Kilkelly

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 60, my dear and loving son John

Your good friend the schoolmaster Pat McNamara's so good

As to write these words down

Your brothers have all gone to find work in England

The house is so empty and sad

The crop of potatoes is sorely infected

A third to a half of them bad

And your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell

Are going to be married in June

Your mother says not to work on the railroad

And be sure to come on home soon

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 70, dear and loving son John

Hello to your Mrs and to your 4 children

May they grow healthy and strong

Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble

I suppose that he never will learn

Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of

And now we have nothing to burn

And Brigid is happy, you named a child for her

And now she's got six of her own

You say you found work, but you don't say

What kind or when you will be coming home

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 80, dear Michael and John, my sons

I'm sorry to give you the very sad news

That your dear old mother has gone

We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly

Your brothers and Brigid were there

You don't have to worry, she died very quickly

Remember her in your prayers

And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning

With money he's sure to buy land

For the crop has been poor and the people

Are selling at any price that they can

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 90, my dear and loving son John

I guess that I must be close on to eighty

It's thirty years since you're gone

Because of all of the money you send me

I'm still living out on my own

Michael has built himself a fine house

And Brigid's daughters have grown

Thank you for sending your family picture

They're lovely young women and men

You say that you might even come for a visit

What joy to see you again

Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 92, my dear brother John

I'm sorry that I didn't write sooner to tell you that father passed on

He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful

And healthy right down to the end

Ah, you should have seen him play with

The grandchildren of Pat McNamara, your friend

And we buried him alongside of mother

Down at the Kilkelly churchyard

He was a strong and a feisty old man

Considering his life was so hard

And it's funny the way he kept talking about you

He called for you in the end

Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit

We'd all love to see you again