Ailie Blunnie

Songwriter :: Singer :: Musician

Iron Mountain Literature Festival 2021 Commission: A Song about Coal Mining in Leitrim/Roscommon

Posted by on Oct 13, 2021

‘Into the War, Into the Water’ 

Written as part of the ‘To The Mountain’ commissions for the Iron Mountain Literature Festival 2021:

‘Into the War, Into the Water’ was written by Ailie Blunnie and produced by Daragh Dukes, with video by Edwina Guckian & Dreoilín Productions

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The text of this piece is based on interviews from two RTE Radio One documentaries about coal mining in Ireland: ‘From the Miners to Prosperity’ (1972) and ‘The Long Strike’ (2009).

The song is inspired by the Sliabh an Iarainn, Lough Allen, and Arigna areas of Co. Leitrim & Roscommon.

Huge thanks to Daragh Dukes for his beautiful production work, to Edwina Guckian for creating the wonderful video, filmed in the Derreenavoggy coal mines in Arigna. With special thanks to Vincent Woods, the Iron Mountain Literature Festival, The Arigna Mining Experience & Leitrim Arts.

Watch all seven ‘To The Mountain’ commissioned pieces here – by Róisín Kelly, Séamus O’Rourke, Alice Lyons, Stephen Murphy, Michael Harding and Pat McCabe

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‘Into the War, Into the Water’

It was the beginning of the end,

We knew that in 15 or 20 years’ time, 

we’d have nothing left.

.

There were billions of gallons of water, 

Dripping overhead, flowing underneath,

If you stopped for any little second,

All you’d hear is water.

.

It was the beginning of the end.

.

People would wonder was there a strange sense of security down there?

“Hidden away from the world, 

Hidden away even.. from light.”

.

And the priest from Alaska, or wherever he was from,

He said he’d never seen anything like it.

The dust, the dirt, the wet, the fumes, the smoke..

It was war.. but you wouldn’t pass much heed on it.

.

It was the beginning of the end.

.

In the late of night, if there was silence,

You’d hear the mountain coming down,

The cracks from the rocks, the timbers breaking, bits falling from the ceiling, the chips from the joints, and actually..

It was very frightening.

.

In the daytime, the same thing was probably happening, but because of the noise, you wouldn’t hear it, 

You wouldn’t pass much regards on it.

.

And things got better, a bit. Conditions improved.

And there was no reason we shouldn’t thrive for the next 15 or 20 years,

given a fair chance.

.

Although then there was the other priest.. preaching at the women from the altar – who were having none of it!

.

It was the beginning of the end.

The dust, the dirt, the wet, the fumes, the smoke.

.

People are now talking about grid reinforcement and interconnection,

and the flickering shadows cast by the blades of turbines when the sun is low in the sky.

Progress. A new leaf. Turning and turning, around and around, and around. 

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Song Credits:

Music by Ailie Blunnie, 2021

Arranged by Ailie Blunnie & Daragh Dukes

Produced by Daragh Dukes



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