Spancill Hill lyrics

Album: Folk-Lore (2002)

[Arrangement: KF Words: Tradional]


Last night as I lay dreaming
of pleasant days gone by,
Me mind been bent on rambling,
to Ireland I did fly,
I stepped on board a vision
and followed with a will
Till next I came to anchor
at the cross near Spancill Hill.

Delighted by the novelty,
enchanted with the scene,
Where in me early boyhood - often I had been,
I thought I heard a murmur
and I think I hear it still
It`s the little stream of water
that flows down Spancill Hill.

To amuse a passing fancy
I lay down on the ground,
And all my school companions
they shortly gathered round
When we were home returning
we danced with bright goodwill,
To Martin Moynahan`s music
at the cross at Spancill Hill.

It was on the 24th of June,
the day before the fair
When Ireland`s sons and daughters
and all assembled there,
The young, the old, the brave, the bold
came their duty to fulfil,
At the little church in Clooney,
a mile from Spancill Hill.

I went to see me neighbours
to see what they might say,
The old ones they were dead and gone,
the young ones turning grey,
I met the tailor Quigley, he was bold as ever still,
sure he used to make my britches
when I lived at Spancill Hill.

I paid a flying visit to me first and only love,
She`s as fair as any lilly and gentle as a dove,
She threw her arms around me
crying `Johnny I love you still`,
She was a farmer`s daughter,
the pride of Spancill Hill.

Well I dreamt I hugged and kissed her
as in the days of yore
She said `Johnny you`re only joking`
as many the times before,
The cock crew in the morning,
he crew both loud and shrill
And I awoke in California,
many miles from Spancill Hill.