Lyr Add: McIlhatton (Bobby Sands)

Subject: McIlhatton
From: wildlone
Date: 31 Dec 99 - 12:40 PM

This is a song written by Bobby Sands in the H blocks,Given to Christy Moore By Colm Scullion of Bellaghy who spent many years in the H blocks with Bobby.
McIlhatton was a well known man in the Glens of Antrim and was known to dispense a fine drink.
Taken from the Christy Moore songbook.

McILHATTON
(Bobby Sands)

In Glenravels Glen there lives a man who some would call a God,
For he could cure the dead or take your life and his price was thirty bob.
Come winter, summer, frost all over, a jig in spring and the breeze,
In the dead of night a man steps by-McIlhatton if you please.

Chorus "McIlhatton", you blurt, "We need you, "cry a million shakin'men.
"Where are your sacks of barley?Will your likes be seen again?
Heres A jig to the man and a reel to the drop and a swing to the girl that he loves,
May your fiddle play and the poitin cheer your company up above."

Theres a wisp of smoke to the south of the Glen and the poitin is on the air,
The Birds in the burrows and the rabbits in the sky and theres drunkards everywhere.
At Skerries rock the fox is out and by god he,s chasing the hounds,
And the only thing in Dacent shape is buried beneath the ground.

In McIlhattons house the fairies are out and dancing on the hobs,
The goats collapsed,the dogs run away and theres salmon down the bogs.
He has a million gallons of wash and the peelers are on the Glen,
But they'll never catch McIlhatton 'cause he'll never come back again.

I posted this as somone on the Bobby Sands thread wanted to know if he had written any thing other than Back Home in Derry.
"gie me that ole mountain dew"

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: McIlhatton
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Dec 99 - 02:58 PM

Great lyrics, wildlone! Thansk for sharing it with us.

kat