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Lough Sheelin Side

Anonymous
Language: English


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A song has been written about Lough Sheelin, called Lough Sheelin’ side and recounts the tale of an eviction. It is not known for certain whether the song is of Cavan, Meath or Westmeath origin as the lake borders all three counties, and there were extensive clearances of tenants in the past famine years in both Cavan and Westmeath. However, there was a mass eviction one cold February night at a place called Tonagh in the late 1840s. Then Tonagh was a thriving village located near Ross on the Meath shores of the lake and not far from Mountnugent. Some 700 poor souls were thrown from their homes. The song probably relates to this eviction scene. In an article in the Heart of Breffni (1984) Seamus P O’ Mordha cites the first printed source of the song from the Anglo Celt. The editorial note that appears under the title of the song states “The Following Song was popular many years ago. Ed. A.C.” The title Lough Sheelin’s side has beneath it in brackets “Author Unknown”. The first printed version had ten verses. A version of the song called “Lough Sheelin Eviction” has also been arranged by the balled group The Wolfe Tones.
irishidentity.com
Farewell! my country, a long farewell,
My bitter anguish no tongue call tell,
For I must fly o’er the ocean wide
From the home I loved by Lough Sheelin’s side.

Fond memories come till my heart grows sad,
And vengeful thoughts till my brain goes mad,
When I think of Ellen, my gentle bride,
In the churchyard lone by Lough Sheelin’s side.

When first I wooed her so fair and young,
With her artless air and her guileless tongue,
All other maidens she far outvied
On the lonely banks by Lough Sheelin’s side.

At the village dance on the shamrock plain
To blind O’Leary’s enchanting strain
No foot like her’s could so nimbly play
None smile so sweetly or laugh so gay.

Ah! proud was I of my girl so tall
And envied most by the young men all
When I brought her blushing a bashful bride
To my cottage home by Lough Sheelin’s side.

But oh! our joy was too full to last; 
The landlord came our young hopes to blast;
In vain we pleaded for mercy - no!
He turned us out in the blinding snow.

And none dare open for us their door
Or else his vengeance would reach them sure;
My Ellen fainted - in my arms died -
While the snow fell fast on the mountain side.

I said one prayer for my lifeless love,
And raised my hands to Heaven above
“Oh, God of justice” I wildly cried,
“Avenge the death of my murdered bride.”

We buried her down in the churchyard low,
Where in the springtime the daisies blow,
I shed no tear for the fount had dried
On that woeful night by Lough Sheelin’s side.

Farewell! my country; farewell for aye!
The ship will soon bear me away,
But, oh, my fond heart will still abide
In my Ellen’s grave by Lough Sheelin’s side.

Contributed by Donquijote82 - 2015/11/9 - 11:22




Language: English

Ho trovato questo differente testo su una piccola e piacevole pubblicazione dal titolo "100 Irish Ballads vol. 2" - Soodlum - 1987
LOUGH SHEELIN SIDE

It was at the dance in the village green
I met young Eileen my own cailin
I took young Eileen my fond young bride
To my cottage home by Lough Sheelin side.

But our good dreams were too good to last
The landlord came our home to blast
And he no mercy on us did show
As he turned us out in the blinding snow.

Will no one open to us a door
In case that vengeance on them might fall
'Twas there she fainted 'twas there she died
As the snow fell fast by Lough Sheelin side.

They dug her grave in the churchyard low
It was in the spring time when the daisies grow
Sad tears were shed for my fond young bride
Who's sleeping now by Lough Sheelin side.

Farewell old Ireland and Eileen too
My ship is ready I bid adieu
For I must leave for the ocean wide
From my true love's grave by Lough Sheelin side.

Contributed by Gianni Barnini - 2021/7/10 - 11:54




Language: Italian

Versione italiana di Gianni Barnini
Il LAGO DI SHEELIN (Lough Sheelin Side)

Addio vecchia Irlanda addio amore mio
La nave è pronta oggi è l’addio
Lascio la cara mia dolce Eileen
Che dorme accanto al Lago Sheelin

Fu ad un ballo nel mio villaggio
Quella ragazza sembrava un miraggio
Con quel suo sguardo semplice e vago
Poi la portai nel mio cottage sul lago

Ma i sogni belli durano poco
Venne il padrone con occhi di fuoco
Buttandoci fuori lì all’istante
La neve era alta fredda e accecante

Che la vendetta faccia il suo corso
Nessuno è venuto in nostro soccorso
Lei se ne è andata stretta al mio cuore
Era la fine del nostro amore

Ho scavato la fossa nel cimitero
Era di maggio e le ho acceso un cero
Lacrime tristi per la mia sposa
Che accanto al lago ora riposa

Addio vecchia Irlanda addio amore mio
La nave è pronta oggi è l’addio
Lascio la cara mia dolce Eileen
Che dorme accanto al Lago Sheelin
Cover metrica per essere cantata a tempo

Contributed by Gianni Barnini - 2021/11/5 - 12:55




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