The Emigrant's Letter

I’m takin’ the pen in me hand
To tell you we’re just out o’ sight o’ land;
In the grand Allan liner we’re sailin’ in style,
But we’re sailin’ away from the Emerald Isle;
And a long sort o’ sigh seemed to rise from us all
As the waves hid the last bit of Donegal.
Och! it’s well to be you that is takin’ yer tay.
Where they’re cuttin’ corn in Creeshla the day.

I spoke to the captain-he won’t turn her round,
And if I swum back I’d be apt to be drowned,
So here I must stay-oh! I’ve no cause to fret,
For their dinner was what you might call a banquet.
But though it is ‘sumpchus,’ I’d swop the whole lot,
For the ould wooden spoon and the stirabout pot;
And sweet Katty Farrell a-wettin’ the tay
Where they’re cuttin’ the corn in Creeshla the day!

If Katey is courted by Patsey or Mick,
Put a word in for me with a lump of stick,
Don’t kill Patsey outright, he has no sort of chance,
But Mickey’s a rogue you might murder at wance;
For Katey might think as the longer she waits
A boy in the hand is worth two in the States:
And she’ll promise to honour, to love and obey
Some robber that’s roamin’ round Creeshla the day.

Goodbye to you Dan, there’s no more to be said,
And I think the salt wather’s got to me head,
For it dreeps from me eyes when I call to me mind,
The friends and the colleen I’m leavin’ behind;
Oh, Danny, she’ll wait; whin I bid her good-bye,
There was just the laste taste of a tear in her eye,
And a break in her voice whin she said “You might stay,
But plaze God you’ll come back to ould Creeshla some day.”

By kind permission of Messrs, Pigott & Co., Ltd.

Prose, Poems & Parodies of Percy French, 1980, Helicon Limited, Dublin.

Tickets

Early Booking Special Offer

Each whole day €50. Students €10

  • Three / Four Lectures
  • Afternoon Recital
  • Tea / Coffee / Homemade Cakes

Tickets to the talks taking place in the theatre room in Castlecoote House must be booked in advance, seating is strictly limited per event and we expect these to be fully booked well in advance so please book early to avoid disappointment

Ticket Office:

  • +353 (0)90 666 3794

Don’t miss out, Festival tickets sell out quickly!

We are very sorry to say that we can’t do refunds as they play havoc with the ticketing system. If you can’t make it, we’d rather you gave your tickets to a friend who can.

The 15th Percy French Festival

French Awakenings

19th, 20th, 21st July 2023

At Castlecoote House

Honorary President of the Festival, the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins.

Informed Social & Cultural Discussion of Ireland Today.

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The Percy French Festival 2023 acknowledges the major support of Excel Industries, Dublin; Whyte’s; CastleAcre; C&F Quadrant Ltd; Davies Group; Hidden Ireland.

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