Jack Donahue and His Gang

DESCRIPTION: "If Ireland lies groaning, a hand at her through, Which foreigners have from the recreants bought, Forget not the lessons our fathers have taught... Be brave and true." The singer, exiled, will still fight for Ireland. He reveals he is (Jack?) Donahue
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 2008 (Innes)
KEYWORDS: emigration transportation Ireland patriotic
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
ADDITIONAL: Lyn Innes, _Ned Kelly: Icon of Modern Culture_, Helm Information Ltd., 2008, p. 84, "Jack Dohahue and His Gang" (1 text)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Jack Donahue" [Laws L22]
cf. "Bold Jack Donahoe" (subject)
NOTES [74 words]: Innes says that this is an "early ballad, no doubt known to the Kellys" (i.e. Ned Kelly and his gang), but cites no source, and I've never seen it elsewhere. And what traditional ballad would use the word "recreant"? What's more, although the Kellys tried to portray an image of Irish nationalism, there doesn't seem to be much of that in the history of Jack Donahue. I've included this in the Index, but I don't really think it traditional. - RBW
Last updated in version 5.0
File: Innes084

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