'It's the kind of song you carry with you': Cork singer on the Collins brothers of WWI

Irish Examiner

4 days ago

A new song which tells the tragic story of the six Collins brothers from Waterford who joined the British army to fight in World War I has been released by Cork singer-songwriter Roy Buckley.
For Another King and Country, written by Phil Coulter alongside Ryan Hennessy and Jimmy Rainsford of Picture This, has been described as an Irish version of Saving Private Ryan — but without the Hollywood ending.
The song, which was pitched to Buckley by Coulter as he knew it would suit the singer's voice and background, was released on Wednesday and is available on all major streaming platforms and has already reached Number 6 in the charts.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner about the history behind the song, Buckley said: 'Four of the brothers were killed in action. The fifth was listed as missing, presumed dead. The sixth brother, William Collins, was sent home on compassion to console their grieving mother — who had received five telegrams informing her that her sons had fallen. During that time, her husband left her. It's a story of immense heartache.
'Incredibly, the fifth brother was later found in a convent hospital in France after the war and eventually returned home to Waterford. But he lived the rest of his life in pain, with shrapnel still in his body.
At the time, jobs were scarce, and like thousands of young Irish men, the Collins brothers were encouraged to enlist by politician John Redmond, who told them that fighting for Britain would help secure Home Rule for Ireland. They had no idea of the horror they were walking into.
Phil Coulter and Roy Buckley.
'They were waved off to war as heroes. But after the 1916 Rising changed the political and emotional landscape of Ireland, the surviving brothers returned to a very different country — one where service in the British army was now viewed with suspicion or even hostility. Many returned Irish soldiers never spoke about the war because of that stigma. In fact, the Collins family's descendants in Waterford only discovered the full story around 10 or 12 years ago.'
In November 2016, the six brothers were commemorated by the Waterford Civic Trust with a plaque near their family home on Balteen Lane.
Buckley said that the story of the Collins' brothers 'hit deep' and said that he has always been drawn to songs that carry history in their bones — songs that aren't just entertainment, but remembrance.
'The tragedy and sadness of it all… young men and boys heading off to war thinking they'd be home by Christmas. I think of poor Agnes Collins receiving five telegrams about her sons. I think of the confusion and heartbreak those men must have felt — being treated as heroes on the way out, and as traitors when they returned,' he said.
'I also have a personal connection: my great-grandfather, Edward Hutchinson, fought and died in World War I. He's remembered at the Menin Gate in Belgium alongside the other Irishmen who fell far from home. When I sing this song, I'm not just performing — I'm telling a real story and honouring real people. That's rare. It's the kind of song you carry with you.'
Buckley said that when Coulter played the song for him in his office in Wicklow, he knew it was something special.
'He has an amazing instinct for crafting songs that feel timeless, and he knew this one would really suit my voice and background,' he said.
'Working with Phil is a huge honour — he's not only a musical legend, but he's also incredibly generous with his knowledge. He shares it freely whenever we collaborate. It never feels like I'm just a singer on one of his tracks — there's a real sense of mutual respect. He's one of a kind.'
Speaking about being invited by Coulter as a special guest for a leg of his Tranquility by Candlelight tour later this year, Buckley said: 'It's honestly a dream. I grew up listening to Phil's music and learning the great ballads he's written, and to now be sharing the stage with him night after night is incredibly humbling.
"He's always championed Irish music and Irish stories. Being part of his tour feels like being welcomed into something much bigger than yourself — a legacy, really.'
The tour will include dates at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, the National Opera House in Wexford, and a special night in Waterford at St John's Church, where the pair will perform For Another King and Country for the first time in the home county of the Collins brothers.
Buckley said that the remainder of the year is shaping up to be a big one for him, with more singles in the pipeline and further headline shows under his concert series The Song Collector Sessions.
'We've had an amazing run recently, with incredible Irish artists like Mundy, George Furey, Kiera Dignam, Mike Hanrahan from Stockton's Wing, George Murphy, Mickey Joe Harte, and Dave Browne from Picture House all joining me as special guests. It's a busy time — but I'm loving every second of it,' he said.