Kilkelly, Ireland, 1860, my dear and loving son John

Your good friend schoolmaster Pat McNamara's so good

as to write these words down.

Your brothers have all got a fine work in England,

the house is so empty and sad

The crop of potatoes is sorely infected,

a third to a half of them bad.

And your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell

are going to be married in June.

Mother says not to work on the railroad

and be sure to come on home soon.



Kilkelly, Ireland, 1870, my dear and loving son John

Hello to your Mrs and to your 4 children,

may they grow healthy and strong.

Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble,

I suppose that he never will learn.

Because of the darkness there's no turf to speak of

and now we have nothing to burn.

And Brigid is happy, you named a child for her

and now she's got six of her own.

You say you found work, but you don't say

what kind or when you will be coming home.



Kilkelly, Ireland, 1880, dear Michael and John, my sons

I'm sorry to give you the very sad news

that your dear old mother has gone.

We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly,

your brothers and Brigid were there.

You don't have to worry, she died very quickly,

remember her in your prayers.

And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning,

with money he's sure to buy land

For the crop has been bad and the people

are selling at every price that they can.



Kilkelly, Ireland, 1890, my dear and loving son John

I suppose that I must be close on eighty,

it's thirty years since goodbye.

Because of all of the money you send me,

I'm still living out on my own.

Michael has built himself a fine house

and Brigid's daughters have grown.

Thank you for sending your family picture,

they're lovely young women and men.

You say that you might even come for a visit,

what joy to see you again.



Kilkelly, Ireland, 1892, my dear brother John

I'm sorry I didn't write sooner to tell you, but father passed on.

He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful

and healthy right down to the end.

Ah, you should have seen him play with

the grandchildren of Pat McNamara, your friend.

And we buried him alongside of mother,

down at the Kilkelly churchyard.

He was a strong and a feisty old man,

considering his life was so hard.

And it's funny the way he kept talking about you,

he called for you in the end.

Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit,

we'd all love to see you again.

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