Around the Clyde: Greenock: Cross of Lorraine

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Greenock - Memorial Re-dedication

One of my last entries here for a while as I'm running out of photos taken around the Firth! However, I'll be back there later in the year, all being well, and I shall continue adding to my other blog, 'Around Scotland' in the meantime.

Below: some of my photos from 1971. The occasion was the re-dedication of the Free French/Cross of Lorraine memorial in Greenock. I missed out on the ceremony on the Lyle Hill but took some photos down by the water instead. (I'm not sure exactly where I took these - Custom House Quay perhaps? If someone could tell me I'd be very grateful!)

Aunt Gwen holding up the Greenock Telegraph to show the page about the day.

SONG OF THE CLYDE

"I sing of a river I'm happy beside
The song that I sing is a song of the Clyde
Of all Scottish rivers it’s dearest to me
It flows from Leadhills all the way to the sea
It borders the orchards of Lanark so fair
Meanders through meadows with sheep grazing there
But from Glasgow to Greenock, in towns on each side
The hammers’ ding-dong is the song of the Clyde

(Chorus)
Oh the river Clyde, the wonderful Clyde
The name of it thrills me and fills me with pride
And I'm satisfied whate'er may betide
The sweetest of songs is the song of the Clyde

Imagine we’ve left Craigendoran behind
And wind-happy yachts by Kilcreggan we find
At Kirn and Dunoon and Innellan we stay
Then Scotland’s Madeira that’s Rothesay, they say
Or maybe by Fairlie and Largs we will go
Or over to Millport that thrills people so
Maybe journey to Arran it can't be denied
Those scenes all belong to the song of the Clyde

When sun sets on dockland, there’s beauty to see
The cry of a seabird is music to me
The blast of a horn loudly echoes, and then
A stillness descends on the water again
'Tis here that the sea-going liners are born
But unlike the salmon, they seldom return
Can you wonder the Scots o’er the ocean so wide
Should constantly long for the song of the Clyde?"

The first song I learnt to sing from memory! I don't know who wrote it though I've heard it sung by many well known singers. Here is a link to it sung by Kenneth McKellar (over a great video)!