11 Kennedy’s Factory For Ever (1858)

Ellen Johnston

Kennedy’s Factory For Ever*

by Ellen Johnston
Oh, cheer, girls cheer, we have nothing to fear,
Glad nature lies smiling before us;
The sun shining bright, with his gorgeous light,
Is showering his love-beams o’er us.
5
A day like this day again we ne’er may
Meet with while crossing life’s river;
Then let us enjoy, without care or alloy,
And sing Kennedy’s Factory[1] for ever.
                             Then we’ll enjoy, without care or alloy,
10
                             And sing Kennedy’s Factory for ever.
This morn we did meet all in Bedford Street,
Now we’re seventy-five miles from home;
And a happier band in Erin’s green land
I am sure never met than our own.
15
We’ve music and mirth, a beautiful earth,
A master whose match we’ll find never;
Then let us sing till the Causeway ring,
And sing Kennedy’s Factory for ever.
                             Then let us sing, &c.
Here’s a toast to our master—the boast
20
Of all master’s in green Erin’s isle
May he still have wealth; may we still have health
To remain his servants of toil.
His workers are we from all slavery free,
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Oppressions vile chain we felt never;
His name we shall praise, our voice we shall raise,
And sing Kennedy’s Factory for ever.
                             His name[2] we shall praise, &c.
We’ve all met this day at the Giant’s Causeway,
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Where Nature her works hath unfurled;
‘Tis a gorgeous view; if history be true,
It cannot be matched in the world.
Those waters so bright, they gladden the sight,
That ne’er from our memories can sever;
35
The sea billows wave through yon echoing cave,
And sing Kennedy’s Factory for ever.
                             The sea billows wave, &c.
We sit round the well, and drink of its spell;
The poteen goes round by degrees;
40
Two ladies sit there, both handsome and fair—
Mrs Reison, her friend Mrs Lees.
From England they came to visit the scene;
Altho’ from our land they must sever,
Wherever they be they will think upon me
45
Singing Kennedy’s Factory for ever.[3]
                             Wherever they be they will think upon me
                              Singing Kennedy’s Factory for ever.

*This song was sung by the authoress at the Giant’s Causeway, on the memorable occasion of the annual pleasure excursion given by James Kennedy, Esq., to the workers in his Weaving Factory, Belfast, on Saturday, 31st July, 1858. The two ladies referred to in the last verso were from Manchester, on a visit to the Giant’s Causeway. They were sitting at the well when the song was sung. They gave Miss Johnston a handsome sum of money to enjoy herself that day, saying at the same time, that they would never forget her singing ‘Kennedy’s Factory for ever.’

  1. The Bedfort Street Weaving Company, run by James Kennedy and Son, Flax Spinners, was located on Bedfort Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The building was bought by Ewart company in 1896, and it still stands the Ewart head office. ↵
  2. That is, Kennedy. ↵
  3. Johnston explains in note * at the bottom of the poem who these ladies are and why they would think of her. This is Johnstone taking pride in her poetic voice, claiming fame as "The Factory Girl" poet. ↵

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Kennedy's Factory For Ever (1858) Copyright © by Ellen Johnston is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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