The Hills Beyond Rathmore

The map of Ireland hanging on back of her kitchen door And she still pines for Ireland and the hills beyond Rathmore She left Sliabh Luachra ten years back for the adventurous life And now she feels trapped by her roles of migrant mum and wife. Her husband is Australian and their son will soon be nine And on this the eve of New Year's day to the strains of Auld Lang Syne Nostalgia will re-visit her for such she has not outgrown And again she will see her parents house by the snow capped Paps of Shrone. Some people leave their Native Land and leave their past behind And in the Land they settle in find happiness of mind Whilst others leave and don't return but nostalgia with them stay And old tune or familiar song bring back the far away The hills beyond Rathmore she said that would make a nice song My home is in this Southern Land though here I don't belong And though Sliabh Luachra by east Kerry hills I often think of you I feel bound by love and duty and to them I must be true. At midnight to the 'Auld Lang Syne' the tears crept down her face And her thoughts went to the by gone years and to a distant place Still with her son and husband she danced around the floor A long way from Sliabh Luachra and the hills beyond Rathmore.