Skibbereen Songtext / Lyric

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

Her lofty scenes, her valley's green, her mountains rude and wild

They say it is a lovely land wherein a prince might dwell

Oh, why did you abandon it? The reason to me tell



Well, I do remember that bleak December day

The landlord and the sheriff came to drive us all away

He set my roof on fire when my rent I could not find

And that's the cruel reason that I left it all behind






Your mother too, God rest her soul, she fell on snowy ground

She could not raise her body seeing desolation 'round

She never rose but slipped away from life to mortal dream

And found a quiet grave, my boy, in dear old Skibbereen



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

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

I wrapped you in my cottamore in the dead of night unseen

I heaved a sigh and bade goodbye to dear old Skibbereen



Oh father dear, the day may come in an answer to the call

Each Irishmen with feeling stern will rally one and all

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

And loud and high, we'll raise a cry, "Remember Skibbereen"