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Port Adelaide 1854 The Arrival

from Land of the vast horizon by Gavin O'Loghlen & Cotters Bequest

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about

Thousands of Irish flocked to South Australia in the 1850’s to escape the aftermath of the Great Famine, seeking a new start and employment in the mines that had been established. In 1854 my great great grandfather Michael O'Loghlen, his wife Ellen and three young sons Michael James, Thomas and John arrived in Port Adelaide, South Australia aboard the ship "Joseph Rowan"

lyrics

Like the debris that drifts on the ocean tide
like the flotsam that floats to the shore
we have packaged our dreams
into tea chests of promises
over the oceans and over the seas
battered by tempests and becalmed in lees
we have mortgaged our past
for deeds of expectancy
ceded our language, our culture, our lives
cut loose the chord, the umbilical ties
no retreat, no return.

Thirteen slow weeks of endless recitative
salted water world governs our lives
with our biscuits and bully beef
weevils and lemon juice
sweltered ‘neath night’s equatorial skies
slept above decks in a bid to survive
we then fathomed the forties
wrapped in our overcoats
huddled below decks in mountainous seas
cold, damp and sea sick, we sort some reprieve
some retreat, some respite...
... we have burnt our boats this time.

Like clams on the rail we searched for the shore
wind in our hair, tears in our eyes
coastline of sandy dunes, no towns,
no houses seen
are there people here?

Moored at the mouth, a muddy brown creek
mangroves as sentinels, guard our retreat
inching up with the tide
wharf one we draw aside destiny we keep.

Final farewell, we’re cast off
hear “disembark”
like leaves, our past life floats down stream.

Skirts hoisted high we trudged through the mud
swampy tin town made of hessian and wood
footbridge to breach the tide
into this world we stride
wood mills, smoke and smells.

Children fall ill, Port Admiral hotel
a black woman’s cure “this is no place to dwell”
no roads, no railway tracks
horse and dray, all up back
off to Adelaide.

Soft pastel sunset farewells our past
dirt track of promise winds into night
tea chests and great coats tattered and worn
past, present, future - our now is born.

credits

from Land of the vast horizon, released February 1, 2006
Music and words written by Gavin O’Loghlen.

Gavin O'Loghlen : Acoustic 6 & 12 string guitars, mandolin, electric guitars, drums, snare drums, bass, fretless bass, bodhran, percussion,
keyboards, vocoders, programming, Prophet 5, smallpipes A, C and D, low D whistle, C & D whistles, Dudley 1880 accordeon, vocals
Anne Dormer : Vocals
Angelee Theodoros : Lead vocals
Jack Brennan : D Uilleann pipes, C Northumbrian pipes

with many thanks to: Shirley O’Loghlen RSJ, Dolores Hodgkiss, Port Adelaide historical society.

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about

Gavin O'Loghlen Australia

Cotters Bequest is a seven piece progressive Celtic band playing 28 instruments including Highland, Uilleann, Northumbrian and Scottish smallpipes, Irish whistles, violin, cello and accordion wrapped in layers of acoustic and electric guitars, vintage keyboards and rich vocal harmonies.

In the style of "a Celtic King Crimson..a Pink Floyd with bagpipes.. with a sprinkling of Peter Gabriel."
... more

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