The Brown Wind of Connaught – 1898

New Ulm Review 17th August, 1898 p6

THE BROWN WIND OF CONNAUGHT

The brown wind of Connaught
Across the bogland blown
(The brown wind of Connaught)
Turns my heart to stone,
For it cries my name at twilight
And cries it at the noon
“Oh Mairgread Ban! Oh Marigread Ban!”
Just like a fairy tune.

The brown wind of Connaught
When Dermot came to woo
(The brown wind of Connaught),
It heard his whispers, too,
And while my wheel goes whirring
It taps on my window pane
Till I open wide to the dead outside
And the sea salt misty rain.

The brown wind of Connaught
With women wailed one day
(The brown wind of Connaught)
For a wreck in Galway Bay,
And many the dark faced fishers,
That gathered their nets in fear,
But one sank straight to the ghostly gate,
And he was my Dermot dear.

Shan Van Vocht