All along the Western Front there is serenity and a tragic beauty that preserves the memories and secrets of a lost generation of young men from all over Ireland. They had different backgrounds and different faiths but on those battlefields of France and Flanders, they fought and died together, all boys of the island.

Fawney Cross 

Fawney Cross

This is a song about John Condon from Waterford, Ireland. John was aged 14 when he was killed during World War One in May 1915. This song is taken from the album 'Boys of the Island' 

John Condon

The trees at this secluded spot nestling below the Spanbroekmolen crater near Wytschaete seem to whisper in the gentlest of breezes. Perhaps they tell the tragic secrets of all the young men who lie in Lone Tree Cemetery.....
Words and Music by: Sam Starrett, Richard Laird and Tracey McRory


Lone Tree

A song written by Sam Starrett, Tracey McRory and Richard Laird as part of Sam's play Home for Christmas.  A young soldier sings from the trenches longing to be home sitting at by the fire as it snows... 

Vocals and Piano: Richard Laird
Cello: Aideen Hughes
Violin: Tracey McRory


Home for Christmas

Words and music Richard Laird/Sam Starrett/Tracey McRory

Here with my feet in the winter snow
Frost in my ears and my eyes.
Christmas stars shining above me. They’re not mine!
This is the season of holiness.
This is the season of cheer
It’s something that’s easy forgot about 
When you’re out here alone. So far away!

But I’ll be home for Christmas, now don’t you weep
Back when the roses are asleep
I’ll be there forever when winter blows 
To sit by the fire as it snows and it snow

Here in the season of holiness
It’s hard to find comfort or joy
Wrapped in the clothes of a warrior
I am a boy alone, so far away

But I’ll be home for Christmas, now don’t you weep
Back when the roses are asleep
I’ll be there forever when winter blows 
To sit by the fire as it glows and it glows
I imagine I hear a choir sing
And the Christmas bells ring in my ear
I wish I was back with my family 
At this time of year, at home. So far away!


Home For Christmas

The moon rose over the Somme…..
I am a number without a name
Crouched in the trenches with shadows of men
And I know that I'll kill or be killed in the end 
That doesn’t make me a soldier

Written by: Sam Starrett
Vocals/Guitar                         Sam Starrett
Keyboards/Backing vocals   Richard Laird
Violin                                      Tracey McRory

Soldier

'Passchendale' written and performed by Tracey McRory

Passchendaele

'The Lost Boy' written by: Jo Lottegier/Richard Laird/ Tracey McRory tells the story of George Llewelyn Davies, who along with his four younger brothers was the inspiration for playwright J. M. Barrie's characters of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. George was killed in Flanders, Belgium on the 15th March 1915, he was just 21 years old. 
Richard Laird            Vocals/Piano
Tracey McRoy           Violin/Harp/ backing vocals
Marcas Ó Murchú      Flute
Michaela Devine        Backing vocals 
Recorded at Blast Furnace Studio, Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland


The Lost Boy

The Garden of Reflection, “a symbol of the new reality whereby previous enemies are working together and building a new society based on the celebration of diversity''
This piece of music was commissioned in 2015 and performed at the opening of the Garden of Reflection in Derry/Londonderry in June 2015. Written by: Tracey McRory and Richard Laird (Songshed) This instrumental reflects on the stories shared, courage shown and the deep pain and hurt that remain within our community.
The ripple effect our individuals stories have on others..... 

Ripples

'Let me Tell You About War' is dedicated to  Private Edward Byrne who joined the 19th Royal Hussars, a cavalry regiment, before the war and served until 1919. Edward is the father of famous chat show host and broadcaster Gay Byrne. 
This piece was first performed in Flagey, Brussles in October 2014 as part of the Embassy of Ireland First World War Commemoration Programme. 
Like so many others Edward never spoke about his experiences when he returned from the battlefields, but one day, as Gay was working on a school project about the war, his father sat down at the kitchen table with him and said; ''Let me tell you about war'' 

Composed By Richard Laird and Tracey McRory

Richard Laird         -   Piano
Tracey McRory      -   Violin
Marcas Ó Murchú  -   Flute

Recorded at Blast Furnace Studio, Northern Ireland 

Let Me Tell You About War

Inside an unassuming Berlin building lies a collection of recordings made in German prisoner of war camps during the first World War. Among the thousands of shellac discs are recordings of Irish soldiers and their songs, poems and stories. A century on, they come to life again....
 98 years later,  James McAssey sounds as melancholic as he did in 1917 as his voice is heard piercing the darkness of St Pauls's Church, Langemark, Flanders.
“No one to welcome me home far away/no one to welcome me home;
For when I return to old Ireland again/I’ll have no one to welcome me home.”
The only grave in the CWGC to have musical notation is that of Hugh Gordon Langton,  an exceptionally gifted violinist who was killed at Passchendaele in 1917 before he had a chance to achieve international fame. It is believed that the notes belong to the tune 'After The Ball Is Over' 
In November 2015 by invitation of Gemeente Langemark-Poelkapelle  a group of musicians from the island of Ireland performed with Flemish musicians at St Paul's Church, Langemark. This is a live recording from that night. An evening of music that warmed the soul... 

Recorded by: Henk Waegebaert 


After The Ball Is Over -  A Tribute to Musicians of WW1

The world was stark
as if time was frozen
and an emptiness cried out across the void
I saw a grey sky dull the web of Heaven
and rain tears down on an undeserving heart
then I heard a voice
it seemed to whisper that you were with me
and I thought i felt your breath against my face
(Laird/Starrett/McRory)

Calling An Angel Back Home (Laird/Starrett/McRory)

John Condon is recorded by CWGC as the youngest known soldier to be killed during WW1, this song tells the haunting and tragic account of this 14 year old boy’s role in WW1. 
Voted Song of the Year on BBC Radio it has recently been recorded by English Folk group Fairport Convention. This song is used in Remembrance Commemorations around the world and indeed by both cultures on the Island of Ireland. 
In November 2015 by invitation of Gemeente Langemark-Poelkapelle a group of musicians from the island of Ireland performed with Flemish musicians at St Paul's Church, Langemark. This is a live recording from that night. An evening of music that warmed the soul...

Recorded by: Henk Waegebaert

Richard Laird         Vocals/guitar
Tracey McRory       Violin
Darren Milligan       Whistle
Tom Byrne               Accordian

John Condon - Laird/Starrett/McRory

'The Ministrel Boy' a live recording from concert in St Paul's Church, Langemark, Flanders. The concert 'Boys of the Island' was performed by Irish musicians and Flemish musicians in November 2015  by  invitation from Gemeentebestuur Langemark Poelkapelle. 

Harmonica/Button Accordian  Tom Byrne
Tin whistle:                               Darren Milligan
Piano:                                          Richard Laird
Fiddle:                                         Tracey McRory
Guitar:                                          Ivan Volcke
Guitar:                                          Luc Cuppens
Double Bass:                               Dries Chaerle

Recorded by: Henk Waegebaert

The Minstrel Boy

Tracey McRory and Richard Laird were commissioned by The Office of the Northern Ireland Executive  and the Irish Government to compose ‘The Messines Suite’ in 2017. They performed this piece with Royal Navy Belgian Band along with Darren Milligan at the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Belgium on the 7th June, 2017  in the presence of Prince William Duke of Cambridge, Princess Astrid  and  Taoiseach Enda Kenny. This was a special performance to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Messines. ‘The Messines Suite’, reflects both musical cultures on the island of Ireland, the final piece within the suite called ‘The Long Road’, this expresses the synergy between both these divisions leading up to the capture of the village of Wytschaete on 7th June, 1917.

Songshed

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