Traditional, adaptation © Mark Clavey

Sonya Baughman: vocals, recorder
Mark Clavey: vocals, guitar
Mary Hanover: lead vocals, tinwhistle, hammered dulcimer

An Irish emigration ballad, unique in perspective - a woman who remains in Ireland, watching her friends and kinfolk flee the hardship and heartache of mid-19th century Ireland for, hopefully, better times in America. The tune we play at the beginning is "Nancy's Waltz", written by Chris Romaine…

Lyrics

You brave Irish heroes, wheree'er you may be, pray stand for a moment and listen to me. Your sons and fair daughters are now going away, and thousands are sailing to Amerikay.

So good luck to those people and safe may they land. They're leaving their country for a far distant strand. They're leaving old Ireland no longer to stay, and thousand are sailing to Amerikay.

On the night before leaving they are bidding goodbye, and early next morning their hearts give a sigh. They do kiss their mothers and then they will say, "Farewell dear old Father, we must now go away."

Their friends and relations and neighbors also, when the trunks they are packed up and ready to go, the tears from their eyes they fall down like the rain. And the horses are prancing, heading off for the train.

So good luck to those people and safe may they land, &c

When they do reach the station you will hear their last cries, with handkerchiefs waving and bidding goodbye. Their hearts will be breaking on leaving the shore. "Farewell dear old Ireland, we will ne'er see you more."

I pity the mother who e'er reared up the child, and likewise the father who labored and toil... to try to support them they will work night and day, and when they are reared up they do go away.

So good luck to those people and safe may they land, &c