Thanks to John for running that hare to ground! And I've never yet seen a slyer way of slipping in news of a new CD release Songs From the Sperrins (which I've now gone and ordered from Claddagh Records).

The Creggan Visitor Centre has published an online educational leaflet An Creagán which quotes from the original poem by John Graham.

To be fair to Trish above I expect she was only passing on some (bad) information about the song - it is weird how songs which have strong local roots take on new meanings when they are taken up by singers who have no connections at all with the original locality. However in this case her account of the role of Barry Conway might well be very strongly resented.

It is a hunting song; its about a hare that got away, and hunters seem to enjoy singing about their failures as much as their successes.

Matthew