Tono: Em
Introducción:
Em C D Bm Em
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 60, my dear and loving son John
Em C D
Your good friend the schoolmaster Pat McNamara's so good
Bm Em
As to write these words down.
G D
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England,
C Bm D69/F#
The house is so empty and sad
Em C
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected,
D Bm Em
A third to a half of them bad.
G D
And your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell
C Bm D69/F#
Are going to be married in June.
Em C
Your mother says not to work on the railroad
D Bm Em
And be sure to come on home soon.
Em C D Bm Em
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 70, dear and loving son John
Em C
Hello to your Mrs and to your 4 children,
D Bm Em
May they grow to be healthy and strong.
G D
Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble,
C Bm D69/F#
I guess that he never will learn.
Em C
Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of
D Bm Em
And now we have nothing to burn.
G D
And Brigid is happy, you named a child for her
C Bm D69/F#
Though now she's got six of her own.
Em C
You say you found work, but you won't say
D Bm Em
What kind or when you will be coming home.
Em C D Bm Em
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 80, dear Michael and John, my sons
Em C
I'm sorry to give you the very sad news
D Bm Em
That your dear old mother has gone.
G D
We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly,
C Bm D69/F#
Your brothers and Brigid were there.
Em C
And you don't have to worry, she died very quickly,
D Bm Em
Remember her in your prayers.
G D
And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning,
C Bm D69/F#
With money he's sure to buy land
Em C
For the crop has been poor and the people
D Bm Em
Are selling at any price that they can.
Em C D Bm Em
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 90, my dear and loving son John
Em C
I guess that I must be close on to eighty,
D Bm Em
It's thirty years since you're gone.
G D
Because of all of the money you send me,
C Bm D69/F#
I'm still living out on my own.
Em C
And Michael has built himself a fine house
D Bm Em
And Brigid's daughters have grown.
G D
Thank you for sending your family picture,
C Bm D69/F#
They're lovely young women and men.
Em C
You say that you might even come for a visit,
D Bm Em
What joy to see you again.
Em C D Bm Em
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 92, my dear brother John
Em C D Bm Em
I'm sorry I didn't write to you sooner to tell you that father passed on.
G D
He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful
C Bm D69/F#
And healthy right down to the end.
Em C
Ah, you should have seen him play with
D Bm Em
The grandchildren of Pat McNamara, your friend.
G D
And we buried him alongside of mother,
C Bm D69/F#
Down at the Kilkelly churchyard.
Em C
Oh, he was a strong and a feisty old man,
D Bm Em
Considering his life was so hard.
G D
And it's funny the way he kept talking about you,
C Bm
He called for you in the end.
Em C
Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit,
D Bm Em
We'd all love to see you again.