The Creggan White Hare
[Verse]
G Em C
In the lowland of Creggan, there lives a white hare,
G D
As swift as the swallow that flies through that air.
C Em G
You may tramp the world over but none can compare
C D Em C
With the pride of low Creggan, the bonnie white hare.
[Verse]
G Em C
One clean autumn morning, as you may suppose,
G D
The red golden sun o’er the green mountain rose.
C Em G
Barney Conway came down and he did declare,
C D Em C
“This day I’ll put an end to that bonnie white hare.”
[Verse]
G Em C
He searched through the lowlands and down through the glens,
G D
And among the wild bushes where the white hare had ends,
C Em G
Till at last coming home o’er the heather so bare,
C D Em C
From behind a wild thistle jumped out the white hare.
[Verse]
G Em C
“Bang! bang!” went his gun and his dog it slipped too.
G D
As swift as the wind over the green mountain flew.
C Em G
But the dog soon came back, which made poor Barney sigh,
C D Em C
For he knew that the white hare had bid him goodbye.
[Verse]
G Em C
We’re some jolly sportsmen down here from Pomeroy
G D
From Cookstown, Dungannon, and likewise the Moy.
C Em G
With our pedigree greyhounds we’ve travelled afar
C D Em C
And we’ve come down to Creggan in our fine motor car.
[Verse]
G Em C
Away to the lowlands these huntsmen did go
G D
In search of the white hare they look high and low,
C Em G
Till at last Barney Conway on a bog bank so bare
C D Em C
Shouted out to these huntsmen, “There lies the white hare.”
[Verse]
G Em C
They call up their greyhounds from off the green lea
G D
And Barney and the huntsmen they jumped high with glee,
C Em G
For there on the turf bank all gathered around,
C D Em C
Seven dogs and nine men did that poor hare surround.
[Verse]
G Em C
No wonder the white hare did tremble with fear
G D
As she stood on her toes and would raise her big ears,
C Em G
But she stood on her toes and with one gallant spring,
C D Em C
She cleared over the greyhounds and broke through the ring.
[Verse]
G Em C
Well the chase I went on, ’twas beautiful view
G D
As swift as the wind o’er the green mountains flew.
C Em G
But with pedigree greyhounds, they didn’t go far.
C D Em C
They come back and went home in their fine motor car.
[Verse]
G Em C
There come another man and you all know him well;
G D
His name is Pat Devlin and Bonnie Black Nell.
C Em G
In search of the white hare, he says, “I’ll have fun.
C D Em C
Here’s fifty to one that Black Nell does her turn.”
[Verse]
G Em C
Five turns the hare got then from Bonnie Black Nell,
G D
And the sixth one was given around John Haughey’s well.
C Em G
‘Twas there we lost sight of the hare and the dog,
C D Em C
And ten minutes later they come o’er the bog.
[Verse]
G Em C
Well, the chase it went on. It was great for to see.
G D
The white hare and the greyhound they roamed light and free,
C Em G
Till she travelled to Esker where she knew the lands well,
C D Em C
And to Bonnie Black Nell she soon bid farewell.
[Verse]
G Em C
And now to conclude and finish it’s time.
G D
I hope you’ll forgive me for singing this rhyme.
C Em G
If there’s any amongst you in Carrick more fair,
C D Em C
Let’s drink up a health to that bonnie white hare.