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Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and sixty, my dear and lovin' son John |
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Your good friend the Schoolmaster Pat McNamara, so good as to write these words down. |
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Your brothers have all gone to find work in England, the house is so empty and sad, |
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The crop of potatoes is sorely affected, a third to a half of them bad. |
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And your sister Bridget and Patrick O'Donnell, are goin' to be married in June, |
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Your mother says not to work on the railroad, and be sure to come on home soon. |
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Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and seventy, my dear and lovin' son John |
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Hello to your missus and to your four children, that they may grow healthy and strong |
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Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble, I suppose he never will learn |
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Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of and now we have nothing to burn. |
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And Bridget is happy you named the child for her, although she's got six of her own |
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You say you've found work, but you don't say what kind, or when you'll be comin' home. |
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Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and eighty, dear Michael and John my sons |
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I'm sorry to give you the very sad news that your dear old mother has gone. |
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We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly, your brothers and Bridget were there, |
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You don't have to worry, she died very quickly, remember her in your prayers. |
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And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning with money he's sure to buy land |
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For the crop has been poor and the people are selling, for any price that they can. |
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Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and ninety, my dear and lovin' son John |
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I suppose that I must be close on eighty, it's thirty years since you've gone |
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Because of all of the money you sent me, I'm still living' out of my own |
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Michael has built himself a fine house, and Bridget's daughters have grown |
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And thank you for sendin' your family picture, they're lovely young women and men |
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You say you might even come for a visit, what a joy to see you again. |
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Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and ninety two, my dear brother John, |
| [05:22.46] |
I'm sorry I didn't write sooner, to tell you that father has gone. |
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He was living with Brigid, she said he was cheerful and healthy right down to the end |
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And you should have seen him play with the grandchildren, of Pat McNamara your friend. |
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And we buried him alongside of mother, down at Kilkelly churchyard |
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He was a strong and a feisty old man, considering that life is so hard. |
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And it's funny the way he kept talkin' about you, he called for you at the end |
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And why don't you think about comin' to visit, we'd all love to see you again |
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