Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child

Subject: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 09:33 AM

Prayer of the Traveller Child

When I go to bed at night,
I say a silent prayer,
For Tom and John and Patrick
And auld daddy on the chair.

Auld daddy is a traveller,
He's travelled many ways,
By wagon, horse and trailer,
He's told me about those days.

He's seen the hills and rivers,
Of Ireland north and south.
He's camped near ruins and cities,
When nobody's put him out.

He says no one wants the travellers now,
They try with all their might,
To throw them off the roadside,
And put them on a site.

I want to see the hedgerows,
The hawthorn and the briar,
The meadows full of wildflower,
And hear the songbird's choir.

So when I go to bed at night,
That hopeful prayer I say,
That what I dreamed for my auld dad,
Will all come true some day.

Mary Carmody (Aged 8) St. Mary's N.S. Tallaght, Dublin.

I think this is extraordinarily eloquent, touching, and truthful. I came across this when I was clearing out my late brother's place a few months back - he'd clearly thought so too. Anyway I just found it again now, so I thought I'd pass it on here, and make sure it won't get lost again. (The tune that fits it so well it was maybe written with it in mind is Tramps and Hawkers.)

It's a poem which was one of a number picked out by Telecom Eireann a few years back from thousands submitted by children, and sent out as part of the launch of The Ark … A Cultural Centre for Children" in Dublin a few years ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: Áine
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 10:14 AM

Beautiful.

Thank you so much for sharing this, Kevin.

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 10:24 AM

A glimpse of what the Travellers and U.S. Native Americans have in common. I'd never have made the connection without this song. Thank you.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 03:16 PM

There's a lovely little film from a few years back called Into the West, a sort of Irish Western.

And there's a bit in it when the two young traveller boys are on the run with the horse they've re-possessed, and the young one asks his brother "Are we the Cowboys or are we the Indians?" And I can't remember what the brother says, but the implication is clear enough - they might be wearing cowboy hats, but they've a lot more in common with the people the real cowboys pushed around.

And that review of the film I linked to there has a great quote from the Director - "There are certain things that happen in the film that cannot happen unless the world is a very odd, mysterious, and unreal sort of place."

Which of course it is.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: InOBU
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 07:57 AM

I am blown away by this song. I hope when people read this they think of Patrick Delaney, a young Traveller child beaten to death by a mob in England last June, in light of both the expressions of anti Traveller sentiment and the belief that there is no oppression of Travellers in past posts. The story of Patrick Delaney has Travellers in the US terrified, and the age old story persists.
Thanks Kev.
Larry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: InOBU
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 07:58 AM

PS I think it wsa Johnny Delaney, I will find a link...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: InOBU
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 08:04 AM

http://www.monitoring-group.co.uk/News%20and%20Campaigns/news-stories/2003/regions/south%20east/traveller_murdered_in_racist_attack.htm ... that is one of the links, sorry I can't do the blue cliky, I am a bit of a dinosaur... Larry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: GUEST,link faery
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 08:58 AM

click

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Prayer of the Traveller Child
From: InOBU
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 09:03 AM

Ta link faery... Larry