Skibbereen Lyrics
Just Irish MusicMusic Video
Skibbereen
Oh father dear, I often hear you speak of Erin's Isle
Her lofty scenes, her valleys green, her mountains rude and wild
They say it is a lovely land wherein a prince might dwell
Then why did you abandon it, oh the reason to me tell
My son, I loved my native land with energy and pride
'Til a blight came over all my crops and my sheep and cattle died
The rents and taxes were to pay, and I could not them redeem
And that's the cruel reason I left old Skibbereen
'Tis well do I remember the bleak December day
When the bailiff and the landlord came to drive us all away
They set the roof on fire with their cursed English spleen
And that's another reason I left old Skibbereen
Oh, your mother too, God rest her soul, lay on the snowy ground
She fainted in her anguishing, seeing the desolation 'round
She never rose but passed away from life to immortal dreams
And that's another reason I left dear old Skibbereen
It’s well I do remember the year of ’forty‑eight,
When we arose with Erin’s boys to fight against our fate.
I was hunted through the mountains, as traitor to the Queen,
And that, my boy, is why I fled from dear old Skibbereen.
Oh, you were only two years old and feeble was your frame
I could not leave you with my friends, for you bore your father's name
I wrapped you in my cóta mór in the dead of the night unseen
And I heaved a sigh and I said good-bye to dear old Skibbereen
Oh well, father dear, and the day will come when in vengeance we will call
And Irish men, both stout and tall, will rally to the call
I'll be the man to lead the band beneath the flag of green
And loud and high, we'll raise the cry, "Revenge for Skibbereen!"
Song Details
✍️ Author: Unknown
🎛️ Also Known As: Dear Old Skibbereen, Farewell to Skibbereen, or Revenge For Skibbereen,
📝 Song Brief:
Skibbereen is one of the most touching Irish famine songs, told through a conversation between a father and his son. The father describes the hardships that forced him to leave his home in Skibbereen: the blight that destroyed his livelihood, the eviction that left his family homeless, and the death of the boy’s mother during the bleakest days of the Great Hunger. He also recalls rising with the Young Irelanders in 1848 and being hunted as a rebel before fleeing the country. The song ends with the son’s promise to seek justice, capturing both the sorrow of loss and the lasting hope for Ireland’s future.
- Erin’s Isle
A poetic name for Ireland. “Erin” comes from the Irish Éireann, meaning “of Ireland,” and “Erin’s Isle” evokes the island as a homeland of memory and belonging. - Skibbereen
A town in West Cork that became one of the places most associated with suffering during the Great Famine. It is remembered for mass starvation, disease, and large-scale evictions. - Blight
The potato disease (Phytophthora infestans) that destroyed crops during the Great Famine. Its arrival led to widespread hunger, poverty, and displacement across Ireland. - Bailiff
An agent of a landlord responsible for serving notices, collecting rent, and carrying out evictions. In famine-era songs, the bailiff often represents the harshness of forced removal. - Cursed English spleen
“Spleen” here means anger, spite, or cruelty. The phrase reflects the father’s belief that English policies and attitudes contributed to the suffering and eviction of Irish families during the famine. - Cóta mór
Irish for “big coat” or “greatcoat.” It refers to the heavy outer garment worn by many poor labourers and tenants during the 19th century, often their only protection against the weather.
🍀 Genre: Irish Folk Song
👥 Covers: The Dubliners, The Wolfe Tones, Sinead O'Connor, John Stiffe, Dan McCabe.
💿 Featured Artists: Just Irish Music
A YouTube channel devoted to preserving the emotional heart of Ireland’s musical heritage. Their recordings highlight the sorrow, memory, and resilience found in Irish famine ballads, giving voice to stories of loss, eviction, and exile.
📚 Collection: Irish Famine Songs & Exile Ballads - Songs of sorrow, exile, and resilience from Ireland’s darkest chapters
