Music: The Green Fields of France

“Well how do you do, Private William McBride?
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside?”

"(No Man's Land) The Green Fields of France" is a poignant ballad highlighting tragedy of young lives cut short during The Great War or in any such conflict.

But the song, by Scottish singer-song writer Eric Bogle, has an even deeper meaning. It was written in the 1970s at a time of heightened anti-Irish sentiment within Britain. Bogle intended to remind the public of the sacrifices made by the Irish thoughouthistory, namely fighting and dying within and alongside British armed forces.m i defense of the empire.

While the song's Willie McBride may represent an amalgam of Irish soldiers serving for British forces, Bogle did in fact get inspiration while visiting gravesides of fallen WWI soldiers at Authuille Military Cemetary, Picardie, France.

One of those graves, was that of Private William McBride, born about 1895 at Keady, Co. Armagh. Before the war McBride was educated at Crosskeys National School and was a cobbler's apprentice. Enlisting at Belfast in 1915, Private 12/23965 9th Bn., Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers joined the glorious fallen at the Somme when hit by artillery fire on Saturday, 22 Apr 1916.

Some quick math might tell you McBride was about 21 years of age at his death, not 19 as the song indicates. Well, we've got to give Bogle some leeway and creative license here. After all, 21 doesn't rhyme with 1916...