1. |
Cockahoof
02:58
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COCK A HOOF
Balfe the robber was a gentleman so the story goes
A highway man from Ballyknockan in the finest clothes
He shod his horse in reverse to cover up his trail
So they called him "Cock a Hoof" and a legend he became
One evening at a house dance in the village of the stone
He danced a jig, excused himself, left the house alone
He made his way by horseback to the borders of Carlow
where he went to rob and steal like many times before
THUNDER BOLT AND LIGHTNING A HIGHWAYMAN RIDES BY
COCK A HOOF COCK A HOOF WHERE DOES YOUR FORTUNE LIE?
He came upon a manor house in the black of night
Where all the doors and windows were locked and sealed so tight
He climbed upon a ladder and smashed a pane of glass
And demanded to the lady for all her gold to pass
She went to hand it over and took his arm down on the glass
He fell back from the window and lay wounded on the grass
He wrapped a scarf around his arm and rode into the night
And back to Ballyknockan before the morning light
THUNDER BOLT AND LIGHTNING A HIGHWAYMAN RIDES BY
COCK A HOOF COCK A HOOF WHERE DOES YOUR FORTUNE LIE?
The lady from the manor called the forces of the crown
And then there were rumours heard around the town
The law closed in on Balfe at an ambush at Woodend
where he was arrested to the jail house he was sent
They saw the wound on his arm and there they had the proof
They sentenced him to hang and that was the end for Cock a Hoof
On his way to the gallows he declared he hid his gold
Whoever found his bank would never want again he told
THUNDER BOLT AND LIGHTNING A HIGHWAYMAN RIDES BY
COCK A HOOF COCK A HOOF WHERE DOES YOUR FORTUNE LIE?
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2. |
Ballinahown
02:56
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BALLINAHOWN
I lived by the river my family and me
Kept a few cattle and worked in the fields
one day bad news came from ESB
A Dammed reservoir for electricity
I remember the day my eye filled with tears
For the memories I had there over the years
As the water came closer I gathered my things
I left with my pony and trap for the hills
They flooded the valley in Ballinahown
and if you weren't quick you surely would drown
the ghosts of the village lie under the lake
and rest there for ever in a watery grave
An old stone cottage became my adobe
In Ballinastockan just up the road
I spent hard years cutting rock in the Quarry
and for the loss of my home still I am sorry
And when I look upon the lake
Its beauty eludes me I know its man made
Memories haunt me draw tears from my eyes
the day my home vanished as the water did rise
They flooded the valley in Ballinahown
and if you weren't quick you surely would drown
the ghosts of the village lie under the lake
and rest there for ever in a watery grave
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3. |
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WHERE THE BROOK WATERS FLOW
Where autumn trees shed their leaves
And winter winds did blow
Spring lambs played in fields
summers would come and summers would go
Biddy McEvoy lived her life
Where the brook waters flow
Below the village on the Killough bog
In the June of Thirty Two
Biddy and her family cut the turf
Every summer as they'd always do
but one fateful day still resonates
Where the brook waters flow
Into the bog Biddy fell and drowned
No one heard the sound
Across the Killough her fathers cry
Oh God oh no Oh God O why
Beautiful Biddy just twenty two
Where the brook waters flow
One hundred men from the quarry came,
They dropped their tools and prayed
The back of a door Biddy was laid
To carry her home, they carried the weight
from that day on, their lives were shook
Where the brook waters flow
A Eucharistic medal placed in her palm
Her father left a broken man
In the shadow of the hill time stood still
Where the brook waters flow
The autumn trees will shed their leaves
And the winter winds will blow
Spring lambs will play in fields
Summers will come and summers will go
All that will be are the memories
Where the brook waters flow
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4. |
Mary
02:42
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MARY
It was on one sunny daffodil day
Right about the beginning of May
Kickin back a ball I heard Mary say
Come on children its time to pray
Well I tried to hide but it was too late
'twas broad daylight at half past eight
She said come on child make some haste
We havent got any time to waste
We formed a circle went down on our knees
She took from her pocket red rosary beads
She said be quiet now children please
Then rattled off four mysteries
We prayed for the sick we prayed for the poor
We prayed for the sun and the moon Im sure
And every other day for the month of May
I heard Mary call when I was out to play
Mary's intentions were always good
An upstanding woman in the neighbourhood
She lived her life by the book
Gave it up to the Lord above
But for all the prayin i couldn't find God
The men of the cloth for me so flawed
But for all the Mary's i do applaud
For they are the ones that do know God
No souls were lost no souls were saved
That was long ago and times have changed
Looking back now it seems so strange
Some carry the cross some carry the nails
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5. |
Mr's O's Delight
03:23
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His head held high on the way to the pub
where craic was had and beer was good
with tales of wit and songs so gritty
he welcomed one and all to the granite city
with a Mouse in the house
a Carty and a Mac
a bunch of auld ones having the craic
a piper and a painter, a maker and a faker
all together to drink the cratur
All together into the night
the whiskey flowed til it was light
All together into the night
much to Mrs O's delight
He made a sermon of an old saying
with open arms like he was praying
he spat on his hands, rubbed them together
fingers all yellow like the hay in the meadow
Talked of the day and the change in the weather
What could be done had it only been better
a simple man but he sure was clever
and birds of a feather they'd flock together
with the Doc on the mic
a priest on a bike
a bunch a young hippies high as a kite
a farmers wife, the talk was rife,
all together into the night
All together into the night
the whiskey flowed until it was light
all together into the night
much to Mrs O's delight
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6. |
The Ballyknockan Band
03:12
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THE BALLYKNOCKAN BAND
Back in the late nineteenth century
the Wicklow hills was the place to be
the Ballyknockan band could be heard everywhere
Music in the mountains music in the air
Day by day they cut the rock
Blew the brass when the work had stopped
Rehearsed in the hall when the work was done
Tradition passed from father to son
The Ballyknockan band could be heard everywhere
Music in the mountains music in the air
Crowds came for miles to listen to the band
They were the pride of the quarry land
Down at the dance in the Barn Cinema
Stepping it around a-rata ta ta
The Ballyknockan band could be heard everywhere
Music in the mountains music in the air
They entertained at the parish fair
Here there yonder everywhere
The band that was born on the side of the hill
The legacy of music lingers still
Now in the 21st century
The Wicklow hills is the place to be
The ballyknockan bands can be heard everywhere
Music in the mountains music in the air
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7. |
Madonna and the Lion
02:55
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MADONNA AND THE LION
On its watch on the way to the Quarry
The granite Stormont Lion
Cut long ago with care and pride
but flawed by a wrong design
A beautiful mistake made by men
It will stand for a very long time
Watching over the flooded valley
Stands the Madonna and Child
A statue cut with care and pride
but flawed by a wrong design
A beautiful mistake made by men
It will stand for a very long time
Watching along the ways of the village
a pattern of granite walls
Built long ago with care and pride
but they can never hide
Structures built that just dont rhyme
That will stand for a very long time
The Lion sighs, Madonna cries
For the changes in the village below
The men who died and worked with pride
They stood there by their side
To remind them the mistakes men make
Can last for a very long time
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8. |
A Stonecutters Journey
03:14
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A STONECUTTERS JOURNEY
I spent my youth in the quarries working stone
where the cold would cut you right down to the bone
I learned my trade in the stone cutters shed
along with my father and my grandfather Ned
I worked in the quarry after I went to school
Then I left West Wicklow for lonely Liverpool
To clad the cathedral with the finest Wicklow rock
Thats was taken in blocks from ships at the dock
A STONE CUTTERS JOURNEY IT WAS FOR ME
A STONE CUTTERS LIFE IT WILL ALWAYS BE
It was in Liverpool that I met my sweetheart
When the work dried up I thought we'd depart
she pleaded with her father but he just said no
when I ran out of money I knew I had to go
We sent many letters as the months passed by
but as soon they stopped I had to know why
So I bought me a ticket and I set off to sea
To the place I knew where my sweetheart to be
When I knocked on the door on Mulberry street
my sweetheart standing with a child at her feet
she said she had fallen for the charms of another
So I bid her farewell and back to work with my brother
I lived my days in a cottage made of stone
worked with my hands right down to the bone
I lived for my trade in the stone cutters shed
where I learned how to craft from my grandfather Ned
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9. |
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BIDDY MULVEY AND THE LANDGRABBER
Down the bog road in Ballyknockan
The ruins of a cottage almost forgotten
Where on a dark day, in eighteen 88
History was made at Biddy Mulveys gate
Between those four walls her life she had spent
before she was widowed and hadn't the rent
the landgrabber and some men from the town
came in the night and tore the roof down
A crowd gathered round and watched in dismay
on a cold winter morning on their way to pray
To hell with the grabber came a voice in the crowd
The people were strong and the people were proud
Every man able had come to the call
Mending the roof before the night fall
The landgrabber raged when the word got around
He returned with his sons and tore the house down
The men built it up again overnight
With power of the pen they launched a new fight
They found a loophole in law of the land
The grabbers withdrawl was their demand
God save Ireland they shouted with joy
the landgrabber defeated by their ploy
"Conquering hero" was played by the band
As they brought Biddy Mulvey back to her land
Down the bog road in Ballyknockan
The ruins of a cottage almost forgotten
Where on a great day, in eightteen 88
The Grabber defeated at Biddy Mulveys gate
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10. |
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THE HILLS ABOVE THE VALLEY
From the hills above the valley
I saw a promised land
From the Hills above the valley
I left to make my mark
And many roads I travelled
and found one to bring me home
and Im contented here
no longer will I roam
from the hills above the valley
I watch the sun go down
From the hills above the valley
I see my resting place
Now life's been good to me
and the end will soon be near
So I bid you all farewell
and to my Wicklow hills so dear
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Barry Kinane
Singer Songwriter from Co. Wicklow Ireland.“Kinane has a rare gift of taking the stories of life and relatively recent history to weave magical musical tales that are like short stories of the highest quality. I could rave about this album for days....” Nicky Rossiter Irish music magazine ... more
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