I've emailed the Borough council above, but as it will now be the weekend there, it might take awhile to get a response.

Also, I've discovered my 4 year old son has perfect timing for coming and talking to me at the exact moment a word I'm trying to hear comes up. And since I can only replay the whole song each time, not rewind just a little but, this is very frustrating! Grrrrrr

So this is what I can hear.

Some of the words may be general irish words or slang that perhaps I dont know, which could be adding to my confusion. But there are 2 or 3 lines in particular that just make no sense to me whatsoever - just after "Though kind the Scot" etc. I've put in ... where I'm missing something, with a possibility of what I think I hear in brackets.


For wandering man
since time began
Has yearned for native soil
So sorely grieves the man who leaves
His homeland by the ...(?fight)
To preach the word,
face battles danger,
praise the lord,
and serve the stranger
day by day they sail away
and bid farewell to Derry

Sweet... (something Irish) remembered still
when all is...(?gone) this land
In the dawning day of Christian ... (sway?)
Life exiled from this land
Though kind the Scot and high his calling
He ne'er forgot the...   falling
... next few lines??? ending in
and sad farewell to Derry

In later days when battles blazed
engulfed lands large and small
our reckless men left... (foils?) sweet glen
to answer bugles call
left babes and wives for wars furory
and gave their lives for other glory
wanting jobs they took their ...(?bobs/bods)
and bade farewell to Derry

And still they leave
so soon to grieve
for ...(?foil) and friends and home
nor gold nor... (?fail)
...(?e'er) break the claim
of the place from which they're ...
The waterside, the flowing river
the bog and ...(?cragan) haunt forever
wandering ones, the love-torn sons
who bid farewell to Derry

Allie