Kilkelly Lyrics

Kilkelly Ireland 1860, my dear and loving son John,
Your good friend and schoolmaster Pat McNamara's so good as to write these words down.
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England, the house is all empty and sad.
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected, a third to a half of them bad.
Your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell are going to be married in June.
Your mother says not to work on the railroad and be sure to come on home soon.

Kilkelly Ireland 1870, my dear and loving son John,
Hello to your Mrs and to your four children, may they grow healthy and strong.
Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble, I suppose that he never will learn,
Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of and now we have nothing to burn.
Brigid is happy you named a child for her although she's got six of her own,
You say you found work but you don't say what kind or when you will be coming home.

Kilkelly Ireland 1880, dear Michael and John my sons.
I'm sorry to give you the very sad news your dear old mother passed on.
We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly, your brothers and Brigid were there,
You don't have to worry, she died very quickly, remember her in your prayers.
And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning with money he's sure to buy land,
For the crop has been poor and the pepople are selling any price that they can.

Kilkelly Ireland 1890, my dear and loving son John,
I suppose that I must be close on eighty, it's thirty years since you've gone.
Because od all the money you sent me, I'm still living out on my own.
Michael has built himself a fine house and Bridget's daughters are grown.
Thank you for sending your family pictures, they're lovely young women and men,
You say that you might even come for a visit, what joy to see you again.

Kilkelly Ireland, 1892, my dear brother John,
I'm sorry I didn't write sooner to tell you that father passed on.
He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful and healthy right down to the end.
Ah you should have seen him play with the grandchildren of Pat McNamara your friend.
And we buried him alongside of mother down at Kilkelly churchyard,
He was a strong a a feisty old man, considering his life was so hard.
And it's funny the way he kept talking about you, he called for you at the end.
Oh why don't you think about coming to visit, we'd all love to see you again.