Ballyshannon Lane - Donal Lunny

Twas in ninety six as the moon did fix

Her beams o'er Scullabogue

While the planet Mars and the twinkling stars

Denoted where each roved;

Of the Saxon birth had bit the earth

Well Cromwell's crew were slain

Where the Yeomen that fled and left their dead

In the Ballyshannon Lane

I paused a while beside the stile

At the Churchyard in old Courtoyle

One night in June as the silvery moon

O'er the Rebel's grave did sail;

Scenes of ninety eight which I now relate

Passed through my youthful brain

I prayed for the dead

And through Raheen fled

To Ballyshannon Lane

I passed Jim Moore's and the old forge door

Where Evoy forged the pike

The night being kind no rain or wind

Blew over hill or dyke;

By Keatings gate while I chanced to wait

My thoughts drove me insane

For the Yeoman crew a youth they slew

In the Ballyshannon Lane

My mother too God rest her soul

She showed me where he fell

Twas across the lands where Doyle's house stands

He fought manly and well

And out by Kehoe's he chased the foes

And many a Hessian was slain

Till six bayonets pressed through his rebel breast

In the Ballyshannon Lane

In Keating's lawn at the morning's dawn

When the barn was all in flames

I'm grieved to tell my three uncles fell

That's Martin John and James

As my aunt Kate stood by the gate

Herself and child were slain;

Oh my teeth still cringe to have revenge

For Ballyshannon Lane

This was the song that my mother sang

Into my youthful ears;

And down her cheeks for weeks and weeks

Rolled hot and scalding tears

My brother Mike forged me a pike

To take the hills again

And in Irelands need I'm here to bleed

For the Ballyshannon Lane