Billy's Downfall

DESCRIPTION: The singer swears by all things and people -- O'Connell, King Saul, Zozymus Moran, Dido, the Shannon, Brian Boru, dirty dealers -- that "I ne'er had a hand in King Billy's downfall." Billy will be rebuilt but had better not "dress as before" on July 12.
AUTHOR: probably by "Zozimus" (Michael Moran) (c.1794-1846) (Source: Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion)
EARLIEST DATE: 1836 (Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion)
KEYWORDS: Ireland political
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
April 8, 1836 - "The equestrian statue of William III, which stood in the centre of College Green, Dublin [the site of the "unified" out of existance Irish Parliament ... [was] blown up early in the morning." (source: Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion)
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion 48, "Billy's Downfall" (1 text, 1 tune)
NOTES [62 words]: July 12 is the Gregorian Calendar (adopted in England in 1752) date for celebrating the victory of William III of Orange in the Battle of the Boyne, July 1, 1690.
Zimmerman-SongsOfIrishRebellion: The statue "was annually coloured white and decorated with Orange lilies, a scarlet cloak and an orange sash, to commemorate the Protestant victory at the battle of the Boyne." - BS
File: Zimm048

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography