Lyr ADD: The Creggan White Hare

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,James Phillips
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 11:01 AM

Parallel Lines also contains the fantastic Captain Thunderbolt which really is an amazing showcase of how insane Andy Irvine's chord harmonizing can get when he really lets himself go, lol. I'll never work out those chords.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Creggan White Hare
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 07:38 PM

Wow, thanks for reminding me of Parallel Lines. What a great album. I have it on vinyl only which I haven't been set up to play for many a year. Spotify here I come...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Creggan White Hare
From: gillymor
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 10:54 AM

Andy Irvine singing it- The Creggan White Hare

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Creggan White Hare
From: gillymor
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 07:22 AM

I was referring to the one linked by Allan C.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Creggan White Hare
From: gillymor
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 07:14 AM

Excellent version of that song, all around. The only other one I've heard was the fine one by Andy Irvine and Dick Gaughan on their LP Parallel Lines.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 07:05 AM

Paddy Tunney :
https://youtu.be/_vDG1uLDBEA

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Creggan White Hare
From: Allan C.
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 05:54 AM

Creggan White Hare

Subject: ADD Version: Creggan White Hare
From: Allan C.
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 05:48 AM

CREGGAN WHITE HARE

[Verse 1]
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 to compare
To the pride of old Creggan, that bonnie white hare

[Verse 2]
One clear autumn morning, as you will suppose
Oh, 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 the bonnie white hare!"

[Verse 3]
So he searched through the lowlands and down through the glens
All among the wild ditches where the white hare had ends
Till at last coming down o’er the heather so fair
From behind the wild thistle out jumps the white hare

[Verse 4]
“Bang! Bang!” went his guns and his dogs he slipped too
As swift as the wind o'er the green mountain flew
But his dogs soon came back and it made Barney sigh
For he knew that the white hare had bid him goodbye

[Verse 5]
And we’re some jolly sportsmen down here from Pomeroy
From Cookstown, Dungannon, and likewise the Moy
"With our pedigree greyhounds we’ve travelled from far
And we’ve come down to Creggan in our fine motor car."

Verse 6]
Well into the lowlands these huntsmen did go
In search of the white hare they'd look high and low
Till at last Barney Conway from a bog bank so rare
Shouted out to the huntsmen: “There lies the white hare!”

[Verse 7]
So they called up their greyhounds from off the green lea
And Barney and the huntsmen all jumped high with glee
It was there on the bog bank all gathered around
Seven dogs and nine men did that poor hare surround

[Verse 8]
Oh no wonder the white hare did tremble with fear
As she stood on her hind legs she would raise her big ears
As she stood on her hind legs with one gallant spring
She jumped over the greyhounds and broke through the ring

[Verse 9]
Well that chase it went on, it was a beautiful view
As swift as the wind o’er the green mountain flew
But those pedigree greyhounds they didn’t run far
They came back and went home in their fine motor car

[Verse 10]
Then there came another man and you all know him well
His name was Mick Kelly with the Bonnie Black Bell
"Oh in search of the white hare today I’ll have fun
I'll bet fifty to one my Black Bell of her turn."

Verse 11]
Five turns the hare got then from Bonnie Black Bell
And the sixth one was given around John Haughey’s well
It was there we lost sight of the hare and the dog
And then ten minutes later came o’er the black bog

[Verse 12]
Well that chase it went on it was great for to see
The white hare and the black dog both roamed light and free
Till she travelled to Esker where she knew the lands well
And to Bonnie Black Nella there soon bid farewell

[Verse 13]
Oh and now to conclude and to finish this rhyme
I hope you’ll forgive me for singing all this while
If there’s any amongst you in Carrick more fair
Please drink up a health to that bonnie white hare

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Apr 17 - 12:23 PM

Hello

The above song does anyone now where I can get the chords for the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 01 Apr 17 - 04:06 AM

https://youtu.be/UPI_tHNjS78

Here's a coincidence - this song seems to be making something of a comeback, since being recorded by an upcoming Irish singer named Daoiri Farrell - see link above, if it works.

I was in an Irish pub in Aberdeen 3 weeks ago, and a guy along the bar had asked to play this song over the house PA for some friends who were with him. I asked him if that was Daoiri Farrell singing, and he was genuinely surprised that someone in Aberdeen would recognise the song and the singer. I told him that the only other time I'd heard the song sung was by Andy Irvine, some 30 years earlier, in a concert in a hall some 200 yards up the road.
Daoiri Farrell is definitely someone to watch out for.
There are several sources of the lyrics if you just "Google" "Creggan White Hare" - I'd suggest those on Andy Irvine's website might be the most reliable on the internet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Mar 17 - 06:25 PM

Hello is there a site were I can find both chords and words to the White Hare?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,Randy R Cox
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 12:47 AM

Sometimes the hare wins; sometimes the dog wins. http://earthpress.blogspot.com/2010/07/hare-of-dog.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 02:26 PM

I don't know who the (male) singer was at all, though it was certainly a traditional voice, and I have the idea the recording was quite old. However, I think it most likely the recording would have been played on "The Rolling Wave" programme, or maybe "The South Wind blows", and perhaps RTE has an archive which could yield results.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,Gulliver
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 04:16 PM

Doesn't ring a bell here either, but there's another song sung to this air (Cod Liver Oil): The Comical Genius (at least that's what I've heard it called). The punch-line of the song is when a Garda asks a female cyclist whom he fancies: "Where are your lights?" upon which she replies: "They're next to my liver, where you'll never be!" Most younger singers haven't a clue what this means!

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: MartinRyan
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 02:44 PM

ABCD

That's interesting, alright. Any idea who sang it? Can't day it rings a bell....

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 02:41 PM

With regard to what Martin Ryan posted a long time ago about the air "Cod Liver Oil", I heard a song on RTE Radio about two years ago with an air similar to this, each verse ending with a line about "Common Blue Clay" (though I think "Common" is actually the name of a place, so it could be spelt in a variety of ways). I think there was a reference to the Kaiser in it, so that would put the date around the time of the Great War. As far as I can rcall, also, it was an agricultural/labour/farmhands' song, not unlike "Rocks of Baun" in feeling. Any farmers will know that there's nothing will grow on blue clay.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: Effsee
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 02:26 PM

Ah! Quite right Martin. My apologies John, I see my mistake now!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: MartinRyan
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 02:41 AM

John is, as usual, correct both historically and grammatically!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: Effsee
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 10:29 PM

John Moulden..."The song is in Sam Henry's papers - collected 1945 - before the IRA campaign so confidently (and wrongly) mentioned by Trish, started."...who were those guys in 1916 then?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 04:16 PM

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

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 03:49 PM

A hare started is right. There is no truth in this assertion. The song is in Sam Henry's papers - collected 1945 - before the IRA campaign so confidently (and wrongly) mentioned by Trish, started. Nor is this said locally. Local knowledge says the song was composed by a local man called Graham and set to the tune by James Molloy of Creggan, Termonmaguirk. (Information from the notes to "Songs from the Sperrins' a selection of field recordings by Peter Smith and Francis Clarke - published December 2009 - on which project I acted as consultant.) Although these notes give no date, I stand by my suggestion - above - of a date sometime in the thirties. If this hunting song has a allegorical meaning - what about the Granemore Hare and all the other similar ones - The Hare of Kilgrain?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 01:35 PM

That´s another hare started, alright!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: michaelr
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 12:15 PM

Oh really, Trish? Do you have proof of this or is it your own theory?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,Trish
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 05:16 PM

The song originates from the IRA Border campaign of the 1950's. The "hare" is an IRA volunteer, Barney Conway is a paid informer of the British and the "Pedigree greyhounds" are British soldiers who tried - and failed - to capture the "hare".

It's written in the Dark Rosaleen or Kathleen Mavourneen style of song where Ireland is portrayed as something other than the country.

Hope that helps!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,antrim man
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 06:23 AM

As a postscript - if chance to pass through Ballyeaston near Ballyclare Co Antrim and stop at Staffy Carmichaels pub you can see a white hare stuffed and mounted in a case on the wall.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,antrim man
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 06:14 AM

I first heard this in the Pound in Belfast sung by the Wolfe Tones.
It must have been in the late sixties - back in the good old days in Belfas before the troubles.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: ard mhacha
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 11:41 AM

I am the above Guest, Cookie GONE.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 11:37 AM

The late Sean Dynes from Dungannon Co Tyrone recorded this song on an LP in the early 1970s, the second last verse on his recording has,

Some jolly sportsmen came down from Pomeroy

Dungannon and Cookstown and likewise The Moy

and down through the lowlands light hearted and gay

determined to murder the white hare that day

but sad was their fate and long may they rue

for they found the oul white hare was a Sinn Feinner too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: MartinRyan
Date: 19 Jun 09 - 08:58 AM

GUESTMartin

We'd love to see it! Please post the words when you can.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,Martin Sheridan
Date: 19 Jun 09 - 08:48 AM

Not sure which came first but there is a song here in Donegal which is either based on this or this is based on it. It was penned I am told by my father's uncle but again I do not know dates.

Very few people knew the words but an old guy used to sing this in the pub from time to time and I got his daughter to get the words from him for me.

Thankfully I did as he passed away recently. I have made a make shift recording of it but as I do not know the song very well it's not great. I chanced to hear a recording of the "Creggan white Hare" then and realised it was the same song with different words.

If anyone intereested I can send on the words of the song. It is called "The Roisin(pronounced Roshin) Brown Hare". Roisin is a townland near Rathmullan in Donegal.

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: The Creggan White hare
From: GUEST,Carrickmore citizen
Date: 22 May 01 - 05:20 PM

Don't think the hare was that smart, seeing that it is stuffed in a glass case in an creggan visitor centre???

Subject: RE: LYR ADD: The Creggan White hare
From: GUEST,carmen gael
Date: 22 May 01 - 05:19 PM

Don't think the hare was that smart, seeing that it is stuffed in a glass case in an creggan visitor centre???

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 25 Oct 00 - 08:27 PM

That's a kind thought, J Ken C, but if you'd checked the link Angun gave at the top of this thread, you could have saved yourself all that typing!

Malcolm

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CREGGAN WHITE HARE
From: GUEST,J Ken C
Date: 25 Oct 00 - 08:08 PM

THE CREGGAN WHITE HARE

In the lowland of Creggan, there lives a white hare,
As swift as the swallow that flies through that 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 again.

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

Away to the lowlands three huntsmen did go
In search of the white hare they look 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 call 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.

No 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 over the greyhounds and broke through the ring.

Well the case I went on 'twas beautiful view
As swift as the wind o'er the green mountains flew.
But with pedigree greyhound they didn't go far.
They come back and went home in their motor car.

There come 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 come 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 land 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 Carrick more fair,
Let's drink up a health to the bonnie white hare.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 9-Jul-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: radriano
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 02:33 PM

Martin Ryan - if you see this, I need to talk to you about a non-Mudcat issue. Would you give me a shout at my e-mail: [e-mail]

Hope you are doing well.

Radriano

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: John Moulden
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 10:42 AM

Not to say O'Lochlainn, Martin. Please tell Declan I even forgot to look for him.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: MartinRyan
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 07:59 AM

Ha! Sorry about the hare/hair typo! I'm jung and easily-freudened!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: MartinRyan
Date: 18 Jul 00 - 07:56 AM

John

Re 'Cod liver Oil": That tune picked up a fair variety of lyrics , didn't it? Johnny Jump up, Creggan WHite Hair and Bodenstown Churchyard - the last-mentioned as in Frank Harte's version. I've never heard anyone else use the tune though I think it may be the one given for it in O'Loughlin

Regards

p.s. Declan Coyne sends his apologies - he didn't make it to Miltown but willl get CD's to you as promised.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: radriano
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 12:50 PM

My band used to play this song. Here's what I know about it:

The Creggan White Hare is an Irish hunting song in which the hare foils all attempts at capture. We got the song from a recording by Andy Irvine who considers it song a fairly modern, local ballad. According to Andy Irvine's book, Aiming for the Heart, he fleshed out the words and wrote a new melody for it. Andy says he learned it from an old BBC disc recorded in 1952 by Sean O'Boyle and Peter Kennedy. The singer was Vincent Donnelly from Castle Caulfield, County Tyrone.

Regards,
Radriano

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: NEIL COMER
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 11:44 AM

John, When I say, 'been there-done that,' I was referring to Sunday Lunch. I will, however, get the words the next time

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jul 00 - 01:20 AM

Ah, satisfaction! Thanks a lot, John.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: John Moulden
Date: 16 Jul 00 - 04:21 PM

I've now looked at the version in the Sam Henry papers (dated 1945) and the one in the recently published "Traditional Songs of the North of Ireland." They add nothing to the words linked by Joe but remind me that the song has been ascribed to the Barney Conway who is named in it. Sam Henry's correspondent named the tune as "Cod Liver Oil" - another one is given in "Trad songs of the N of Ireland"

The "big motor cars" of the text give a guide to the approximate date - late enough for motor cars to be taken for granted but not common. Cars would have been uncommon during the 1939-1945 war and in any case not used for such frivolity. I'm firmly of the opinion late twenties to mid thirties and more likely the latter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: John Moulden
Date: 16 Jul 00 - 03:28 PM

I need to look a few things up before coming back to this but the song is hardly older than the nineteen thirties and is very place and person specific and its author is clearly named locally. It because of this that the words (or a version) are painted around the walls of the recently built cultural (sorry, not community) centre.

Neil - now comes my deviousness - since you've been to An Creagan and noted the words; please post them because when I was there I didn't have time, and I'm lazy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: NEIL COMER
Date: 16 Jul 00 - 10:31 AM

Thanks. I have heard quite a few versions, including Andy Irvine's. John- been there, done that!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 15 Jul 00 - 11:03 PM

Did you hear of this song from the album "Parallel Lines"? If not, it's really worth hearing. Andy Irvine and Dick Gaughan recorded it around 1982. Irvine sings this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jul 00 - 04:53 PM

Tell us more, John - the words of the SONG are on the walls? Can you give us a guess on the date of the origin of the song?
Click here for the lyrics we have, and please give us any additional information you might have. It's a fascinating song. Wish I could find a tune.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: John Moulden
Date: 15 Jul 00 - 04:40 PM

Neil

Head south to Cookstown and then west towards Omagh. The townland of Creggan is about 12 miles, in the Sperrin foothills. You will see a large stone inscribed with the name in Irish. The community centre has the words (more than I had heard) painted around its walls.

They do a good Sunday meal.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Creggan White Hare
From: GUEST,Angun
Date: 15 Jul 00 - 09:32 AM

Hi Neil Comer, Try to type Creggan in the "Digtrad and Forum Search" box. Then I think you`ll find the version Andy Irvine recorded.

Angun

---

Click here for the lyrics and here for background information.

Subject: The Creggan White Hare
From: NEIL COMER
Date: 15 Jul 00 - 08:23 AM

Does anyone know where I can find the lyrics- I am almost certain that it is not in the Database

Subject: RE: Prodigal White Hare ,Thanks Frank
From: Dave M
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 08:34 PM

Thanks a whole bunch Frank. I couldn't understand all that Andy was singing. Dave

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CREGGAN WHITE HARE
From: Frank of Toledo
Date: 27 Jun 99 - 10:38 PM

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, that bonnie white hare.

On clear 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 out jumped the white hare.

Bang-bang went his gun and its dog it slipped too
As swift as the wind o'er the green mountain flew,
But the dog soon came back which made poor Barney sigh
For he know that the white hare had 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 from Creggan in our fine motor car."

Away to the lowlands these 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 the 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.
From there on the turf bank all gathered around.
Seven dogs and nine men did that poor hare surround.

No wonder the white hare did tremble with fear.
As she stood on her toes she would raise her big ears,
But she stood on her toes and with one gallant spring
She cleared over the greyhounds and broke through the ring.

Well, the chase it went on. 'twas a 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 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.

Subject: Prodigal White Hare in the Foggy Dew
From: Dave M
Date: 27 Jun 99 - 10:36 AM

Hi all, I' m Dave M and this is my first posting. I'm looking for complete lyrics to Craggan White Hare as recorded by Andy Irvine and Dick Gaughan. Also I would like to know the words to the final verse of Foggy Dew as sung by Sinead O'Connor on Long Black Veil w/ The Chieftains. Finally I need lyrics for Rev. Robert Wilkins Prodigal Son. Any help would be much appreciated.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CREGGAN WHITE HARE^^
From: Ezio, Italy
Date: 27 Dec 97 - 02:40 AM

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 ^^