War heroine from Ulster pioneering stock

THE story of the Iraq War heroine, Jessica Lynch, comes closer to home than might be seen at first glance - and gives President Bush some concept of what the great American pioneering spirit owes to Ulster.

From a hillbilly background in West Virginia, both Jessica's name and family heritage are redolent with Ulster-Scottish ancestry.

Born and reared in the Appalachian Mountain town of Palestine, Jessica is without doubt, a descent of the post 1798 Rebellion Scots-Irish Presbyterian emigrants from Ulster.

The rescue of GI Jessica Lynch, whose family is originally from Londonderry in Northern Ireland, started massive celebrations in her home state of West Virginia. Her cousin, Pam Nicolais, said that everyone in Jessica's hometown of Palestine were out on the streets giving praise. "You would not believe the joys, cries, bawling, hugging, creaming, carrying on," Ms Nicholais said. "You just have to be here."

Ms Nicolais said that another relative, Roxy Holbert, had prepared a family tree for the Lynch family last year, showing their Ulster roots. "It goes too far back to have any cousins but it was to know where your family are from," she said.

Private first class Ms Lynch (19), had been held as a prisoner of war in Iraq since she and other members of her unit were ambushed on March 23.

Historically, most stalled at the imposing Appalachians, they then struck out southward, eventually spreading their culture into Louisiana and Texas - later fighting first the Mexicans (under another son of Ulster, Sam Houston) and also playing a vital role in the American War of Independence.

Many saw great success, with the great city of Pittsburgh founded and run by the Mellon family, whose homestead is now the core of the Ulster-American Folk Park.

For many though, they simply eked out a living in the mountains, with some -as represented by the Clampits from the 'Beverly Hillbillies' - stigmatised as "white trash".

However, it was to this community of hill people, who for generations had named their sons William (Billy) or sang songs about Billy (King Billy) that the recruitment sergeants came-over and over again.

Just as in Ulster, when needed, the Ulster-Scots are there. From the wars last century in what is now Iraq, through the Somme pogrom, the Second World War, Palestine, Korea, Argentina and the Gulf, the descendants of Queen Elizabeth's Planters in Ulster have never been backward about coming forward.

Jessica Lynch, whether she knows it or not is just another example of that great spirit, which has both moulded the modern US and helped Ulster survive three decades of terrorism (often supported by ill-informed Americans!) and has always seen the sons (and daughters) of Ulster to the fore when the call came. Small wonder they are so proud of her in her own home town.

President Bush should pause for thought. His two-day visit (no doubt an early pay-off for Blair's war effort) is meant to heal division, even if it means "bashing heads together". But he should remember, like Sinn Fein's hypocrisy over its opposition to war in Iraq, while glad-handing the US President, Mr Bush and Tony Blair are viewed with the Ulsterman's cold eye.

President Bush welcomed by Ulster Protestants

Born of necessity, this clear thinking logic asks: "Why allow terrorists to "win" in Northern Ireland when at the same time spending countless billions of dollars fighting it farther away?"

Our people may be painted as county hicks and hillbillies, but like Jessica Lynch, we have a right to an answer - given the blood and sacrifice of our ancestors - and the courage underlined in this latest example.

BRIAN McCALDEN, Glengormley, Co Antrim.

The Ballad Of Jessica Lynch

(To the Tune of Davy Crocket)

Born on a mountain top in West Virginia

Poorest state in the land of the free

Raised in the woods so she knew ev'ry tree

Wrestled with her brother ever since she was only three

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, Queen of the Iraqi Campaign!

In 2002 she up and enlisted,

Joining the army is what she knows,

hoping to be a teacher someday

Didn’t take her long to teach

them Iraqis there’ll be hell to pay

So she shoulders her rifle an' off she goes!

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, the girl sure showed no fear!

Off through the desert she's adrivin' along

Makin' up yarns an' a singin' a song

Itchin' fer fightin' an' rightin' a wrong

Her convoy was ambushed, but the American fight sure is strong

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, fightin’ them off like that famed buckskin buccaneer!

Tommy Franks is our general's name,

Supplying his soldiers brought Jessica to fame

Them Iraqi varmints us volunteers'll tame

'cause we got the bombs with the sure-fire aim

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, Queen of the Iraqi Campaign!

Headed to war from the ol' home place

Because Saddam was makin’ us give chase

Fightin' an' burnin' at a devil's pace

South from the swamps of Basra she race

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, trackin’ old Saddam down!

Fought bravely and heroicly thru the second Gulf War

till the Iraqis was whipped an' peace was in store

An' while she was handlin' this risky chore

Made herself a legend for evermore

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, Queen of the Iraqi Campaign!

President Bush give his word and he give his hand

that our Iraqi friends could keep their land

An' the US took the stand

that justice was due every Iraqi band

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, Fightin’ to keep that promise dear!

Now that gal is coming home from war

She fought the fight we’d all couldn’t ignore

An American hero was just what we needed

Right up there with Davy Crockett who never heeded

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, the girl who don’t know no fear!

Her land is biggest an' her land is best

From grassy plains to the mountain crest

She’s ahead of us all meetin' the test

Followin' Davey’s legend into the west

Jessica, Jessica Lynch, Queen of the Iraqi Campaign!