Youth That Belonged to Milltown, The

DESCRIPTION: Pat meets John Bull in London and mentions Robert Emmet. John Bull reminds Pat of English victories over Russians, Zulus, and Napoleon. Rather than challenging English control of, or leaving, Ireland, says John Bull, Pat should stay home and be contented.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1956 (OCroinin/Cronin-TheSongsOfElizabethCronin)
LONG DESCRIPTION: Pat from Milltown, Kerry meets John Bull in London. John Bull asks if Pat is one of "those Fenians we had in the year '64" Pat says "don't speak about Fenians... but remember the last words of [Robert] Emmet" John Bull recites how the British defeated the Russians, Zulus, and Napoleon." Pat asks "who is the right owner Of the land where the shamrock do grow... William O'Brien is our leader" John Bull says Pat has strayed from his country "like wild geese you do go away to America, New York and New Zealand." You should stay home and "be contented"
KEYWORDS: war home rambling travel England Ireland dialog patriotic
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (1 citation):
OCroinin/Cronin-TheSongsOfElizabethCronin 181, "The Youth That Belonged to Milltown" (2 texts)
Roud #16257
NOTES [89 words]: The Zulu War (1879) and William O'Brien (1852-1928, and political agitator beginning 1883, per Wikipedia "William O'Brien") would put an early date for this song in the 1880s.
There are other songs in which Pat meets John Bull and they discuss politics. See, for example, Wehman's [Universal Songster] Collection of 93 Songs No. 13 (New York, 1886, digitized by Internet Archive), p. 26, "John Bull" and Bodleian, Harding B 25(978), "John Bull and Paddy Bull" ("Says John Bull to Paddy what's all this hub-bub"), unknown, no date. - BS
Last updated in version 3.2
File: OCC181

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