Skibbereen (song)

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Skibbereen, also known as Dear Old Skibbereen, is an Irish folk song, in the dialogue of a father telling his son about the Irish famine and the impact of the British Government in Ireland.^[1]

The son in the song proceeds to ask his father why he left the village of Skibbereen, in County Cork, Ireland, to live in America, to which the father tells him of the hardship he faced in his homeland. It ends on a vengeful note expressed by the son.

The song has been performed live by the Wolfe Tones and Sinéad O'Connor, as well as other contemporary Irish artists.

[edit] Lyrics

Oh father dear, I often hear you speak of Erin's isle

Her lofty hills, her valleys green, her mountains rude and wild

You say she is a lovely land wherein a saint might dwell

So why did you abandon her, the reason to me tell.

Oh son, I loved my native land with energy and pride

Until a blight came on the land, my sheep, my cattle died

My rent and taxes went unpaid, I could not them redeem

And that's the cruel reason why I left old Skibbereen.

Oh well do I remember that bleak December day

The landlord and the sheriff came to take us all away

They set my roof on fire with their cursed foreign spleen

I heaved a sigh and bade goodbye to dear old Skibbereen.

Your mother too, God rest her soul, fell on the stony ground

She fainted in her anguish seeing desolation 'round

She never rose but passed away from life to immortal dream

She found a quiet grave, me boy, in dear old Skibbereen.

It's well I do remember the year of forty-eight,

When we arose with Erin's boys to fight against our fate;

I was hunted through the mountains as a traitor to the Queen,

And that's another reason why I left Old Skibbereen

And you were only two years old and feeble was your frame

I could not leave you with my friends for you bore your father's name

I wrapped you in my cota mor in the dead of night unseen

I heaved a sigh and bade goodbye to dear old Skibbereen.

Oh father dear, the day will come when in answer to the call

All Irish men of freedom stern will rally one and all

I'll be the man to lead the band beneath the flag of green

And loud and clear we'll raise the cheer, Revenge for Skibbereen

[edit] Recordings

• Four to the Bar on their 1995 album Another Son.