Johnny McEvoy - The Bantry Girls Lament

O who will plough the fields now
And who will sow the corn
And who will watch the sheep now
And keep them neatly shorn
The stack that’s in the haggard
Un-thrashed it will remain
Since Johnny went a-thrashing
The far off King of Spain

The girls from the Bawnogue
In sorrow must retire
And the piper and his bellows
May go home a blow the fire
For Johnny, lovely Johnny
Is sailing o’er the main
Along with other patriots
To fight the King of Spain

The boys will surely miss him
When Moneymore comes round
And grieve that their bold captain
Is nowhere to be found
The Peelers must stand idle
Against their will and gain
For the valiant boy who gave them work
Now fights the King of Spain

At wakes and hurling matches
Your likes we’ll never see
Till you come back to us again
Astoreen Og Mo Croi
And won’t you trounce the buckeens
Who show us much distain
Because our eyes are not so bright
As those you’ll find in Spain

If cruel fate shall not permit
Our Johnny to return
His heavy loss we Bantry girls
In sorrow must remain
We’ll resign ourselves to our sad lot
And die in grief and pain
Since Johnny died for Ireland’s pride
In the far off land of Spain

Written by:
Johnny McEvoy

Publisher:
Lyrics © CAPPAL BEAG MUSIC

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