The Emigrants (Come to the Land of Sweet Liberty/Farewell to Old Ireland/Edward Connors)

Lyrics

[A. Come to the Land of Sweet Liberty] Our ship at the present lies in Derry Harbour To bear us away o'er the wild swelling sea May heaven be her pilot and grant us fond breezes Till we reach the green fields of Amerikay Oh come to the land where we will be happy Don't be afraid of the storm o'er the sea And it's when we get over we will surely discover That place is the land of sweet liberty [B. Farewell to Old Ireland] Farewell to old Ireland, the land of my childhood That now and forever I am bound for to leave; Farewell to the shores, the shamrock is growing It's the bright spot of beauty and home of the brave I will think on her valleys with fond admiration Though never again its green hills will I see I'm bound for to cross o'er that wide swelling ocean In search of fame, fortune and sweet liberty It's hard to be forced from the lands that we live in Our houses and farms we're obliged for to sell And to wander alone amongst Indians and strangers To find some sweet spot where our children might dwell I've got a wee lassie I fain would take with me Her dwelling at present lies in County Down It would break my poor heart for to leave her behind me We will both roam together this wide world around So come away, Bessie, my own blue-eyed lassie Bid farewell to your mother and then come with me I'll do my endeavour to keep your mind cheery Till we reach the green fields of Americay Our ship at the present lies below Londonderry To bear us away o'er the wide swelling sea; May heaven be her pilot and grant her fair breezes Till we reach the green fields of Americay Our farmers, our artists, our tradesmen are going To seek for employment far over the sea Where they will get riches with care and industry; There's nothing but hardship at home if you stay So cheer up your spirits, you lads and you lasses There's gold for the digging and lots of it, too And success to the hearts that have courage to venture And misfortune to him or to her that would rue There's brandy in Quebec at ten cents a quart boys The ale in New Brunswick's a penny a glass There's wine in that sweet town they call Montreal boys At inn after inn we will drink as we pass We'll call for a bumper of ale, wine and brandy And we'll drink to the health of those far far away; Our hearts will all warm at the thought of old Ireland While we're in the green fields of Americay [C. Edward Connors] Come all you loyal Irishmen and listen all for a while All you that wants to emigrate and leave the Emerald Isle A kind advice I will give you which you must bear in mind How you will be forsaken when you leave your land behind My name is Edward Connors and the same I'll ne'er disown I used to live in happiness near unto Portglenone I sold my farm as you will hear which grieves my heart full sore And I sailed away to Amerikay and left the Shamrock shore For my mind it was deluded by letters that were sent By those that a few years ago to Canada had went They said that they like princes lived and earning gold galore And they laughed at our misfortune here at home on the Shamrock shore So it's with my wife and my family to Belfast I went down We booked our passage on a ship to Quebec she was bound My money it was growing short when we laid in sea-store But I thought my fortune would be won when we reached the other shore When we were scarce three days at sea a storm it soon arose It threw our ship on her beam end and woke us from our repose Our sea-store then it was destroyed by water that down did pour How happy we would then have been at home on the Shamrock shore And when we were nine long days at sea our sea-store was all gone And there upon the ocean wide with nowhere for to run But for our captain's kindliness he kindly gave us more We would have died with hunger e'er we reached the other shore And it's when we landed in Quebec the sight that met our eyes Three hundred of our Irish boys that did us sore surprise With a sorrowful lamentation charity they did crave And the little trifle we had left to them we freely gave We stayed three weeks in the town of Quebec hoping some work to find My money it was growing short which troubled my mind For I had friends when I had cash but none when I was poor I never met with friendship yet like this on the Shamrock shore Well we stayed around Quebec town till our money it was all gone Still hoping for employment but work we could find none And in this place it was the case with many hundreds more We oftimes wished that we were home all on the Shamrock shore So come all who are intending now strange countries for to roam Bear in mind you have as good as Canada at home Before that you cross over the main where foaming billows roar Think on the happy days you spent all on the Shamrock shore