Laurel Hill When war had oppressed every nation with horror And Wellington ventured his life o'er the main To pull down French tyrants and make them surrender For the sake of old Ireland I ventured the same I left those green vales where I first met with Nancy She said "Dearest Jamie, you'll be true to me still Until you gain the victory and return from the slaughter I must roam through these valleys around Laurel Hill" When we landed in Spain we were almost exhausted We were tossed by the wind and the billows so high And pursuing our foes over yon snowy mountains Where many brave heroes were obliged for to die And when we'd survived through the great heat of battle And over yon mountains we fought with great skill As our foes they lie bleeding in their gore all around us I smiled on all danger, far from Laurel Hill Our commanders being brave and we all being stout hearted Well its France Spain and Holland know what we could do For we pulled down their batteries with the great guns of Britain And left orphans to mourn on distressed Waterloo But now the wars over and all are returning And the trumpet's loud note it can rest for a while As we gave out three cheers as we sailed for old Ireland And that long-looked for valley in the beautiful isle. And when I arrived at the lovely Bann water There I spied my love at the side of the mill Near the Leap of Coleraine where I first parted from her For to gain Britain's valour, far from Laurel Hill She appeared unto me like one dressed in great mourning And I asked her the reason she roamed the Bann shore She said " My Jamie's a soldier and all are returning But my Jamie, alas, I will ne'er see him more For he's left me to wander these dark gloomy valleys Where the wild fox and otter do sport with free will And the trout finds her mate in the lovely Bann water But I'll not find my Jamie around Laurel Hill" He said "I'm your Jamie, your long looked for soldier Although my tongue's altered and I'm in disguise Do you mind on old Kyles flowery Brae where we parted When the trumpet's loud note took me off in surprise?" She fell into his arms like one pale and distracted And the tears trickled down like the dew from the thorn And her eyes were inviting each one that beheld her For to welcome her long looked for soldier's return And as they stood viewing the ships in yon harbour And the wild sporting angler, his aim was to kill The young trout as they played in the lovely Bann water Still lending more beauty to grace Laurel Hill And now to conclude I'll sing Wellington's praises An undaunted hero and an Irishman still And his name will be sounded when kings are forgotten And ring round those valleys of sweet Laurel Hill Now the joybells of Erin may ring and be merry With great shouts of gladness o'er each valley and plain And we'll never more part since we're both joined together In that neat little cottage near the town of Coleraine MR apr97
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!