“The Hills of Granemore” is a traditional hunting ballad rooted in County Armagh, Ireland. It tells the poignant story of a hare hunt in the hills near Granemore and Keady. Set on a fine morning, the song follows a group of hunters and their hounds as they pursue a hare across the fields. Told with rich natural imagery and dramatic tension, the ballad ultimately shifts perspective to the dying hare, who curses those who brought the hounds and bids farewell to the countryside.
Though often treated as anonymous folk tradition, the song is sometimes attributed to Owen McMahon of Tassagh. It is indexed as Roud 2883 and has appeared in various folk song collections. A local Granemore publication links the song’s origin to a hunt in the winter of 1933–34, said to have inspired a version created in the house of Joe and Pat Toner.
Daoirí Farrell learned his version from the late Al O’Donnell, a singer he greatly admired. Farrell recorded it on his 2019 album A Lifetime of Happiness. His deeply emotive delivery and subtle arrangement highlight the song’s underlying themes of respect for nature, loss, and the fading traditions of rural Ireland.
Unfortunately I couldn't find a live version of Daoiri singing it alone with Bouzouki backing.
{t:The Hills Of Granemore}
{st:Daoiri Farrell}
No Capo
One [G]fine winter’s [D]morning, my [Bm]horn I did [A]blow
To the [D]green fields of [G]Keady, to [A]hunt I did [D]go
We [G]gathered our [D]dogs and we [G]circled [Bm]around
[A]Oh, for none [G]loves the hunt [D]better than the [Bm]boys of May[A]down
And [G]when we ar[D]rived, they were [Bm]all standing [A]there
So we [D]took to the [G]fields in [A]search of the [D]hare
But we [G]did not go [D]far ’til some[G]one gave a [Bm]cheer
[A]Over [G]high hills and [D]valleys, the [Bm]wee hare did [A]steer
When she [G]got to the [D]heather, she [Bm]tried them to [A]shun
But the [D]dogs they never [G]missed her, one [A]inch where she [D]ran
They [G]were kept well [D]packed, going [G]over the [Bm]hill
[A]They [G]had set thems[D]elves on this [Bm]wee hare to [A]kill
And it [G]being quite [D]early, I [Bm]stopped for a [A]while
Twas [D]little I [G]thought they were [A]going to meet [D]Coyle
For [G]had I known [D]that, I’d have [G]lain near the [Bm]town
[A]I’d have [G]tried to get [D]rid of those [Bm]dogs of May[A]down
As we [G]drew o’er the [D]hill it was a [Bm]beautiful s[A]ight
There were [D]dogs black and [G]yellow and [A]dogs black and [D]white
And she [G]took to the [D]black bank to [G]try them once [Bm]more
[A]Oh, and it [G]was our last [D]look on the [Bm]hills of [A]Granemore
And [G]as they grew [D]near where the [Bm]wee hare did [A]lie
She sprung [D]up to her [G]feet for to [A]bid them good[D]bye
But their [G]music did [D]cease and her [G]cry we did [Bm]hear
[A]Saying [G]bad luck the [D]ones brought the [Bm]Maydown dogs [A]here
In a [G]field of wheat [D]stubble, the [Bm]wee hare did [A]lie
And [D]Rory and [G]Charmer, did [A]soon pass her [D]by
And [G]there where we [D]stood at the [G]foot of the [Bm]brae
[A]I [G]heard the last [D]words that the [Bm]wee hare did [A]say
Oh, no [G]more o’er the [D]green fields of [Bm]Keady I’ll [A]run
Or [D]trip through the [G]fields in s[A]port or in [D]fun
For last [G]night as I [D]lay quite con[G]tent in the [Bm]glen
[A]It was [G]little my [D]thoughts were of [Bm]dogs and of [A]men
And [G]no more o’er the [D]green fields of [Bm]Keady I’ll [A]roam
And [D]now that I am [G]dying the [A]sport is all [D]done
Nor [G]hear the long [D]horn that Joe [G]Toner does [Bm]play
[A]Or go [G]home to my [D]bed by the [Bm]clear light of [A]day
Oh, you may [G]blame Ole Mc[D]Maddon for [Bm]bringing Coyle [A]here
He’s been [D]at the same [G]caper for [A]manys' the [D]year
Every [G]Saturday and [D]Sunday, he’ll [G]never give [Bm]o’er
[A]With a [G]pack of strange [D]dogs ’round the [Bm]hills of Grane[A]more
If you copy these lyrics and import them into an lyrics and chords app like Songbook you can see the chords above the lyrics, transpose etc. In the Songbook app you can define Bouzouki as instrument and it has chords implemented so you can see how to play them. You even can define your own chords, which is really handy sometimes. The app is available for most platforms.
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