THE CREGGAN WHITE HARE

In the lowlands of Creggan there lives a white hare
As swift as the swallow that flies through the air
You may tramp the world over but none can compare
With the Pride of Low Creggan white hare

One clean autumn morning as you may suppose
The red golden sun o'er the green mountain rose
Barney Conway came down and he did declare
This day I'll put an end to that bonnie white hare

He searched through the Lowlands and down through the glens
And among the wild bushes where the white hare had ends
Till at last coming home o'er the heather so bare
From behind a wild thistle jumped out the white hare

Bang bang went his gun and his dog it slipped too
As swift as the wind over the green mountain flew
But the dog soon came back which made poor Barney sigh
For he knew that the white hare dad bid him goodbye

We're some jolly sportsmen down here from Pomeroy
From Cookstown Dungannon and likewise the Moy
With our pedigree greyhounds we've travelled afar
And we've come down to Creggan in our fine motor car

Away to the lowlands there huntsmen did go
In search of the white hare they looked high and low
Till at last Barney Conway on a bog bank so bare
Shouted out to these huntsmen there lies the white hare

They called up their greyhounds from off the green lea
And Barney and the huntsmen they jumped high with glee
For there on the turf bank all gathered around
Seven dogs and nine men did that poor hare surround

Now wonder the white hare did tremble with fear
As she stood on her toes and would raise her big ears
But she stood on her toes and with one gallant spring
She cleared overt the greyhounds and broke through the ring

Well the case it went on 'twas beautiful view
As swift as the wind o'er the green mountain flew
But the pedigree greyhounds they didn't go far
They came back and went home in their fine motor car

There came another man and you all know him well
His name is Pat Devlin and Bonnie Black Nell
In search of the white hare he says I'll have fun
Here's fifty to one that Black Nell does her turn

Five turns the hare got then from Bonnie Black Nell
And the sixth one was given around John Haughey's well
'Twas there we lost sight of the white hare and the dog
And ten minutes later they came o'er the bog

Well the chase it went on it was great for to see
The white hare and the greyhound they roamed light and free
Till she travelled to Esker where she knew the lands well
And to Bonnie Black Nell she soon bid farewell

And now to conclude and finish it's time
I hope you'll forgive me for singing this rhyme
If there's any amongst you in Carrickmore fair
Let's drink up a health to the bonnie white hare


A popular and fairy modern song from Co. Tyrone. The hunting of hares with greyhounds is a popular pastime in many rural areas in Ireland - unfortunately. However, the white hare of Low Creggan was too smart for them all.

Sung by Andy Irvine on "Dick Gaughan and Andy Irvine - Parallel lines" (1981)

Bye - Ezio, Italy ^^