In the lowlands of Creggan there lives a white hare,
Swift as a swallow as she flies through the air.
You may travel the world but none can compare
To the pride of the Creggan, that bonny white hare.
On fine summer’s morning as you may suppose,
The red golden sun o’re the green mountain rose.
Barney Conway came down and did loudly declare:
“Today I’ll put an end to that Creggan White Hare.”
So he went through the lowlands and down through the glen,
Among the green rushes where the white hare had dens.
Till at last, coming over the bog-back so bare,
From behind the wild thistle out jumped the white hare.
Well he gave a great shout and his dog she slipped too:
Swift as the wind o’re the green mountain flew.
But the dog soon came back, which made poor Barney sigh,
For he knew that the white hare had bid him goodbye.
We have some jolly sportsmen down from the Pomroy,
Cookstown, Dungannon, and likewise the Moy.
With their pedigree greyhounds they came from afar,
Came down to the Creggan in their fine motor car.
’Twas down to the lowlands these huntsmen did go,
To search for the white hare they tried high and low.
Till at last Barney Conway he came on its lair,
And shouted out to the huntsmen, “Here lies the white hare.”
So they called to their greyhounds from off the green lea,
And Barney and the huntsmen they jumped high with glee,
And on the turf bank they all gathered around.
Seven men and nine dogs did the poor hare surround.
No wonder the poor puss did tremble with fear.
She stood on her hind legs, she rose her big ear.
She ris on her toes and with one gallant spring,
Cleared over the greyhounds and broke through the ring.
Well the chase it went on, ’twas a beautiful view,
Swift as the wind o’er the green mountain flew,
But the pedigree greyhounds they didn’t get far,
They came back and went home in their fine motor car.
There came another man and you’ll know him well:
His name is Pat Devlin and Bonnie Black Nell.
In search of the white hare, he says, “I’ll have fun,
Here’s fifty to one that Black Nell does her turn.”
Five turns the hare got from Bonnie Black Nell
And the sixth one was given around John Haughey’s Well
’Twas there we lost sight of the hare and the dog
And ten minutes later they came o’er the bog.
Well the chase it went on, it was great for to see.
The white hare and the grey hound they roamed light and free.
Till she travelled to Esher where she knew the lands well,
And to Bonnie Black Nell she soon bid farewell.
And now to conclude and to finish my rhyme;
I hope you’ll forgive me for wasting your time.
If there’s any among you at Carrickmore Fair,
Drink a jolly good health to that Creggan White Hare.
I first had this song from Karan Casey. Very often verse 10, 11, & 12 are omitted. The song originates from the Pomroy area of Tyrone.
SongLore 