Tonagh Hill

O, hone, O hone, for Draperstown, for she has suffered ill,
She ne’er will be the same again, she has lost her Tonagh hill,
The ancient clock may tick and strike, upon the ancient Hall,
But gloom lies heavy on the place, and trouble over all.

For Council men came down our way and laid their mighty plans,
To take our glorious hill away, that made our village grand,
They little thought of shortening days, with winter storms their fill,
When mighty winds and snow and hail come roaming o’er the hills.

So mighty tools were brought along, to push, to dig, to swing,
No house or hedge could check their work, nor any other thing,
Paul Crilly’s hedge went with the rest, his heart is filled with woe,
For the road is high before his door and his house is standing low.

The little break where stood the well, is filled up good and high,
No sparkling water lies at hand, to gleam before your eyes,
A sweeping grade is all that’s left, to take the water’s place,
And the shine of cars as they pass by, all at their greatest pace.

So now goodbye to Tonagh hill, which broke the storms of old,
The young, the old may perish now, a-shivering in the cold,
While the wealthy folk can speed along, can speed along at will,
Upon a road that’s graded well, where stood our Tonagh hill.

The old town clock can tick away, but who the tale can tell,
Of all who strode down Tonagh hill, the market crowds to swell,
The Fair days too brought many in, to see where stock was sold,
By farmers rich to dealing men, for the gathering of the gold.

But now those days are past and gone, for all stock graded are,
They travel too along the road in big and weighty cars,
Gone is the day when dealing folk could treat their cattle ill.
And gone is, too, for evermore, our dear old Tonagh hill.