Henry Joy - Irish Traditional

I first found this song on a Frank Harte album called ‘1798 - The First Year of Liberty’.
It describes a young man from Antrim bidding farewell to his family and following Henry Joy McCracken into battle against the British in the 1798 rebellion.
Henry Joy McCracken was one of the leaders on the United Irishmen alongside men like Wolfe Tone and Thomas Russell.
The particular battle described in this song would’ve been the battle of Antrim on the 7th of June 1798, where the United Irishmen and Irish Defenders were defeated by the British Army.
Henry Joy McCracken was arrested shortly after, held in Belfast and hanged there on the 17th of July 1798. i cant find the writers name, probably written in the early 1800s, lyrics below;
An Ulster man I am proud to be
From the Antrim glens I come
And though I've laboured by the sea
I have followed fife and drum
I have heard the martial tramp of men
I've seen them fight and die
Ah! Lads it's well I remember when
I followed Henry Joy
I dragged my boat in from the shore
And I hid my sails away
I hung my nets upon a tree
And I scanned the moonlit bay
The boys were out, the red coats too
I kissed my love good-bye
And in the shade of the greenwood glade
I followed Henry Joy
It was all for Ireland's cause we fought
And we gave our heart and hand
And at Antrim town of high renown, we fought with the red coat band
We piked the gunners and their guns
I saw them fall and die
And aye, my boys, 'twas for Irelands cause that I followed Henry Joy
It was for Ireland's cause we fought
For home and sire, we bled
'Though our numbers were few, our hearts were true
And five to one lay dead
And many a lassie mourned her lad
And mother mourned her boy
For youth was strong in the daring throng
That followed Henry Joy
In Belfast town, they built a tree
And the redcoats mustered there
I saw him come as the beat of a drum
Rolled out in the barrack square
He kissed his sister, went aloft
And waved a last good-bye
My God he died, I turned and I cried
They have murdered Henry Joy

[@MsLovieGirl]

Beautifully done. Love every second of it.

[@paulineD111]

Beautiful this was my dad's song God bless him

[@patriciaharkin1571]

That's a new one to me Paddy, never heard it before. Nice one.

[@NinaRicciMusic]

Wonderful trad and wonderfully sung!

[@glotree]

Not what I was expecting at all. Beautiful.

[@Chris.Magowan]

Brilliant

[@spamspum928]

Great tune

[@pmajury]

What is the tuning for this song?

[@breenirwin2356]

Tune 🔥 🇮🇪