The Kerry Recruit

**The Kerry Recruit** is an Erse sang, written in Inglis, tawkin o the Crimean Weir whilka teuk place frae 1853 antil 1856 atween a coalition mad up frae Ingland, Fraunce, Sardinia an the Ottoman Empire agains Roushie. The names o the places mentionit in the sang are richt battlefiels.

## Battlefieds mentionit in the sang
The Kerry lad who sings is said tae hae (it's a story, dinae forget!) survived tae a lot o horrible an bloody battlefields whilka are:
*The Battle o Alma in September 1854,
*The Battle o Balaklava on 25 October 1854, whilka wis parteecularly terrible,
*The Battle o Inkermann in November 1854.
*The Battle o Redan. He haes haed heivy injures while assaultin.

The Kerry Recruit is written in line wi the anti-militairy tradeetion whilka stairtit at the time o the Napoleon Wars.

## Text o the 'Kerry Recruit'
(Thare are ither versions, but this ane is the maist kent.)

::About four years ago I was diggin the land
::With(=wi) me brogues on me feet and me spade in me hand
::Says I to meself, what a pity to see,
::Such a fine strappin' lad footin' turf in Tralee

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::Well I buttered me brogues, an shook hands with me spade,
::An the way down the road like a dashing young blade
::When up comes a sergeant an he asks me to list,
::'Arra, sergeant a gra, stick a bob in me fist'

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::Well here is a shilling as I got no more
::When you'll get to have quarters you will have a score
::And a quick strucking mean said the sergeant good bye
::You'd not wish to be quarted neither would die

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::Nau the first thing they gave me it was a red coat,
::With a wide strap of leather to tie round me throat
::An the next thing they gave me I asked what was that,
::And they told me it was a cockarde for me hat

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::An' the next thing they gave me they called it a gun
::With powder an bow an' a place for me thumb
::Well first it fire spat and then she spute smoke,
::An' they gave me out shoulders such a hair lover stroke

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::Well the first place they sent me was downed to the see,
::On the board of a warship bound for the Crimea
::Three sticks in the middle all rowled round with sheets,
::Lord, she walked on **(or thro' depends o the version)** the water without any feet

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::When at Balaclava we landed quite soon,
::Cold, wet and hungry we lay on the ground
::Next morning for action the bugle did call,
::And we had a hot breakfast of powder and ball

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::Well we fought at the Alma, likewise Inkermann,
::But the Russians they whaled us at the Redan
::In scalin' the walls there meself lost an eye,
::And a big Russian bullet ran off with me thigh

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::Well 't is off there we lay stretched upon the cold ground,
::'T was heads, legs and arms were all scattered around
::I wished that me mam me cleaveens were nigh,
::So they'd bury me decent and gave a loud cry

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

::Well they brought me a doctor and he soon staunched wi' blood,
::And he made me a great elegant leg made of wood
::They gave me a medal and ten pence a day,
::So contented with Sheela, I'll live on half pay

:Wid me too ra na nya with me too ra na nya,
:Wid me too ra na noo ra na noo ra na nya

## Interpretaitions
Som fowksingers interpreitit this sang. Luke Kelly, far example, is ane o thaim: bat awso Ronnie Drew, Bob Lynch, John Connoly.

## References