Jackson And Jane

(album: Welcome Here Kind Stranger - 1978)

You Monaghan sportsmen I pray you draw near
To a few simple verses you quickly shall hear
It's the deeds of a hero that lives near Ballybay
And they call him Hugh Jackson, I hear people say

His mill, kilns and barns, they do cut a great show
And his cloth to the North and the City does go
At bleaching and lapping he does beat them all
And his cloth was first approved of at the Linen Hall

And more of his praises I'm going to explain
So if you will assist me, I'll sing about Jane
Search Ireland all over from Cork to Kildare
And you'll ne'er find a match for Hugh Jackson's gray mare

He went to the stable, to the mare he did say
'The hour is approaching and we must away
For a cup at Cootehill you have twice won with fame
And this day we are challenged, and you must run againg

She turned in her stable, 'Kind Sir, don't you know
This cup is my own and I won't let it go
For twice I have won it and I mean to do still
And we'll roll it in splendour from the plains of Cootehill

The Jockeys were mounted and all in a row
And if you had a' been there when off they did go
The bets they were making ten guineas to four
That the cup back to Creeve would return never more

When Jane she heard this, well, her mettle did rise
Over hedges and ditches like lightning she flies
And with aloud 'neigher' these words she did say
You Bellamont sportsmen, I'll show yous the way'

When Jane and her jockey were half round the course
Miss Jane and her jockey began to discourse
Said Miss Jane to her jockey 'Kind Sir let me know
Where are my opponents or are they in view?'

He turned in the saddle and he cast an eye round
'As for Squire Adams, he lies on the ground
I'm afraid that poor Curry by Spanker is threw
And the rest of your opponents they are not yet in view'

When Jane she heard this, she went in at a race
And into the scales the balance was laid
The hall was surrounded for Jackson & Jane
And the cup went with honours back to Creeve once again