{"id":2859,"date":"2014-11-11T16:59:29","date_gmt":"2014-11-11T16:59:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2859"},"modified":"2014-11-11T16:59:29","modified_gmt":"2014-11-11T16:59:29","slug":"james-orr-the-bard-of-ballycarry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2859","title":{"rendered":"James Orr-The Bard of Ballycarry"},"content":{"rendered":"

James Orr-The Bard of Ballycarry<\/strong><\/p>\n

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James Orr was born in the town land of Ballycarry in the year 1770.\u00a0 He was th only child of elderly parents and was tutored and taught at home. He was a prolific writer as a young man and wrote both in English and Ulster-Scots.\u00a0 He was a contemporary of Rabbie Burns, who he was compared to.\u00a0 Indeed in more recent times John Hewitt claimed that indeed Orr was a better poet than Burns.\u00a0 Quite a claim.\u00a0 Orr was foremost of the group of Ulster Scots poets who became known as the Ulster Weaver Poets\u2014or rhyming weavers.
\nOrr joined the nationalist Society of United Irishmen as a 21 year old.\u00a0 Much of his poetry from that time first appeared in The Northern Star\u2014the journal of the United Irishmen. \u00a0In 1798 Orr took part-with the United Army of Ulster-in the failed attempt to capture Antrim town from the Royal Forces. \u00a0A biographer of the time says..\u201d his conduct will long be remembered in having been actively employed in preventing his companions committing acts of cruelty\u201d.<\/em><\/strong> He along with many others fled and went into hiding.\u00a0 Their leader Henry Joy McCracken was captured and hanged in July of that year but Orr fled to America, where he remained, working for a newspaper before returning to Ballycarry under an amnesty in 1802.<\/p>\n

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He applied to join the Yeoman\u2014a part time militia-who apparently were in existence to fight the UI threat.\u00a0 He was turned down because of his still radical views. Orr took over the running of the family farm after his father\u2019s death taking again to weaving as a trade and he self published the one book that appeared during his lifetime…Poems on Various Subjects.\u00a0 In later years alcohol played a big part in Orr\u2019s life although he remained close to many of his literary friends.\u00a0 It was they who published The Posthumous Works of James Orr of Ballycarry in 1817.\u00a0 Orr had died the previous year aged 46.\u00a0 At Orr\u2019s request all proceeds from the sale of the book would be used to hopefully relieve poverty in Ballycarry.
\nIn The Passengers<\/em><\/strong> Orr tells the story of the exiles after the ill fated 98 rebellion and particular the Battle of Antrim Town.<\/p>\n

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How calm an\u2019 cozie is the wight,
\nFrae cares an\u2019 conflicts clear ay,
\nWhase settled headpiece never made,
\nHis heels or han\u2019s be weary!
\nPerplex\u2019d is he whase anxious schemes
\nPursue applause, or siller,
\nSuccess nor sates, nor failure tames;
\nBandied frae post to pillar
\nIs he, ilk day
\nAs we were, Comrades, at the time
\nWe mov\u2019d frae Ballycarry,
\nTo wan\u2019er thro\u2019 the woody clime
\nBurgoyne gied oure to harrie:
\nWi\u2019 frien\u2019s consent we prie\u2019t a gill,
\nAn\u2019 monie a house did call at,
\nShook han\u2019s, an\u2019 smil\u2019t; tho\u2019 ilk fareweel
\nStrak, like a mighty mallet,
\nOur hearts, that day
\nThis is my locker, yon\u2019ers Jock\u2019s,
\nIn that aul creel, sea-store is
\nThir births beside us are the Lockes
\nMy uncle\u2019s there before us;
\nHere hang my tins an\u2019 vitriol jug,
\nNae thief\u2019s at han\u2019 to meddle \u2018em
\nL—d, man, I\u2019m glad ye\u2019re a\u2019 sae snug;
\nBut och! \u2018tis owre like Bedlam
\nWi\u2019 a\u2019 this day<\/p>\n

Aince mair luck lea\u2019s us (plain \u2018tis now
\nA murd\u2019rer in some mess is)
\nAn English frigate heaves in view,
\nI\u2019ll bail her board, an\u2019 press us
\nTaupies beneath their wives wha stole,
\nOr \u2018mang auld sails lay flat ay,
\nLike whitrats peepin\u2019 frae their hole,
\nCried \u2018is she British, wat ye,
\nOr French this day?\u2019
\n\u2018Twas but a brig frae Baltimore,
\nTo Larne wi\u2019 lintseed steerin\u2019;
\nTwa days ago she left the shore,
\nLet\u2019s watch for lan\u2019 appearin\u2019;
\nSpies frae the shrouds, like laigh dark clouds
\nDescried domes, mountains, bushes;
\nTha exiles griev\u2019t \u2013 the sharpers thiev\u2019t \u2013
\nWhile cronies bous\u2019t like fishes
\nConven\u2019t, that day
\nWhan glidin\u2019 up the Delaware,
\nWe cam\u2019 fornent Newcastle,
\nGypes co\u2019ert the whaft to gove, an\u2019 stare
\nWhile out, in boats, we bustle:
\nCreatures wha ne\u2019er had seen a black,
\nFu\u2019 scar\u2019t took to their shankies;
\nSae, wi\u2019 our best rags on our back,
\nWe mixt amang the Yankies,
\nAn\u2019 skail\u2019t, that day<\/p>\n

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Beano<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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