“The Foggy Dew” is generally attributed to have been written the Canon Charles O’Neill, there are some who say it may have been written by Peadar Kearney who wrote the national anthem of the Irish Republic. It is said that he was inspired by the many prisoners of war that were missing from the first meeting of the new Dail, which met in 1919.
Above is an image of Canon Charles O’Neill
The music already existed however, it belonged to an old love song by Kathleen Dallat of Ballycastle. Carl Hardebeck was listed as the arranger for that particular piece.
“The Foggy Dew” is widely accepted as the most accurate interpretation of the 1916 Rising because of how it not only captures the bravery of the fighters but also the hell they went through, including many of their deaths. Also in the second verse there are the lines “Twas better to die ‘neath that Irish sky, Than at Sulva or Sud el Bar, And from the plains of Royal Meath,” reflecting the sentiment that for the rebels they would rather die for Ireland then die fighting for Britain fighting in World War 1. It also seeks to inspire more men to join the rebels and their cause by tapping into the collective memory the people of Ireland share of how many Irish died in the Easter Rising.
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Citations:
Giotto), Labrini Gioti (Labri. “Outreach Ethnomusicology – The Foggy Dew.” Outreach Ethnomusicology – The Foggy Dew: Processes of Change in an Irish Rebel Song. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2016.