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about

Courageous Girl was written to celebrate the spirit of unsung voices from our Australian past.

“The young women who came to the Australian colonies during the Famine years of 1848 to 1850 were from workhouses in all 32 counties throughout Ireland. All were destitute and many had lost their parents and families, so were ’orphans’ in the modern sense of the word. Others were simply unable to support themselves within the family. The term ‘orphan’, meaning loss of at least one parent, did apply to the vast majority of the 4114 who took up the offer under Earl Grey’s Famine Orphan Scheme.”

irishfaminememorial.org/orphans/

lyrics

Courageous Girl
[Lyrics and music composed by Cliona Molins]

Stories and songs are gone, brothers n’ parents too
The starved bog of Mayo, holds no future for me
‘Tomorrow I’m 14 --- no longer Briege but Bridget
Indentured to Australia, far --from home I ….

Chorus
I carried on, though my heart was broke
I carried on because…
I carried on pretending I was strong
Until one day I was…

N’ ship called Lady Peel, m’ language left behind
Roaring seas and hunger leaves us crying for home
Can’t talk to each other – ‘as English is spoken here’
I fight for life I don't know why, far --from home I …Chorus

In Sydney Town we arrive– we’ve never seen such heat
Hundreds here just like me, knowing not what comes next
In the goldfields I’ll marry and fertilize the soil
N’grow the country’s rich ideas, far -- from home …Chorus

I am proud of all you here, who carry on the flame
For those like me who come here, with broken hearts
To educate and feed them, there’s space for all to flourish
N’ grow the country’s rich ideas, far -- from home

Final Chorus
We carry on, though our hearts are broke
We carry on because…
We carry on pretending we are strong
Until one day we are…

credits

released June 24, 2019
The Courageous Girl was recorded, mixed and mastered at Blue Mountain Sound Studio in May 2019 with generous financial support of the Irish National Association (irishassociation.org.au).

Jacqueline McPhee (Vocals)
Cliona Molins (Harp)
Lindsay Martin (Violin)

For more information contact:

clionaharpist.com.au

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about

Cliona Molins image

Cliona Molins Sydney, Australia

Originally from Ireland but based in Sydney. Harp player teacher and composer. I love collaborating with musicians wherever the harp can be effective - and there are so many! Collaborating with shakuhachi player Riley Lee on a 2nd album, Golden Kelp, has brought me to taking an artist pledge with the Kelp Forest Alliance to promote the GSF and opened up the timeless quality of Irish harp airs. ... more

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