The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168024 Message #4057799
Posted By: Joe Offer
07-Jun-20 - 12:09 AM
Thread Name: Remember Doolough
Subject: Remember Doolough
David Ingerson sang this powerful song today.
REMEMBER DOOLOUGH (Jon Tunney)
Words by John Tunney Melody “The Valley of Knockanure”
Remember Doolough
You may hear them speak about Mozambique And of Africa’s famine tide Of drought and greed of which few take heed That has sapped a continent’s pride While millions cry, ten thousands die And our government takes no stand But now a tale I’ll tell of a similar hell That happened in our own land.
Early spring in Black ‘49 The country was on the rack Day and night relentless blight Had consumed the tatty crop While cattle and grain were exported to Spain And food lay piled in stores In Mayo south and round about The people they perished in scores.
Crowds were gathered in Louisburgh Hoping for some relief ‘Twas said the Poor Law Guardians Could end their piteous grief These gentry fine were meeting to dine In Delphi ten miles away Children, Women and Men, 400 strong Set out on that fateful day.
Crossing the Glankeen in full flood Some fell by the river side And going along the mountain road Still more collapsed and died Exhausted and weak, scarcely able to speak They thronged into Delphi town And waited in mass for food or a pass To enter the Workhouse grounds. After his meal of wine and veal A Guardian addressed them all There was no food here and he greatly feared No room within Workhouse walls They would have to go, hail rain or snow And to their homes go back Dismayed and afraid, despair in their hearts They set out upon the track.
Like harvest sheaves or autumn leaves They fell dying along the road As dark drew in, the snow came down And the night it was bitter cold Going along the cliff the wind was stiff Driving on the blinding sleet Hundreds were swept into Doolough’s depths A horror beyond belief.
Next day relieving officers Had a terrible sight in store With corpses strewn along the route And littering Doolough shore Whole families’ dead, for want of being fed An injustice, a crying shame A forgotten sign for our own time When we witness the very same
From the Sudan to Pakistan Famine victims they wait in need And a people like ours, who know this curse Must surely take a lead Remember that walk, O remember Doolough Let our banners be unfurled Against selfish gain and indifference to pain But for justice throughout our world. Words by John Tunney Melody “The Valley of Knockanure”