Newry Mountain

Also known as Gra Geal Mo Chroí (Bright Love of My Heart)

Sung by Joe Holmes on his 1978 LP (After Dawning); collected by Sam Henry in ‘Songs of the People’

Choir singing – 1/10/18

WORDS
NewryMountain_MCC

At the foot of Newry mountain clear water does flow
There lives a wee lassie far whiter than snow
She’s slender in the waist for all young men to see
And her name in plain Irish is Gra Geal Mo Chroi

Twas on a summer’s morning as I walked along
Down by yon green valley I heard a fine song
It was a fair damsel and her voice rang so clear
Saying how blest would I be if my darlin was here

I then drew near to a shade that was green
Where the leaves grew about her she scarce could be seen
It was her whole cry ‘Oh my darlin come away
For without your loving company I cannot stay’

The moon it may darken and show us no light
And the bright stars of heaven fall down from their height
The rocks may all melt and the mountains remove
The hour I prove false to the fair one I love

The ships on the ocean may go without sails
And the smallest of fishes turn into great whales
In the middle of the ocean there will grow an apple tree
If I ever prove false to my Gra Geal Mo Chroi