A Merry Trip to Glendalough (song)

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dúchas

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Courtesy of St. Kevin's Bus Service

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Large Group of Daytrippers in Glendalough c.1940s

Courtesy of P. Reid

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Tourists ferried across to St. Kevin's Bed

Courtesy of P. Reid

The following song is taken from the Dúchas Schools’ Collection.

To  view the original text and transcriptions please click here.

The Merry Trip to Glendalough

I
The day being good we left Roundwood
With sunbeams glittering on each rock
Played ‘Patrick’s Day’ and away did sway
On a merry trip to Glendalough

Chorus
Our driver’s good came from Roundwood
And we were all a jovial flock
Our colleens neat, showed off most great
On a merry trip to Glendalough

II
Our steeds went fast without a blast
Our jaunting car from shake or shock
Played ‘Maggie O’ through Annamoe
The charming “bell” of Glendalough

Chorus

III
Near Lara’ mill, our thirst did kill
With ginger beer up to the Knock
The Bridge Hotel it is known well
It stands two miles from Glendalough

IV

As we drove nearing it was not most cheering
To see the lake beneath the rock
And pure distills from far off hills
All flowing into Glendalough

Chorus

V
In pink and buff we reached Lugduff
All in high style up to the Knock
Of that Hotel we must speak well
That stands hard by St Kevin’s rock

Chorus

VI
From cliffs and vales our music strains
Went softly to the highest rock
Playing with high time a tune well known
The minoring bogs of Glendalough

VII
From that Hotel we then thought well
To go and view each Silvery rock
And pine distills from flowering Hills
All flow into Glendalough

Chorus

VIII
St Kevin’s Bed we did for head
In swaying boats beneath the rock
In water clear, we did all cheer
Our Father Rowan in Glendalough

Chorus

IX
St. Kevin’s Bed, himself he made
To enter in you must climb the rock
Where he knelt down in Saintly gowns
And blessed the Shores around Glendalough

X
On Kathleen’s fall, we did recall
And we descending from the rock
With saintly voice said Souls Rejoice
And go to Heaven from Glendalough

Chorus

XI
Then from that place we did retrace
Beneath the bed and saintly rock
With boat and oars we came on shore
All singing praise to Glendalough

Chorus
XII
For car and steed, we did then speed
To the Hotel up to the Rock
And then drove down to Roundwood town
Postillion style from Glendalough

Chorus

ARCHIVAL REFERENCE: The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0917, Page 277

© National Folklore Collection, UCD