Below are the words of the Family Reunion Song, written & Composed by Eamon Murphy with collaborations from brother John. Well done boys!
Sing it with Gusto! (If he's around!)
This is the story of a man from Mullaghbawn, South
Armagh.
Chorus
(Driving rythmn)
Fogarty, Hegarty and Mackay
Cannon, O’Hanlon, Purcell
Duffy and Murphy and Herlihy
All gathering at the Hotel
We shall dance the night through
Singing songs old and new
We will join the young in the chorus
With our heads held high and a tear in our
eye
We will remember those gone before us.
Verse 1
From Carickledrene Michael and his colleen
Mary Pender from Wexford New Ross
With a wave of their hand left their green
land
and over to England did cross
To Liverpool they came for to make their
name
And near Scotty Road they resided
By the sweat of their brow they made it
somehow
For by their faith they were guided
Chorus
Fogarty, Hegarty and Mackay
Cannon, O’Hanlon, Purcell
Duffy and Murphy and Herlihy
All gathering at the Hotel
We shall dance the night through
Singing songs old and new
We will join the young in the chorus
With heads held high and a tear in our eye
We will remember those gone before us.
Verse 2
In the blood sweat and tears of those
early years
Blessed with nine girls and a boy
As a family they prayed and the strength
they displayed
Was a kinship none could destroy
There was Molly and Rosy and Susie and
Josie
Sadie, and Aggie and Ann
Lily and Kitty and all so pretty and Mikey
a good-looking man
Chorus
Fogarty, Hegarty and Mackay
Cannon, O’Hanlon, Purcell
Duffy and Murphy and Herlihy
All gathering at the Hotel
We shall dance the night through
Singing songs old and new
We will join the young in the chorus
With heads held high and a tear in our eye
We will remember those gone before us.
Verse 3
Mary Pender’s time came when her angel did
claim
her new born baby was lost
She’s better off up there whispered
Michael to her
But these words were said at a cost
For Mary could see that her own destiny
was to see her child sooner
than later
Mary accompanied Joan left Michael alone ,
for thirty more years to
await her
(Note: Michael and Mary’s 11th child Joan, died in
childbirth. Mary died a
few weeks later on 9th September 1924. Her husband,
Michael died on
9th September 1954)
Chorus
Fogarty, Hegarty and Mackay
Cannon, O’Hanlon, Purcell
Duffy and Murphy and Herlihy
All gathering at the Hotel
We shall dance the night through
Singing songs old and new
We will join the young in the chorus
With heads held high and a tear in our eye
We will remember those gone before us.
Verse 4
Nine daughters and a son had to carry on
And soon had kids of their own
They reaped the reward of life’s lessons
well taught
As Michael and Mary had shown
As their time drew near they had not a
fear of accepting the job had
been done
For they were tireless supporters of their
own sons and daughters
And critics there could be none
Chorus
Fogarty, Hegarty and Mackay
Cannon, O’Hanlon, Purcell
Duffy and Murphy and Herlihy
All gathering at the Hotel
We shall dance the night through
Singing songs old and new
We will join the young in the chorus
With heads held high and a tear in our eye
We will remember those gone before us.
Verse 5
So we gather here today to remember and
pray for all family here and
departed
And we must ensure that the young so
endure
For their journey has only just started
Its about mothers and daughters and
fathers and sons we don’t ever
need
to explain
Every woman and man is a part of this clan
We are all just links in a chain
Chorus
Fogarty, Hegarty and Mackay
Cannon, O’Hanlon, Purcell
Duffy and Murphy and Herlihy
All gathering at the Hotel
We shall dance the night through
Singing songs old and new
We will join the young in the chorus
With heads held high and a tear in our eye
We will remember those gone before us
