Walls Weep in Donegal

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I came out here

to find me some work

There was nothing to eat

back home in Cork

Straight off the boat

they gave me a pick

I bit my tongue when

they yelled Dirty Mick

My work was honest

like I thought it should

Forgot the old sod

as much as I could

I saved when able

for my return

To be with my lass

where home fires burn

Here, tonight, by Feneuil Hall

hard as I try, I cannot sleep

Back home, right now, in Donegal

hearts do cry and walls do weep

My arms were strong

and my spirit true

In terrible times

you die or pull through

Shifts were long

and the winter cold

And wages much less

than I’d been told

So I found a way

to earn ca-ching

I fought for money

in the boxing ring

Sure a tough road

to earn a dollar

But options are few

when you’re no scholar

Things improved

until it arrived

The telegram said:

“Your parents have died!”

Here, tonight, by Feneuil Hall

hard as I try, I cannot sleep

Back home, right now, in Donegal

hearts do cry and walls do weep

My body sagged

and sadness grew

But in terrible times

you die or pull through

The nights were long

in the summer heat

Weekend warriors

were harder to beat

I pushed ahead

as best I could

To hold dear Shannon

in my arms for good

I proposed by mail

in early spring

Her swift reply

was a wonderful thing

But one dark morn

a cablegram came

Shannon had passed

smallpox was to blame!

Here, tonight, by Feneuil Hall

hard as I try, I cannot sleep

Back home, right now, in Donegal

hearts do cry and walls do weep

My love was gone

so what could I do

But in terrible times

you die or pull through

My sister wrote

she’d be on a ship

Just built in Belfast

and fully equipped

I fixed up my place

for her arrival

Found a maid’s position

for her survival

But on her way

great tragedy struck

The mighty Titanic

sank like a rock

Here, tonight, by Feneuil Hall

hard as I try, I cannot sleep

Back home, right now, in Donegal

hearts do cry and walls do weep

My heart was numb

my spirit too

But in terrible times

you die or pull through

I helped bootleggers

move bathtub gin

Protecting the

O’Toole-Kennedy kin

While escaping a raid

Paddy shot a cop

But I got cuffed

so I took the drop

Cath’lics could die

in a Boston jail

So I was relieved

when the boss paid bail

Here, tonight, by Feneuil Hall

hard as I try, I cannot sleep

Back home, right now, in Donegal

hearts do cry and walls do weep

My heart was weak

much older too

But in terrible times

you die or pull through

I longed to visit

my Em’rald Isle

To feel the warmth

of an Irish smile

So I packed my case

and took my cane

But I never did

see Ireland again

My heart gave out

that sunny morn

An ocean away

from where I was born

Here, tonight, by Feneuil Hall

hard as I try, I cannot sleep

Back home, right now, in Donegal

hearts do cry and walls do weep

Though life was cruel

regrets were few

‘Cause in terrible times

you die or pull through

In terrible times

if you do pull through

No sense to dwell

on what-ifs for you

And when walls weep

and hearts cry

The fruit of all troubles

lives on by and by

Here, tonight, by Feneuil Hall

hard as I try, I cannot sleep

Back home, right now, in Donegal

hearts do cry and walls do weep