School: Gortermone

Location:
Gortermone, Co. Leitrim
Teacher:
Mrs A. O' Reilly
Browse
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0229, Page 246

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0229, Page 246

Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD.

See copyright details.

Download

Open data

Available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

  1. XML School: Gortermone
  2. XML Page 246
  3. XML “Tom Kilheaney”

Note: We will soon deprecate our XML Application Programming Interface and a new, comprehensive JSON API will be made available. Keep an eye on our website for further details.

On this page

  1. It happened once upon a time,
    As sages state where sage sublime,
    That Tom Kilheaney stout and straight
    Prepared his pike in ninety-eight
    And from Drumkeeran did advance,
    To join the gallant sons of France
    Thus hastily equipped for War
    He journeyed on for Castlebar
    Where there he showed good Irish play
    Before the saxon ran away
    And often times that day he said
    Thank God the green waves o'er the red
    Next morning for Colooney then
    He marched with the Killala men,
    Where victory again did smile
    Upon the banner of our Isle
    The rank (rank)and file with lances long,
    Unfailing nerves and sinews strong,
    Their vengeful mandate did obey
    Which crowned them victors of that day.
    And brilliant was Kilheaney's luck
    Until he arrived at Ballinamuck.
    But by reverse of fortune there
    He had to fly in wild despair,
    O'er hill and valley maid and moor
    His life not for one moment sure
    That night beneath the hedge he lay
    Until it was approaching day.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. genre
      1. poetry
        1. folk poetry (~9,504)
    Language
    English