Irish Lords
The words for Irish Lords were written by Charles Souter in the late 1800’s, and I thought that it might make into a song and so I wrote a tune. I found it in a book given to me by Mary Ball, a good friend sadly missed, and I thank her for this. Martyn
Irish Lords Words by Charles Souter
Melody M.Wyndham-Read
The barley grass was two feet high the billabongs were full
The brolgas danced a minuet the world seemed made of wool
The nights were never wearisome the days were never slow
When first I went to Irish Lords on the road to Ivanhoe.
The frost was on the barley grass as we passed the homestead rails
A Darling jackass piped us in with his tunes and trills and scales
And youth and health and happiness sat on the saddle bow
And Mary lived at Irish Lords on the road to Ivanhoe.
And everywhere was happiness the fates were fair and kind
We drank the very wine of life and we never looked behind
And Mary Mary everywhere was flitting to and fro
When first we went to Irish Lords on the road to Ivanhoe.
The window on her leafy bower where the golden banksia grew
Stared like a dead mans glassy eye for the roof had fallen through
No flowers in her garden bed her voice stilled long ago
When last I went to Irish Lords on the road to Ivanhoe.