Lyr Req: Hills of Donegal

03 Jan 00 - 04:40 PM (#157504)
Subject: Hills of Donegal (Vegas)
From:

Hello, I am looking for the lyrics of hills of Donegal. Here in Germany I don´t find any books and I hope on this way I can find a friendly men who can help me.

Thank You

Markus

---

03 Jan 00 - 05:20 PM (#157523)
Subject: RE: Hills of Donegal (Vegas)
From: Áine

Dear Markus,

Click here for the words and the tune.

-- Áine

---

03 Jan 00 - 08:30 PM (#157609)
Subject: RE: Hills of Donegal (Vegas)
From: Brakn

Click here

---

13 Jul 13 - 12:10 PM (#3537027)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE HILLS OF DONEGAL (McNulty Family)
From: Jim Dixon

My transcription from The Internet Archive. I have boldfaced the words that are different from Frank Maher's version above. Note that one of Frank's verses is omitted here.


THE HILLS OF DONEGAL
As recorded by the McNulty Family, Decca (American) 12071B, 10-Nov-1936.

Oh, Donegal, the pride of all, my heart still turns to thee,
My cottage home, where oft I roamed, when I was young and free.
The houses grand in foreign lands cannot compare at all
With my cottage bright on a winter's night by the hills of Donegal.

Right well I mind, in the harvest time, that doleful dreary day,
When I was leaving* Donegal, and wandered far away.
In Creeslough town, my friends stood round, I bid farewell to all,
Then on the ban I waved my hand to the hills of Donegal.

Oh, gra mo chree! I long to see my native hills again!
On a foreign shore, my heart is sore, with an exile's longing pain.
Could I but see the mountains free, 'twould compensate for all,
And I'd live as my forefathers lived,** in the hills of Donegal.


[* "As I was leaving Donegal" breaks the pattern of internal rhyme that is evident throughout the song; therefore I prefer Frank Maher's version: "When leaving all in Donegal...".]

[** "live as my forefathers lived" is also a bit awkward; the live/lived rhyme falls on the wrong syllable.]

---

13 Jul 13 - 02:04 PM (#3537052)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE HILLS OF DONEGAL (Niall Bhrighde)
From: Jim Dixon

From Blaṫa Fraioċ (Heather Blossoms): Songs in Irish and English by Niall Mac Giolla Bhrighde (Dublin: Whaley & Co., 1905), page 26:


THE HILLS OF DONEGAL.

O Donegal, the pride of all, my heart still turns to thee,
And my cottage home where oft I roamed when I was young and free;
Big houses grand in foreign lands can not compare at all
With my cottage bright, on a winter's night, 'mid the hills of Donegal.

Right well I mind in the harvest time, that doleful dreary day,
When leaving all in Donegal, I wandered far away;
In Creeslough town, my friends stood round, I bade farewell to all,
Then on the van I waved my hand to the hills of Donegal.

When gazing back through Barnes Gap, at my own dear native hills,
I thought no shame—O! who could blame?—while there I cried my fill;
My parents kind ran in my mind, my friends and comrades all,
My heart did ache, I thought 'twould break, when leaving Donegal.

From Derry Quay we steamed away on the waters calm and still,
And down Lough Foyle our tug did toil for the big ship at Moville;
Some loved to see each tower and tree, and ancient lordly hall,
But my thoughts that day were far away on the hills of Donegal.

Round Tory Isle we steamed in style; on the mainland we could see
Tall Muckish grand with glistening sand, smile over Cruckathee,
While Errigal, much higher still, looked proudly over all:
I heaved a sigh and waved good-bye to the hills of Donegal.

Amongst those hills St. Columb-cille left miracles and cures
In streams and dells and Holy Wells, with power that still endures;
Green Gartan's cell, the old Doon well, St. Feenan's waterfall,
Have virtues true that health renew, 'mid the hills of Donegal.

Old Donegal has castles tall amongst her mountains gray,
MacSuibhne's castle down in Doe, and the castle of Glenveigh;
The House of Ards near Derryart, where Conyngham did fall
By the avenging hand of bold Aodh Bán on the hills of Donegal.

There, proud and bold in days of old, the O'Donnell chiefs were crowned,
Ere yet the Saxons left their tracks on holy Irish ground;
But the Saxons came with sword and flame to hold the clans in thrall,
And rule the glens, the fertile plains, and the hills of Donegal.

A cruel man oppressed the clans, nor God nor man did fear,
But in '78 (I mind the date) in the spring-time of the year;
Near Milford town of high renown, that Norman Knight did fall,
In Cratlagh wood as tyrants should in the hills of Donegal.

O grá mo chroí, I long to see my native hills again,
On a foreign shore my heart is sore with exile's longing pain;
Could I but see these mountains free, 'twould compensate for all,
I'd live as my forefathers lived on the hills of Donegal.

---