my side any day.  That battalion appears to have been quite a strong force in body and spirit.  It sounds to me that without them, Mexico City would have become part of the US.  Mexico and Ireland have a lot to celebrate in these brave men.

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

Re: The Famine Battalion

Lena,

Well I had never heard of MR Barry and Mr Holland until you mentioned it. Very interesting stuff.

One of Mr Barry's contemporaries - John Paul Jones - knocked a few stones off the top of Carrickfergus Castle - about 20 minutes drive away from where I sit.

MKM.

I very much agree, although you have to understand that, being Irish, we have to have a real fight, and therefore join both sides to make it more even !

Just a few years before, a few Irish guys got into a scrap while fighting against the Mexicans. They were called Bill Travis, Jim Bowie and a certain David Crockett. (OK don't hang me, their people were Irish.)

I met a descendant of Davy Crockett around twenty years ago. her name was Alessie McCrossan ( Nee Crockett) she was a great, great, great whatever grand-daughter. She was a feisty lady, involved in her community and in politics. They named a local Community facility after her.

"Don't play what's there, play what's not there." Miles Davis