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The Burra 1861 The Welsh Smelters

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

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about

By 1861 Copper was also discovered at The Burra and in order to increase the profits it was decided to smelt the ore here in South Australia rather than ship it back to Wales. The Welsh were the master smeltermen of the world and they came here for a seven year tenure, some with their wives, most single men. Many could not speak English and spent seven years at The Burra with only each other for company. Michael O'Loghlen, now a farmer with a small property out of Kapunda, like many others, supplemented his income by carrying supplies from Kapunda to The Burra.

lyrics

Govannan - master of fire
cauldren glows
blows reign down
Children of Llyr toil in the deep
warden Bendegeit Bran
the cauldren glows

Children of Don, white harp of fire
blows reign down Govannan
the sky glows

With wings of sail we soar
off to conquer foreign shores
we must follow the forge
and streams of molten ore.

Left our women far behind
and no families to remind us
each of our homes
our language or our cause.

Seven years we signed for service
some for fourteen, some deserted
made our way by bullock dray
to The Burra mine.

Were no houses for us workers
had to dig our creek bed shelters
knew no English, spoke in Welsh
God what have we done.

Govannan the smith
Master of fire
Bendegeit Bran
Cauldron of life.

Thousand men who
worked these smelters
stoked the ores
the furnace melted
thousand tons of
wood each week
fed the raging fire.

In the din and pandemonium
belching flames
and copper roasting
we would sing
of ancient times
songs inside our head

So in Paxton Square we prayed
and in the Burra Hotel we saved
our voices for song
the company of men.

But the mine ran down and failed
and so back to Wales we sailed
our voices as one
the male choir had begun.

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, electric guitars, drums, bass, bodhran, percussion, keyboards, vocoders, programming, vocals Angelee Theodoros : Lead vocals, cello
Stephanie Graeber : Violin
Anne Dormer : Vocals

with many thanks to: Jason Shute

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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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