Al O'Donnell - The Granemore Hare
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- 'The Granemore Hare' sung by Al O'Donnell, from the album 'Al O'Donnell 2' released in 1978.
This song is also known as "The Hills of Greenmore" or "The Hills of Granemore".
I just found out that in a Tommy Makem & Ryan's Fancy video, you can see Al O'Donnell perform this song with video:
• Tommy Makem & Ryan's F...
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Lyrics:
One fine winter's morning, my horn I did blow,
To the green fields of Keady to hunt I did go,
We gathered our dogs and circled around,
For none loved the sport better than the boys of Maydown,
And when we arrived they were all standing there,
We set of for the fields in search of the hare,
We didn't get far, 'till someone gave a cheer,
Over high hills and valleys the wee hare did steer,
When she got to the heather, she tried them to shun,
The dogs never missed her one inch that she run,
They were kept well packed going over the hill,
Oh, they had set themselves then this wee puss to kill,
It being quite early I stopped for a while,
'Twas little I thought they were going to meet Coyle,
For if I'd known that I'd have lain near the town,
And have tried to get rid of the dogs of Maydown,
As we drew o'er the hill, 'twas a beautiful sight,
There was dogs black and yellow, dogs black and white,
And she took the black bank, for to try them once more,
Oh, it was her last look on the hills of Granemore,
And as they drew near where the wee puss did lie,
She sprang up to her feet for to bid them goodbye,
But their music did cease, and her cry we did hear,
Saying, "bad luck to the ones brought you Maydown dogs here",
In the field of wheat stubble, the wee puss did lie,
And Rory and Chalmer, they did pass her by,
And there while we stood, at the top of the brae,
Oh, we heard the last words that the wee hare did say,
"No more o'er the green fields of Keady I'll run,
Or trip to fields to have sports and turn,
For last night as I lay there content in the glen,
Oh,'twas little my thoughts were of dogs and of men,
No more o'er the green fields of Keady I'll run,
And now that I'm dying, the sport is all done,
Nor hear the long horn Joe Toner does play,
Or go home to my bed by the clear light of day,
You may blame Owen MacMahan for bringing Coyle here,
For he's at at his old capers this many's the year,
On saturday, sunday, he never gives over,
With a pack of strange dogs 'round the hills of Granemore".
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I have transcribed the lyrics myself, as the ones I was able to find on the internet weren't the same as in the song. The accent plus the fact that English isn't my native tongue, makes it possible I've made a mistake. Please comment if I did.
All credit goes to Al O'Donnell. I only put the music and images together for promotion, so UA-cam can enjoy this great artist.
Amazing. I heard Al sing a completely different set of lyrics.
Al O Donnell passed away 2015. May he rest in Peace.
A lovely man in every way
This is one of the most beautiful songs i've ever heard.
Wonderful evocative singing and playing by Al. I love the Irish trad songs where the animals speak and comment on us, fallible humans that we are.
I love this song and the singer. When I was a lad in 1940s Ireland, my friends and I often went out hunting the hare with our dogs in the surrounding hills usually on Sunday afternoons. It was a sort of a traditional past time at that time. Now when the singer tells us of the last words of the 'wee hare' I feel sorry for the animal. Different times and all so long ago......
Al O Donnell a great performer RIP....I used to sit in the front row in Slaterys Capel Street Dublin in late seventies to try work out what chords he was using. Al was a natural replacement for Luke Kelly when he died but I think he liked the security of his job in RTE but filled in now and then.When you see the clip of Luke singing Raglan Road in B and W on the net it is Al who is playing the guitar and he also did a great job of the same song... He was a gentleman and a great singer and player one of the best in Ireland and should be eulogised more!
Well said Pat and couldn't agree with you more. I too went to Slattery's on a Wednesday night back then. Had no car and Al picked me up. We both lived in Ranelaigh at the time. Fabulous memories indeed,
Great song performed by a fantastic singer, sadly for a few years not longer with us. I still love his music
This is quite excellent, my favourite Al track.I am fortunate enough to have an original copy of the Al O Donnell 2 LP in very good condition
Thanks a million for this track, have been looking for this for a long time and it sounds as good as the first time i heard it, what a voice.
Is Al O D.still around. Is it a shame that we do not hear more Irish music on radio as we had in the mid 60s. when ballads were very popular.
Learned my version from him; used to play with occasionally on Sunday nights in The Focus Theatre, Dublin, in the 'Seventies.
Great song Thanks for the words
I live in granemore!
Me too
Yeah, an definitely a masterpiece. Both albums are great. I have no idea why they've never been released on CD.
This is great ..al was a polished and understated performer ...still going strong , I Think??
Would love to hear him live again after 45 years...preferably with those friends who heard him then!!
Brillant, pure magic, cheer The Makem Folk Singer
Many many thanks for posting this gem that I heard and taped while I was in Fort-William, Highlands, where I lived for one year in 1986 (regularly taping the "Travelling Folk" BBC Scotland's program, by Archie Fisher). And I had not documented then who was the singer... I tried later on to find out about this track, to no avail. And here I am in 2010. Thanks a million, merci beaucoup, and kudos to UA-cam. I hope the CD's will be available one day.
Top shelf for that man there.... as well as ive heard hur song.
I'm proud to b from Granemore.. Great job!
Thanks for posting this.. the song is great.. found it via the Martin Simpson version
Love Al's Picking style and his voice really enhances it.
well done wrongwayup. al's second album is an absolute masterpiece. it's such a shame it has never been re-released.
Thank you so much for putting all the words down. I've been wanting to learn this song, which will be easier now.
+Kathleen Wade You're welcome, as long as you keep in mind that I transcribed the lyrics myself, so there could be mistakes!
@Stryder55 I'm glad I was able to help you find that one track you'd been looking for for a long time. I know exactly what that is like. :)
Al has a new double album - Ramble Away - lots of his old great songs and some new. He sometimes plays at The Cobblestone.
@wrongwayup his LP is now available on itunes
Eh Up mate.I first heard this song by the "Irish County Four"many years ago, far to long for both of us to remember. Used to be in an old Folk-Rock" group "Frogmorton" in the '70's . Want to do it again, as still playing, heard your version and it's brill, far better than .Ms Prior's or Mr.Gaughan's version, which, to be honest, there is no "Genuine " version of the song, All the best to yourself , Dave Hardy, resident of the lovely scenic resort of Ilkeston, East Midlands.......x
He fares well here ...
@bernardcolgan Glad you liked it. :) And yes, Al O'Donnell is still around. I believe he still plays some gigs here and there. And I got the photos from his Myspace page, so perhaps you can find more information there, but you'll have to google it. :)
@bernardcolgan Al toured the continent (or at least Germany) last autumn/winter with The Dubliners - very successful.
@ramqen951 Yes, you're right, that is quite a beautiful song. I will see if I can upload it in a while. If you search "An Bunnan Bui" on youtube, you'll find a live performance of the song. The mp3 version of the song I have is called "An Bunnan Buidhe" (so I don't know what the correct spelling is, and I forgot if this LP is in my dad's collection).
@arsenalca Thanks for the corrections, I have implemented the changes. :)
Great job on the lyrics, but since you asked, he says
"Or go home to my bed by the clear light of day" (by rather than at) and
"On saturday, sunday, he never gives over"
@tazio2 Sorry for the late reply - but as for the original copy of his album; treasure it! :)
@OneBushman Most definitely.
john mithcell also sings a great version likewise of the creggan white hare
I personally prefer Dick gaughans version , but as Lucy said there is no definitive version , I hadnt heard Al before and his playing is very good , I just prefer Dicks more melancholy version , maybe because I heard it first . Also Martin Simpson does a very good version of this song . Thats Irish music for you everyone has a go and you take your pick , the more the merrier .
CGCGCE?
MrLuridan ever find out?