In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Have you ever walked the lonesome hills and heard the curlews cry?
Or seen the raven black as night upon a windswept sky?
To walk the purple heather and hear the westwind cry
To know that's where the rapparee must die
Since Cromwell pushed us westward to live our lowly lives
Some of us have deemed to fight from Tipperary mountains high
Noble men with wills of iron who are not afraid to die
And who'll fight with Gaelic honor held on high
A curse upon you Oliver Cromwell, you who raped our Motherland
I hope you're rotting down in hell for the horrors that you sent
To our misfortunate forefathers whom you robbed of their birthright
"To hell or Connaught" may you burn in hell tonight
Of one such man I'd like to speak a rapparee by name and deed
His family dispossessed and slaughtered they put a price upon his head
His name is known in song and story and his deeds are legends still
And murdered for blood money was young Ned of the hill
And you've robbed our homes and fortunes, even drove us from the land
You tried to break our spirit but you'll never understand
The love of dear old Ireland that will forge an iron will
As long as there are gallant men like young Ned of the hill
A curse upon you Oliver Cromwell, you who raped our Motherland
I hope you're rotting down in hell for the horrors that you sent
To our misfortunate forefathers whom you robbed of their birthright
"To hell or Connaught" may you burn in hell tonight
Or seen the raven black as night upon a windswept sky?
To walk the purple heather and hear the westwind cry
To know that's where the rapparee must die
Since Cromwell pushed us westward to live our lowly lives
Some of us have deemed to fight from Tipperary mountains high
Noble men with wills of iron who are not afraid to die
And who'll fight with Gaelic honor held on high
A curse upon you Oliver Cromwell, you who raped our Motherland
I hope you're rotting down in hell for the horrors that you sent
To our misfortunate forefathers whom you robbed of their birthright
"To hell or Connaught" may you burn in hell tonight
Of one such man I'd like to speak a rapparee by name and deed
His family dispossessed and slaughtered they put a price upon his head
His name is known in song and story and his deeds are legends still
And murdered for blood money was young Ned of the hill
And you've robbed our homes and fortunes, even drove us from the land
You tried to break our spirit but you'll never understand
The love of dear old Ireland that will forge an iron will
As long as there are gallant men like young Ned of the hill
A curse upon you Oliver Cromwell, you who raped our Motherland
I hope you're rotting down in hell for the horrors that you sent
To our misfortunate forefathers whom you robbed of their birthright
"To hell or Connaught" may you burn in hell tonight
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
Young Ned of the Hill Lyrics as written by T. Woods R. Kavana
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Written and sung by Terry Woods this is about the persecution of the Irish by the 'protector of the faith' Oliver Cromwell. Its also the name of an Irish festival at which Shane is a regular fixture
Not completely different from the saga of Jesse James; betrayed by a friend to a morally-questionable concept of “justice”, both killed for blood money”…
I thought this was by The Tossers?
@MattieCamp They covered it on a 2001 album, but it's a Pogues original.
Historically, it turns out Cromwell wasn't nearly as bad as he is remembered in both Ireland and England...