Raglan Road

Tune traditional, words from the poem by Patrick Kavanagh. Arranged by The Gothard Sisters based on the arrangement by Luke Kelly. Recorded on the Story Girl album in 2011.

On Raglan road on an Autumn day
he saw her first and knew
that her dark hair would weave a snare
that he might someday rue
He saw the danger and yet he passed
along the enchanted way

CHORUS
And he said let grief be a falling leaf
at the dawning of the day
And he said let grief be a falling leaf
at the dawning of the day

On Grafton street in November they
tripped lightly along the ledge
of a deep ravine where can be seen
the worth of passion’s pledge
the Queen of hearts still making tarts
and him not making hay

CHORUS
He loved too much and such by such
is happiness thrown away
He loved too much and such by such
is happiness thrown away

He gave her gifts of the mind
he gave her the secret sign
that’s known to artists who have known
true gods of sound and stone
and word and tint without stint
he gave her poems to say

CHORUS
With her own dark hair and her own name there
like clouds o’er fields of May
With her own dark hair and her own name there
like clouds o’er fields of May

On a quiet street where old ghosts meet
he sees her walking now
away from him so hurriedly
his reason must allow
that he has loved not as he should
a creature made of clay

CHORUS
When the angel woos the clay he’ll lose
his wings at the dawn of day
When the angel woos the clay he’ll lose
his wings at the dawn of day

At the dawning of the day