School: Taobh Breac (roll number 15227)

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1. The Rector's Ride (continued)

   

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   22. “When fertile Carricklea is passed
   Tom Russell’s horse is gaining fast
   And lo! Strabane he sights at last
   And loud his horn he blows
   Fast Mary Jane has pricked her ears
   The huntsman’s horn she thinks she hears
   And quick the road side fence she clears
   And o’er the field goes.”

   23. “As on she goes in mad career
   The rector’s hope soon yields to fear
   For in the distance all too near.
   He sees the Mourne’s edge.
   ‘Alas to reach the Bowling Green
   Quoth he it beats her now I wean,
   Water and wall both lie between
   And Russell nears the bridge’”

   24. And now her swiftly flying feet
   The grassy banks of Mourne beat
   And crush the scented wild-flowers sweet
   That flourish by its side.
   On to the very brink she goes
   Where underneath the river flows
   When slips the treacherous bank and throws
   Both headlong in the tide.

   25. Unseated thus to swim in vain
   The rector tries but grasps the mane
   And struggles to her back again
   A glad man I’ll go bail.
   The other side is reached ere long
   Where waits a wild expectant throng
   But now the rector sits on wrong.
   His face towards the tail!

   26. As man and mare in sight appear
   Spectators wave their hats and cheer
   The mare nigh driven mad by fear,
   Pursues her random flight.
   The rector’s courage ‘gins to fail
   In dread he grasps the flowing tail
   That streams behind her in the gale,
   Thus adding to her fright.

   27. “’Oh, help him, lord’ cries one and all
   She’s making for the water-wall
   And if she leaps and leaps to fall
   It seals the good man’s fate.
   In wild dismay, aside they fly
   Help! Help!’ his reverence loud doth cry
   ‘May God assist you’ they reply
   For human aid’s too late.

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Donnachadh E. Mac Congáile

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Informant

   James Mc Loughlin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Tievebrack, Co. Donegal