The Eviction
Celtic Connection
My name it is Sweeney father of two sons I am
a courier tenant like many a true mountain man
my wife fell to famine my heart will never repair
but worse was to come in the form of John George Adair
the news in the valley a stranger had bought up the land
soon twenty eight thousand acres he would command
but we were to learn that the blood in his body ran cold
for the suffering of the poor was John Adairs goal
(chorus)
the hills and the mountains know your name
the deer even hang their heads in shame
and even the longest winters rain
can t wash away all the suffering and pain
of the evictions at Derryveagh
he sworn us lies had us arrested and jailed
for the murder of Murrog his agent but justice prevailed
but vengeance was feasting inside of his cold Scottish heart
so the notice was given the people and land they must part
one cold april morning eighteen sixty one
two hundred soldiers the bayonets John and his son
led by the sheriff they marched to the grove by the bay
a widow six daughters a son first homeless Lough Barra
(chorus)
the hills and the mountains know your name
the deer even hang their heads in shame
and even the longest winters rain
can t wash away all the suffering and pain
of the evictions at Derryveagh
two hundred forty four people left homeless that day
while John Adairs castle was planned for the shores of Lough Veagh
some to the poorhouse some to Australia s shores
but all said goodbye to our homeland they d see nevermore
(chorus)
the hills and the mountains know your name
the deer even hang their heads in shame
and even the longest winters rain
can t wash away all the suffering and pain
of the evictions at Derryveagh
Worked the words out for this listening to it over and over not being Irish
I wasn t sure of some of the terms so I researched what I could but the term courier
tenant as it sounded to me I was unable to nail down. any corrections would be welcomed
