The Library Sessions

Inhoud

1. A Bruxa

2. Cavan Girl

3. Halting March – Lord Mayo

4. Cailin Na Gruaige Báine

5. In the Town of Athlone

6. Frailock

7. West Coast of Claire

8. Haste to the Wedding – Saddle the Pony

9. My Love’s in Germany

10. Inion Ni Scainlain

11. Loving Hannah

12. O’ Keefe’s Slide

Songteksten

Cavan Girl

As I walk the road from Killeshandra, weary, I sat down
For it’s twelve long miles around the lake to get to Cavan Town
Lough Oughter and the road I go once seemed beyond compare
Now I curse the time it takes to reach my Cavan girl, so fair

The Autumn shades are on the leaves, the trees will soon be bare
Each red-coat leaf around me seems the colour of her hair
My gaze retreats, defies my feet, and once again I sigh
As the broken pool of sky reminds the colour of her eyes

At the Cavan cross each Sunday morning, there she can be found
And she seems to have the eye of every boy in Cavan Town
If my luck will hold I’ll have the golden summer of her smile
And to break the hearts of Cavan men she’ll talk to me a while

So next Sunday evening finds me homeward, Killeshandra bound
To work the week ’til I return to court in Cavan Town
When asked if she would be my bride, at least she’d not say no
So next Sunday morning ‘ rouse myself and back to her, I’ll go

As I walk the road from Killeshandra, weary, I sat down
For it’s twelve long miles around the lake to get to Cavan Town
Though Oughter and the road I go once seemed beyond compare
Now I curse the time it takes to reach my Cavan girl, so fair
Now I curse the time it takes to reach my Cavan girl, so fair

 

west coast of Clare

Sorrow and sadness, bitterness, grief
Memories I have of you, won’t leave me in peace
My mind is running back, to the west coast of Clare
Thinking of you, and the times we had there

I walked to Spanish Point, I knew I’d find you there
I stood on the white strand, and you were everywhere
Vivid memories faint, but the mood still remains
I wish I could go back, and be with you again

In Miltown there’s a pub, its there that I sat down
I see you everywhere, your face is all around
The search for times past, contain such sweet pain
I banish lonesome thoughts, but they return again

I walk along the shore, the rain in my face
My mind is numb with grief, of you there is no trace
I’ll think of this again, when far off lands I roam
Walking with you, by this cold Atlantic foam

Sorrow and sadness, bitterness, grief
Memories I have of you, won’t leave me in peace
My mind is running back, to the west coast of Clare
Thinking of you, and the times we had there (2x)

Loving Hanah

I went to church on Sunday
My love, she passed me by
I knew her mind was changing
By the roving of her eye
By the roving of her eye
By the roving of her eye
I knew her mind was changing
By the roving of her eye
 
My love’s fair and proper
Her waist is neat and small
She is quite good-looking
And that’ s the best of all
And that’ s the best of all
And that’ s the best of all
And she is quite good-looking
And that’ s the best of all
 
Oh, Hannah, loving Hannah
Come give to me your hand
You said that if you’re married
That i will be the one
That i will be the one
That i will be the one
You said that if you’re married
That i will be the one
 
I will go down by the river
When everyone’s asleep
I’ll think of loving Hannah
And then sit down and wheep
And then sit down and wheep
And then sit down and wheep
I’ll think of loving Hannah
And then sit down and wheep
 
I went to church on Sunday
My love she passed me by
I knew her mind was changing
By the roving of her eye
By the roving of her eye
By the roving of her eye
I knew her mind was changing
 
By the roving of her eye
By the roving of her eye
By the roving of her eye
I knew her mind was changing
By the roving of her eye

In the Town of Athlone

In the town of Athlone there’s a young woman walking
And wrapped ‘round her baby a shawl, as she speaks
Of the passing of rings to the uniformed soldiers
The price of a ribbon their fortune to speak

Well, their fortune she speaks and she speaks of a river
Whose silvery barrows and moorlands beneath
Where a gun battle raged and the hero for Ireland
Would soon lie down dead, dead at her feet

At the feet of the virgin in the grotto of Annah
She sings to her baby in old styles bequeath
And she lifts and laments and enchants all in hearing
With songs of her people and melodies sweet

Chorus:
Sweet silvery Nore river is rolling
Over an Irish soldier’s grave
And the vestry bells are tolling
Over the ashes of his grave (2x)

In the freeborn land of the traveling people
Lies Nioclas Mullins, the pride of Cullbawn
Yet unmarked beside him the bride of his union
Who carried our music in a black gypsy shawl

(Chorus 2x)

Over the ashes of his grave
Over the ashes of his grave

My love's in Germanie

My love’s in Germanie, send him hame, send him hame
My love’s in Germanie, send him hame
My love’s in Germanie, fighting for Royalty
He’ll ne’er his Jeannie see, send him hame, send him hame
He’ll ne’er his Jeannie see, send him hame

He’s brave as brave can be, send him hame, send him hame
He’s brave as brave can be, send him hame
He’s brave as brave can be, he’d rather fa’ than flee
His life is dear to me, send him hame, send him hame
His life is dear to me, send him hame

Our foes are ten tae three, send him hame, send him hame
Our foes are ten tae three, send him hame
Our foes are ten tae three, he would rather fa’ than flee
But his life’s sae dear to me, send him hame, send him hame
For his life’s sae dear to me, send him hame.

He’ll ne’er come o’er the sea, Wullie’s slain, Wullie’s slain
He’ll ne’er come o’er the sea, Wullie’s slain
He may ne’er come o’er the sea, tae his love and ain countrie
This life’s nae mair for me, Wullie’s slain, Wullie’s slain
This life’s nae mair for me, Wullie’s slain, Wullie’s slain, Wullie’s slain.