Skibbereen (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Skibbereen, also known as Dear Old Skibbereen, is an Irish folk song, in the dialogue of a father telling his son about the Irish famine and the impact of the British Government in Ireland.[1]
The son in the song asks his father why he left the village of Skibbereen, in County Cork, Ireland, to live in another country, to which the father tells him of the hardship he faced in his homeland. It ends on a vengeful note expressed by the son.
The song has been performed live by the Wolfe Tones and Sinéad O'Connor, as well as other contemporary Irish artists, and even Vin Garbutt, an English folk singer of Irish descent.
Serbian band Irish Stew of Sindidun recorded the song on their debut album So Many Words... in 2005.
[edit] Lyrics
- O, father dear I often hear you speak of Erin's Isle
- Her lofty scenes, her valleys green, her mountains rude and wild
- They say it is a lovely land wherein a prince might dwell
- So why did you abandon it, the reason to me tell
- My son, I loved my native land with energy and pride
- Till a blight came over all my crops and my sheep and cattle died
- The rents and taxes were to pay and I could not them redeem
- And that's the cruel reason (why) I left old Skibbereen
- 'Tis well I do remember that bleak November (/Dezember) day
- When the bailiff and the landlord came to drive us all away
- They set the roof on fire with their cursed English spleen
- And that's another reason (why) I left old Skibbereen
- Your mother, too, God rest her soul, lay on the snowy ground
- She fainted in her anguishing seeing the desolation round
- She never rose, but passed away from life to immortal dreams
- And that's another reason (why) I left old Skibbereen
- Oh you were only two years old and feeble was your frame
- I could not leave you with my friends for you bore your father's name
- So I wrapped you in my cóta mór at the dead of night unseen
- And I heaved a sigh and I said goodbye to dear old Skibereen
- well father dear, the day will come when on vengeance we shall(/will) call
- And Irishmen both stout and tall will rally unto the call
- I'll be the man to lead the van beneath the flag of green
- And loud and high we'll raise the cry, Revenge for Skibbereen
[edit] Recordings
- Four to the Bar on their 1995 album Another Son.
- Irish Stew of Sindidun on their 2005 album So Many Words...
[edit] References
- ^ Skibbereen. URL accessed 13 January, 2007.
