Derek Warfield wrote the words and music for his song, “Matt Talbot,” which is included in his album, Legacy. The lyrics follow:
|
Oh saintly matt talbot a labouring man
You worked and you toiled did the best
That you can.
There were times just for drinking you lived
Thru your life with reality clouded midst hardship and strife
For no hope it is offered there seemed no way out
And you found consilation in whiskey and stout
In to misery and suffering you soon were to stray
For this is the wage of the alcohol way:
Chorus Now the city of dublin had europe’s worst slums
But for faith and for prayer you’d never have won
But the spirit of enda and brendan retold
Gave you inspiration thru christian way’s old
Then the path of st. Ciaran and colman you choose
And above the dublin city your proud spirit rose
For you sought thru your prayer that your voice
Would be heard and you showed thru your penance you loved and you cared
2 In this town of eblana you were barren of hope And you prayed for a way you could live and could cope
Then one saturday evening you stood back from the edge
And in holy cross college you then took the pledge
From that day till your death you spent time on your knees
Wanting only to pray and yor god for to please
And the workers of dublin said barney a chara
For they knew that you prayed for all children of sorrow
Full chorus as above
3
With the minds of your masters all blinded by greed
To the cause of the workers and families in need
Oh you stood, by your comrades, you knew their cause just
And your stand although simple in matt talbot there’s trust
And the streets and the alleys all echo your name
Just to know that you walked them in penance and shame
And there’s many a dublin man husband or wife
Who whisper your name for to let in god’s light
Full chorus as above
Now the city of dublin
Had europe’s worst slums
But for faith and for prayer you’d never have won
But the spirit of endaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. End. | | |
A sample of this song can be played at
