Barr na Sráide 

This song comes from the collection of Matt Joe O’Neill from a recording he made circa 1965 on a Grundig reel to reel machine. The singer was Thady O’Sullivan of Killurly East. The song refers to the times of the troubles circa 1920-23. There were incidents of trains being sabotaged. As a result of this the continued supply of staples like flour and meal could not be guaranteed. This caused a shortage and subsequently prices rose locally. The lane referred to in the last verse is opposite Keating’s corner leading in the direction of the river. The air is loosely based on the verse of ‘the wearing of the green’

I met with Tamín Dennehy and he took me by the hand,

And he asked me how is Barr na Sráide and how does it stand.

It’s the most distressful street that ever yet was seen,

For the butter that they use there is Jim Leslie’s margarine.

There is thirty bob for a sack of flour, likewise the same for meal,

Sure I think the people would prefer to spend their lives in gaol,

The ducks and geese are on the strike I heard the other day,

And they shortly will be executed if they do not start to lay.

Willie Hegerty rules top street, Yankee Ring rules Gurranebawn,

Ned Conway rules the old road and Dan Fenton rules the lane.

There is three pence for a salty trout, no mutton in your plate,

There is four pence down in Church Street for to shave a poor man’s face.

There is sixpence for the cigarettes, there is ninepence for the glass,

There’s a penny every Sunday if you want to go to mass.

Willie Hegerty rules top street, Yankee Reagan rules Gurranebawn,

While the Free-State rules the workhouse and John Gilpin rules in Gurrane.

There is new street in the staggers, oh and top street in the spring,

East-end is in the point of death and the lane eternity.