The Vales of New Direen


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This track is from our 2006 CD, Concert Tour of North America 2006.

The Vales of New Direen

Farewell,farewell my native land,
Farewell forever more,
I now must leave you far behind,
And seek a foreign shore,
But very soon the ocean wide,
Between us will intervene,
From that dear old home,
That’s mine no more,
In the Vales of New Direen.
Those sand dune seas I’ve crossed before,
And sought a foreign strand,
Although I soon would see,
Again my native land,
But like John Mitchell in his cell,
There’s something tells to me,
Of that dear old home,
That’s mine no more,
In the Vales of New Direen.
At home in dear old Ireland,
I,fain,for e’er would stay,
But fate indeed was destined for me,
To wander far away,
From my native hills and valleys fair,
Where dwells the shamrock green,
In that dear old home that’s mine no more,
In the Vales of New Direen.

The parties that betrayed us,
They obtained their best desire,
The life of her blighted,
They surely blasted mine,
They sent us both a wandering,
With vengeance sharp and keen,
From that dear old home,
That’s mine no more,
In the Vales of New Direen.

When last I saw my native land,
It was with mournful eye,
The tears came trickling down my face,
And loudly I did cry,
The fall of night it soon came down,
And that was last I had seen,
Of that dear old home,
That’s mine no more,
In the Vales of New Direen.

So now I must end my end my few pen lines,
In case I might be late,
The mourning train from Ardagh,
Leaves at twenty five past eight,
So God be with you Ireland,
You’re my starlit ocean Queen,
And a fond farewell to all who dwell,
In the Vales of New Direen.

‘The Vales of New Direen’is a song of emigration from the West Limerick area.It has been recorded by Treasa Ní Cheannaigh in the past who had learnt it from the famous singer from that area, Con Greaney. It is one of many songs that Donie Lyons remembers hearing over the years in his native West Limerick.

Date
5 December 2006
Tune
The Vales of New Direen
Source
Concert Tour of North America 2006
Performers/Subjects Instruments
Donie Lyons Singer

© Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann

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