“Bonny Wood Green” (also Bonnie Woodgreen) is a
ballad from World War I, still sung in Irish pubs
today. The Irish were unenthusiastic about entering the
war on the British side, but once the decision had been
made there were surprisingly large numbers of
volunteers. The divided loyalties of the Irish soldiers
cannot have made their ordeal in the trenches any
easier.
Although the song deals with heartbreak and death, it
leaves the listener with the melancholy peace that
comes long a...(+)
“Bonny Wood Green” (also Bonnie Woodgreen) is a
ballad from World War I, still sung in Irish pubs
today. The Irish were unenthusiastic about entering the
war on the British side, but once the decision had been
made there were surprisingly large numbers of
volunteers. The divided loyalties of the Irish soldiers
cannot have made their ordeal in the trenches any
easier.
Although the song deals with heartbreak and death, it
leaves the listener with the melancholy peace that
comes long after heartbreak, not the heartbreak itself.
There is a story about this ballad which suggests that
it was restored and revised. At any rate it is a
lovely, artless formula, as with the dying soldier
telling a comrade to "kiss my love Nell, and remember
Woodgreen". And that's a fine little place, we are
told, where many work in John Ross's factory. Bonnie
Woodgreen "Where the weavers and winders are plain to
be seen, For they all wear white aprons in Bonnie
Woodgreen."
Where is this fine place? The volunteer goes off to
Kells bar racks to enlist, and that must be Kells,
County Antrim, from context and language. And there's
the further instruction that it is near Ballymacvey. A
touch of Shangrila about it all now.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonny_Wood_Green).
Although originally written for Tradional Irish
instruments, I created this Interpretation of the
Ballad "The Bonny Wood Green" for Flute, Violin, Cello
& Celtic or Concert (Pedal) Harp.