Fewer people know that there was another man from Co Down on board that famous ship. James McGrady was 16yrs old when he left Lisnamore near Crossgar in County Down for a life at sea. He served on the Oceanic before getting a job as a 1st Class Steward on the Titanic. James’ was the last body recovered and returned to Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was interred in Fairview Cemetery and his headstone bears his name and the number 330 signifying he was the 330th body recovered although in fact there are no numbers 328 and 329. This happened because the record keeper turned over two pages by mistake. These words look at the events of the times through the eyes of…. The boy frae Lisnamore (The Fate O James McGrady) My frien what made ye stummle on This humble grev in Fairview lawn Ir ye lukin for sombdy lang since gone Or dae ye fin this tale romantic? Maybe ye joost want tae know What happened all thase years ago The night the Titanic went below In the icy north atlantic Dae Crossgar folk min I come frae there? Dae the crowds still rin tae the Wednesday fair? Is the market hoose still stannin in the square? Ach it’s a lang time since I left her. Daes the tren still rin that carried me Awa frae Crossgar tae the sea? Naw knowin’ what ley in front o me Naw knowin’ whit I wis efter At sixteen year an me sap still risin’ I went tae chase the far horizon I foun’ me path whun a clapped me eyes on Belfast docks a’ heavin’ I knowed I’d foun’ me wiy in life Nae hoose for me, nor wain nor wife Nae sowdgers musket, drum nor fife The sea wud be me leevin’ I joined a ship an learned me irt And served wi mony an awkward blirt I shovelled coal an red up dirt It was tough but niver too hard I dane me job n drew me piy Whit iver they aksed me I said aye I grafted on an by n by They ca’ed me a full steward An then bae wurd o mooth a hard a big new ship shane leein the yard wis lukkin for men wi a sailors card A took aff at a fair oul kilter Whun I won me berth I fairly glowed Tae yin an all it man hae showed That boat was made by yins I knowed And I come frae whor they built her A sailor’s seen it a before He’s crossed the briny ten times o’er He’s stud on mony a distant shore Australian, Greek, Hispanic But nathin that I’d iver seen And narry a place I’d iver been Houl’d a cannle tae that majestic Queen The RMS Titanic The tenth O april came at last An the passengers wur burdin’ fast We lined the rels an watched them past Thur eyes aflem wi wunner The gangwi’s pulled bac tae the quay The ropes cast aff an we wur free The Titanic edged her wi tae sea Her horn roared oot lake thunner First tae France an then tae Cork Queenstoon the last stap afore New York Then I settled down tae dae me work Servin drinks tae the rich an famous Ah hae tae sey they wur dacent folk They laked a yarn an crac’d a joke An tased me aboot the wi a spoke Afore misfortune overcame us Four daes oot on a moonless night Nae stars wur oot for guidin light the first class lounge wus warm an bright an they danced tae the music ple’in We feelt’d a wee shudder, nathin gret Plates slid a bit frae whur they wur set A drink or two spilled but naebdy got wet We wunnered what they wur daein’ An then we feelt’d her start tae slow An shane the passengers lukked tae know So I set aff fer doon below Tae get some wurd tae please them The officers a wur lukkin tense A caught ip wi some suspense Folk lukked tae me tae hear some sense But I had nae wurds tae ease them I made me wi tae the steerage stair I couldnae tak in what met me there Folk were rinnin iverywhere Wains an men an weemen I couldnae see what cass’d the din What was makin all them people rin But whun I tried tae go on in There was enough watter there tae sweem in This was the ship that couldnae sink That’s what they’d got is a tae think But I seen that watter, blac as ink An I changed me wi o thinkin I seen the wiy thon watter flowed Ten years a sailor so I knowed This thing wud only en yin road The Titanic was surely sinkin Abain is noo the bells wur ringin I run tae whor the boats wur hingin Yin bae yin we set them swingin Wi as mony as we could heave in plenty wurnae keen tae go “this ship cannae sink ye know we’re safer here than doon below” some yins niver stapped believin In that mad melee we dane oor best But still tae come wus oor hardest test When the last boat drapped we lukked at the rest Wi a dreadful trepidation They lukked tae is tae bring them hame I cursed the sule o whaivers tae blame I hung me heed in helpless shame I cudnae offer them salvation Some yins stud wi vacant stare ithers bowed their heeds in prayer somebdy started singin there Abide with me but before anither hour was gone All o is pre’d to see the dawn An aye it’s true the band ple’d on nearer my God to thee Young lovers hoult their sweethearts tight The lonely stared oot across the night Mothers toul wains it would be alright But the wee sules still were cryin I wus kinna gled I was on my ain Withoot a wife or mare, a wain An nae wi for me tae aise their pain There’d be nae comfort in this dyin Tae see the eyes o a full grown man Wi his two childer bae the han An knowin’ full weel whor thur gan Was lake being tae hell descended I cannae luk him in the eye I cannae tell thon man a lie His wains an him an me will die Afore this night is ended The night was split by a powerfu crac Oor stricken ship had broke her bac The lights went oot an a went blac My heart was fairly thumpin I knowed the time was dra’in nigh The aft end noo was risin high My turn wus comin tae sae guidbye All aroon me folk wur jumpin In vain I stud but nae searchlight swep Beside me a heartbroke lassie wep I tuk her han an the gither we lep An fell tae that ice coul water The shock o hittin broke oor grip I feel’d her han frae my han slip The last young lass tae lee that ship I prae the lifeboats got her A droonin mans life rins afore his eyes An he sees all o his truthes an lies An haes time tae repent afore he dies But that privilege forsook me The icy coul that hut me there Too much for ony man tae bear I cudnae tak it onymare An blacness overtuk me My frien ye’re squaring up tae lee But whativer grief ye might feel for me I’m lying here an naw at sea Ye could sae me fate was kinder Twelve hunner mare they cudnae save Wha left this world alow a wave They’re lyin noo in a watery grave Wi nae heedstane for reminder Willie Laverty 18th January 2012