Ballad by Simon Oak about the emigration of an Irish family from Wexford to Texas in 1834. Before Elizabeth left Ireland, she lost three of her six daughters in one week to the whooping cough. The story is based on Rosalie Priour/Hart’s biography, her only surviving daughter. The song is published in the book “In the Singing of Songs” by Rachel Uí Fhaoláin, among 32 other newly composed songs in the traditional Irish style, and CD’s with the recordings are included.

Lyrics

Let me sing you the story of Elizabeth Hart
A story of hardship and fate
Of loss and trying to make a new start
When Texas was a Mexican state

She was one of the decent families
They were looking for in far Mexico
Good Catholic moral, no adventurers
To rebuild the Mission of Refugio

Empresario James Power from Ballygarrett
Came to Wexford full of blarney for sure
“I have Mexican land and great credit”
And she boarded to leave the Irish shore

Chorus:
In 1833 she sold her father’s land
“Let’s do it Tom” said she, squeezing Rosalie’s hand
“They’re waiting for us in far Mexico
Texas will be our new home”

In Liverpool they boarded the good ship Heroine
Elizabeth, Tom Hart and their three babes
But death sneaked on board and before New Orleans
It took little Liza away

And it didn’t stop there for next on the list
Was Tom, Elizabeth’s dear man
More and more died, but she managed to persist
For Rosalie and Mary-Ann

Chorus

She took care of the sick and they buried the dead
The colony started to thrive
But they got little time to live without dread
Santa Anna made them run for their lives

For the Texian army John James had to leave her
On the Run she lost many a friend
In Alabama Mary-Ann died of a fever
How much hardship a mother can stand?

Chorus

So often they came in her dreams to explain
How they’d suffer from every tear
“Those graveyards in Ireland and Texas remain
Just stones and bones, mammy, we’re happy up here”

Decent families died and the rogues got away
With statues and history tales
But I only take pride in young lads saying
This is how humanity fails.

Chorus +
Well nobody waited in Mexico
Such a price to pay for a home