"Johnston's Motor Car" is an

Irish rebel song In the music of Ireland, Irish rebel songs are folk songs which are primarily about the various rebellions against British Crown rule. Songs about prior rebellions are a popular topic of choice among musicians which supported Irish nationalis ...

written by Willie Gillespie based on the commandeering in

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

of a motor car belonging to Dr. Henry Maturin Johnston (1851–1932) by the

Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various Resistance movement, resistance organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dominantly Catholic and dedicated to anti-imperiali ...

(IRA).

History

The song is based on a real event in April 1921. An

unit needed transport to a town over fifty miles away, but had no car to carry them. They decided to call out Henry M. Johnston, a doctor based in

Stranorlar Stranorlar () is a town, townland and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in the River Finn (County Donegal), Finn Valley of County Donegal, in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Stranorlar and Ballybofey (located on the other side of the River F ...

, and then ambush him and his car at a bridge and commandeer the car for the IRA. Johnston was sent a telegraph asking him to attend to a Mrs Boyle. On his way there, he found the Reelin Bridge in Glenfin barricaded by the IRA, who forced him to give them his car. In 2019, retired Ballybofey businessman Cathal McHugh claimed to have found what he believes to be the remnants of the vehicle under a

turf Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

stack in

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...

Composition

William Gillespie, a poet from

Ballybofey Ballybofey ( , ; ) is a town located on the south bank of the River Finn (County Donegal), River Finn, County Donegal, Ireland. Together with the smaller town of Stranorlar on the north side of the River Finn (County Donegal), River Finn, the ...

, wrote the song shortly after the event. The song was very popular in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

in the 1920s before being rediscovered and covered by bands including

The Dubliners The Dubliners () were an Folk music of Ireland, Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in pers ...

and

Flying Column A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms. It is often an ''ad hoc'' unit, formed during the course of operations. The term is usually, though not necessarily, appl ...

, although the more modern versions have slightly different lyrics; ''Johnston'' is often replaced with ''Johnson'' as well, as in the

Clancy Brothers The Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music group that developed initially as a part of the American folk music revival. Most popular during the 1960s, they were famed for their Aran jumpers and are widely credited with popularisi ...

version.

Original Lyrics

:Down by

Brockagh Brockagh (or Brocagh,"Brocagh and Belville House"
Culture Northern I ...

Corner one morning I did stray, :When I met another rebel bold, who this to me did say: :I've orders from the Captain to assemble at Drumbar :But how are we to reach Dungloe without a Motor Car? :O Barney dear, be of good cheer and I'll tell you what we'll do. :The

Black and Tans The Black and Tans () were constables recruited into the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) as reinforcements during the Irish War of Independence. Recruitment began in Great Britain in January 1920, and about 10,000 men enlisted during the conflic ...

have plenty guns altho' we have but few. :We'll wire down to

before we walk so far, :And we'll give the boys a jolly ride on Johnston's Motor Car. :When Johnston got the wire then he soon pulled on his shoes. :He says this case is urgent, there's little time to lose. :He wore a fancy caster hat and on his breast a

star A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...

. :You could hear the din going through Glenfin of Johnston's Motor Car. :When he came to the Reelan Bridge, he met some rebels there. :He knew the game was up with him, and at them he did stare. :He said I've got a permit for travelling out so far :You can keep your English permit, but we want your motor car. :"What will my loyal comrades say when I get to Drumboe. :To say my car was commandeered by rebels from Dungloe?" :We'll give you a

receipt A receipt (also known as a packing list, packing slip, packaging slip, (delivery) docket, shipping list, delivery list, bill of the parcel, Manifest (transportation), manifest, or customer receipt) is a document acknowledging that something h ...

for her, its signed by Captain Maher, :And when Ireland's free, then we will see to Johnston's Motor Car. :They put the car in motion, they filled it to the brim. :With guns and bayonets shining, while Johnston he did grin. :When Barney waved a Sinn Féin flag, she shot off like a star :And they gave three cheers for freedom and for Johnston's Motor Car. :When the loyal crew they heard the news, it grieved their hearts full sore. :They swore they'd have reprisals before they would give o'er. :In vain they searched through Glenties, the Rosses and Kilcar, :While the I.R.A. their flags displayed on Johnston's Motor Car.

Popular Lyrics

:'Twas down by Brannigan's Corner, one morning I did stray :I met a fellow rebel, and to me he did say :"We've orders from the captain to assemble at Drumbar :But how are we to get there, without a motor car?" :"Oh, Barney dear, be of good cheer, I'll tell you what we'll do :The Specials they are plentiful and the IRA are few :We'll send a wire to Johnston to meet us at

:And we'll give the boys a bloody good ride in Johnston's Motor Car. :When Doctor Johnston heard the news he soon put on his shoes :He says this is an urgent case, there is no time to lose :He then put on his castor hat and on his breast a star :You could hear the din all through Glenfin of Johnston's motor car. :But when he got to the railway bridge, some rebels he saw there :Old Johnston knew the game was up, for at him they did stare :He said "I have a permit, to travel near and far" :"To hell with your English permit, we want your motor car." :"What will my loyal brethren think, when they hear the news :My car it has been commandeered, by the rebels at Dunluce?" :"We'll give you a receipt for it, all signed by Captain Barr :And when Ireland gets her freedom, you'll get your motor car." :Well we put that car in motion and filled it to the brim :With guns and bayonets shining which made old Johnston grim :And Barney hoisted a

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( ; ; ) is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The History of Sinn Féin, original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffit ...

flag A flag is a piece of textile, fabric (most often rectangular) with distinctive colours and design. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design employed, and fla ...

, and it fluttered like a star :And we gave three cheers for the IRA and Johnston's Motor Car.

Recordings

The Clancy Brothers The Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music group that developed initially as a part of the American folk music revival. Most popular during the 1960s, they were famed for their Aran jumpers and are widely credited with popularisi ...

, '' In Person at Carnegie Hall'' (1963) *

Dominic Behan Dominic Behan ( ; ; 22 October 1928 – 3 August 1989) was an Irish writer, songwriter and singer from Dublin who wrote in Irish and English. He was a socialist and an Irish republican. Born into the literary Behan family, he was one of the mo ...

, ''Easter Week and after'' (1965) *

, '' Plain and Simple'' (1973) * The Flying Column, ''Four Green Fields'' (1972) *

Renaud Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan (; born 11 May 1952 in Paris), known as Renaud, is a French singer-songwriter. With twenty-six albums to his credit, selling nearly twenty million copies, he is one of France's most popular singers. Several of h ...

, ''

Molly Malone – Balade irlandaise ''Molly Malone – Balade irlandaise'' is an album by French singer-songwriter Renaud, released on 23 November 2009 on EMI Records. It is a collection of traditional-style Irish folk songs translated into French, an idea that had been maturing i ...

'' (2009) - A French translation

References

{{authority control Irish songs The Dubliners songs Year of song missing