LAURENTIC

OH LAURENTIC, LAURENTIC, WE STILL HEAR YOUR CRIES
YOU WENT DOWN OFF FANAT HEAD, LOSING SO MANY LIVES
YOU LEFT SO MANY ORPHANS, AND SO MANY WIDOWED WIVES
OH LAURENTIC, LAURENTIC, WE STILL HEAR YOUR CRIES

WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU, AS YOU LAY ON THE SEABED
YOU WILL LIVE ON FOREVER IN MANY A MANS HEAD
WE LOOKED AFTER YOUR BODIES, SO MANY WE FOUND,
WE LAY THEM TO REST IN DONEGAL’S SACRED GROUND

THEY LAY HERE WITH US NOW, WITH OUR LOVED WE GRIEVE
THEY’LL STAY HERE FOREVER, FOR AS LONG AS WE BREATHE
WE HEARD OF YOUR BULLION, SO MANY INGOTS OF GOLD
AND ALL OF YOUR TREASURES SO MANY STORIES WERE TOLD

BUT IT WAS YOUR BENCHMARK OF COURAGE
YOUR BATTLE WITH THE ELEMENTS, YOUR NEAR LEGENDARY STATUS
YOUR FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL WAS SO IMMENSE
THURSDAY 25 OF JANUARY 1917
THAT NIGHT OF YOUR TRAGEDY, THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN
YOU SET DOWN FOUR RATINGS WITH SPOTTED DISEASE

THEN LEFT US IN SUCH A HURRY WHEN YOUR ORDERS WERE SENT
14 KNOTS WERE RECORDED, WHEN, FROM BUNCRANA YOU WENT
JUST OFF FANAT HEAD, THAT U BOAT SHE LAY
TO TAKE YOU ALL FROM US, ON THAT YOUR FATEFUL DAY

SHE HIT YOU WITH A TIN FISH, STARBOARD, THEN PORT SIDE
YOU WERE LEFT WITH NO CHANCE, TO HIT BACK OR TO HIDE
WHERE YOU WENT INTO THE FREEZING ATLANTIC
AND SO MANY BRAVE MEN DIED

THEY GOT INTO THEIR LIFEBOATS AND ROWED FOR SHORE
BUT THERE WAS NO LIGHTS FOR THEM TO HEAD FOR
YOU NEVER GAVE UP, YOU ALL TOOK ON THE FIGHT
YOU ROWED AND ROWED TILL YOU COULD ROW NO MORE
AS MANY A BRAVE MAN WE FOUND, FROZE TO HIS OAR

314 BRAVE SAILORS YOU LOST THAT NIGHT
113 MANAGED TO SURVIVE YOUR TERRIBLE PLIGHT
GOD BLESS ALL YOU BRAVE CREWMEN LIVING AND DEAD
YOUR MEMORY WILL STAY WITH US, FOREVER IN OUR HEAD
OH LAURENTIC, LAURENTIC ALL NEAR 15000 TON SHE
WILL LIVE ON FOREVER IN ALL OUR MEMORY