The Battle of Garvagh The day before the July fair The Ribbonmen they did prepare For three miles round to wreck and tear And burn the town of Garvagh The Tory whistle loud and shrill We heard it o'er the high Mourne Hill Fall on, brave oys, well slay and kill The Protestants in Garvagh The day cam on they did repair in multitudes to Garvagh Fair Some traveled thirty miles and more To burn the town of Garvagh They all appeared in greatest haste White handkerchiefs tied round their wasts But their jackets we did soundly baste That July fair in Garvagh To Coleraine straightaway we went For aid but none for us they sent This bloody crew all to prevent From their design on Garvagh To Provines then we quick applied For aid which he soon us denied Saying Longest stands the thougest hide I'll find no aid for Garvagh The Protestants and Orangemen Like brothers did assemble then To keep the town was their design Or die like men in Garvagh We fired blank shots of no avail The Orange balls they flew like hail While Ribbonmen soon turned their tail With deadly wounds from Garvagh Then Captain Douay cried, Brave Boys Maintain your Cause and fear no noise We'll massacre these Orange Boys And burn the town of Garvagh He had not turned himself well round Till he received a deadly wound His heels went up his head went down At the third tree in Garvagh We gave the word to clear the street While numbers flew like hunted sheep When Protestants did Papists meet At Davidsons in Garvagh Oh then brave boys if you had seen Twas the best man through Ballinameen While Orange Boys pursued them keen And cleared the town of Garvah But mark what followed this affray They thought to swear our lives away To jail we went without delay We had no guards from Garvagh They horrid oaths against us swore Such swearing you ne'er heard before McCluskey swore three hours of more Against the Boys of Garvagh The Judge then he would us condemn Had it not been for our jurrymen Our grateful thanks are due to them For they cleared the Boys of Garvagh All thanks and praise we'll tender still To Mr. Price and brave George Hill The Beresfords befriend us still For they cleared the Boys of Garvagh. (refers to the 26th of july 1813) CB
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