Danny Cullen, John Sym, etc.
As a' gan doon Dalzell's Estate
St Patricks graveyard's loomin' gate,
Safeguardin' folk wha' met their fate
Weans deein' at an' awfy rate,
The white walks where St Patricks be
Wall's an' trees are a' you'll see.
As dark descends in broad daylight
A ghostly presence shinin' bright,
Green or Gray the ladies are
Watchin', waitin' from afar,
Protectin' those wha' lie within
The graveyard's hallowed grun they're in.
My forefathers wha' went doon the mines
Hard workin' folk a' their lives,
Masons, weavers, and the licht
Toilin' hard their spirits brict,
Luxuries! No' for the likes o' they
Wha' s getting such a lowly pay.
A staun an' stair an' look an' greet
Fur a' the folk ablow ma feet,
Na mair tae see the lict o' day
No' in ma lifetime onyway,
A feel a know ma kin sat dear
A wish they'd live anither year.
Further doon the road a' go
Where orchards once stid row by row,
The Clyde meanders roon an' roon
Skirtin the sooth o' Motherwell toon,
A pleasant place for ye tae go
An' dream o' days say lang ago
Roon the corner an' up a wee bit
Lord Hamilton's dugs' in their ane wee pit,
Pride o' place these dugs were gein'
Matterin' mair than ma kin am seein',
Lords an' Ladies wha' graced the land
Always havin' the upper hand.
Dalziel hoose stauns amang the wids
Turrets, chambers, an' the licht,
Gein' work tae a' the louse
E'en lettin' them beat oot their grouse,
For a' the gentry o' the day
Tae shoot at while they laugh an' play.
Lookin' back in time an' space
Rememberin' kinfolk in this place,
Lyin' in graves sae cauld an' sair
For a' eternity; an' mair,
Shut your e'e ; an' you can see
Ancestors spirits fleein' free.
By Anne MacGregor year 2000
For The Ancestors
Copyright protected
You can use this material in its entirety,
for non-profit
Giving reference to the writer.
Dalziel Parish
1798
Parish of Dalziel
1836
in Dalziel Estate Motherwell
where some of my ancestors are buried
1942-2001
I only started writing albeit very amaturishly.
My inspiration came form researching my roots
