Gortnamona

Gortnamona

1Long, long ago in the woods of Gortnamona,
2     I thought the birds were singing in the blackthorn tree;
3But oh! it was my heart that was ringing, ringing, ringing,
4     With the joy that you were bringing O my love, to me.
5Long, long ago, in the woods of Gortnamona,
6     I thought the wind was sighing round the blackthorn tree;
7But oh! it was the banshee that was crying, crying, crying,
8     And I knew my love was dying far across the sea.
9Now if you go through the woods of Gortnamona,
10     You hear the raindrops creeping through the blackthorn tree.
11But oh! it is the tears I am weeping, weeping, weeping,
12     For the loved one that is sleeping far away from me.
Publication Notes
Best Irish Songs of Percy French ed. Tony Butler (London: Wolfe Publishing Ltd., 1971): 27. ML54.6 .F7B4 Robarts Library
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire