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1. Irish Ways and Irish Laws

Once upon a time there was

Irish Ways and Irish Laws,

Villages of Irish blood

Waking to the morning,

Then the Vikings came around,

Turned us up and turned us down,

Starting building boats and towns.

They tried to change our living,

Cromwell and his soldiers came,

Started centuries of shame,

But he could not make us turn.

We are a river flowing,

Again, again the soldiers came,

Burnt our houses, stole our grain,

Shot the farmers in their fields,

Working for a living,

Eight hundred years we have been down.

The secret of the water sound

Has kept the spirit of a man

Above the pain descending,

Today the struggle carries on.

I wonder will I live so long

To see the gates been opened up.

To a people and their freedom,

2. Donal agus Morag

Irish Gaelic English

Bhi moran daoine uasal ann, The nobility was plentiful,

Bhi tuatanaigh na h-Alban ann, And ordinary folk from Scotland

Bhi’n maistir scoile ‘san ministir ann, The school master and the minister

Bhi an laoch Mac Amhlaigh ann. With the warrior McAuley there

curfa chorus

Donal, ‘se Donal, It was Donal, It was Donal,

‘Se Donal a rinne an bhainis, It was Donal made the wedding,

Donal agus Morag a rinne an It was Donal and Morag that made a

bhainis ainmeil. Famous wedding.

Bhi cearcan ann, is bhi geoidh ann, The meat of hens and geese there were,

Bhi corr is dosean sgairbh ann, With a dozen cormorants and more,

Seo bha iad is car bi ann, Of all the foods on offer there,

‘Se cearc na n-ean a b’fhearr dhiubh ann. The tender chicken they did prefer.

curfa chorus

Bhi braidain’s bric on Eirne ann, There were Erne trout and salmon there,

Is fluirse feoil na bhfia n-ean ann, With meat of game and wildfowl,

Feol mart is lao, ba bhlasta bhi Prime beef and veal made a tasty meal,

Bhi uanfheol friochta is oisfheoil ann, With roasts of lamb and venison.

curfa chorus

Bhi ‘n di go fial ‘s go fairsing ann, The varied drinks were plentiful,

Bhi brannda is fion na Spainne ann, With Spanish wine and brandy,

Bhi poitin stil is mead le mil, Distilled poteen and honey-mead,

Bhi beoir is leann na h-Eireann. And ale and beer from Erin.

curfa chorus

3. BACK HOME IN DERRY

In 1803 we sailed out to sea

Out from the sweet town of Derry

For Australia bound if we didn’t all drown

And the marks of our fetters we carried.

In the rusty iron chains we sighed for our wains

As our good wives we left in sorrow.

As the mainsails unfurled our curses we hurled

On the English and thoughts of tomorrow

CHORUS

Oh Oh Oh Oh I wish I was back home in Derry

I cursed them to hell as our bow fought the swell,

Our ship danced like a moth in the firelights.

White horses rode high as the devil passed by

Taking souls to Hades by twilight.

Five weeks out to sea we were now forty-three

Our comrades we buried each morning.

In our own slime we were lost in a time,

Endless night without dawning.

CHORUS

Van Diemen’s land is a hell for a man

To live out his life in slavery,

Where the climate is raw and the gun makes the law,

Neither wind nor rain cares for bravery.

Twenty years have gone by and I’ve ended me bond

And comrades’ ghosts are behind me.

A rebel I came and I’ll die the same.

On the cold winds of night you will find me.

CHORUS

4. CITY OF CHICAGO

Chorus

In the city of Chicago

As the evening shadows fall

There are people dreaming

Of the hills of Donegal.

Eighteen forty-seven

Was the year it all began,

Deadly pains of hunger

Drove a million from the land

They journeyed not for glory,

Their motive was not greed,

A voyage of survival

Across the stormy sea.

Chorus

Some of them knew fortune

Some of them knew fame,

More of them knew hardship

And died upon the plain.

They spread throughout the nation,

They rode the railroad cars,

Brought their songs and music

To ease their lonely hearts.

Chorus

5. FOUR GREEN FIELDS

What did I have said the fine old woman, what did I

Have, this fine old woman did say. I had four green fields,

and each one was a jewel. But strangers came, and

tried to take them from me. I had fine strong sons and they

fought to save my jewels. They fought and died, and

that was my grief said she.

‘Long time ago’ said the fine old woman

‘There was war and death, plundering and pillage

My children starved in mountain, valley and sea

And their wailing cries they shook the very heavens

My four green fields ran red with their blood’ said she.

‘What have I now’ said the fine old woman

‘What have I now’ this proud old woman did say

‘I have four green fields and one of them’s in bondage

In strangers’ hands who tried to take it from me

But my sons have sons as brave as their fathers

My four green fields will bloom once again’ said she.

6. THE FIELDS OF ATHENRY

By a lonely prison wall I heard a young girl calling

Michael they are taking you away

For you stole Trevelyn’s corn, so the young might see the morn

Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.

CHORUS:

Low lie the fields of Athenry

Where once we watched the small free birds fly

Our love was on the wing, we had dreams and songs to sing

Its so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young man calling

Nothing matters, Mary, when you’re free

Against the Famine and the Crown, I re-belled, they

Cut me down

Now you must raise our child with dignity.

By a lonely harbour wall, she watched the last star Falling

As the prison ship sailed out against the sky

For she lives in hope and praise, for her love in Botany Bay

Its so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

7. WHACK FOL THE DIDDLE

I sing you a song of peace and love,