‘The Anam’ – Celtic song
CHORUS
So, this is the tale of The Anam a few hundred years ago,
Her presence is known to the locals through the wind, the rain or snow.
Her spirit lives within the oak of the big old tree,
And her wailing sounds at night will be heard by all of yee-eeee.
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VERSE ONE
Oh, Nelly was a small girl, bright copper carrot hair,
She fantasized a great deal, telling tales round the whole of Clair.
Her sisters always teased her - they’d call her copper knob!
And her ma always distracted, with her legs round Father Bob.
She read the Anam tale by the fire each dam day,
“Get your head out that book Nel or we’ll throw ye in the hay”.
She didn’t really care as the young dear had no doubt,
That the Anam would arrive one day and sure shut her sister’s mouth.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
CHORUS
But this is the tale of The Anam 200 years ago,
Her presence is known to the locals through the wind, the rain or snow.
Her spirit lives within the oak of the big old tree,
And her wailing sounds at night will be heard by all of yee-eeee.
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VERSUS TWO
It was one usual Sunday and the family came home from mass,
But Nelly was telling her tales again, so her Mother smacked her ass.
She cried the whole night through as her sisters had a laugh,
And nelly cursed down the road and back saying “she’ll break ye all in half”.
Her ma was in the kitchen making a good old jot of bread,
The Anam knocked on the door and in her spirit fled.
Her mammy turned to stone and the sisters shrieked in fear
And sure, nelly stood their gawping as she shed a happy tear.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
CHORUS
But this is the tale of The Anam 200 years ago,
Her presence is known to the locals through the wind, the rain or snow.
Her spirit lives within the oak of the big old tree,
And her wailing sounds at night will be heard by all of yee-eeee.
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VERSE THREE
Now, here comes the ending, the story nelly longs to tell.
The day the Anam broke in and cast her wicked spell.
She stole her sister’s spirits and replaced them with her own,
She sure as hell changed their lives round, now her sisters never moan.
Her ma is a forgotten statue just hanging in the kitchen,
The story of the Anam will sure leave your sister’s bitching.
Her spirit arrives to rescue the forgotten little one,
And now Nelly’s presence is known to the locals through the wind, the rain or Sun.
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ONE MORE TIME NOW!
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CHORUS
But this is the tale of The Anam 200 years ago,
Her presence is known to the locals through the wind, the rain or snow.
Her spirit lives within the oak of the big old tree,
And her wailing sounds at night will be heard by all of yee-eeee.
------
END VERSE
But the Anam isn’t done and she’ll be sure to visit thee,
So, make sure ye kind to ye sisters, or she’ll be coming after ye.
THE END.
by Catherine Verge
This piece is an Irish folk ballad intended to be sang as a theatrical piece as part of an ensemble. It tells the tale of Nelly, a small girl who lives in rural Ireland with her Sisters and is always the odd one out. She reads a book called ‘The Anam’ everyday, which is the tale of a spirit that takes naughty children’s souls, and prays her teasing sister’s gets their comeuppance by becoming her next victim.
Catherine has recently graduated finishing her BA Media, Communications & Cultural Studies degree and is going on to do an MA in film directing. She films short dramas on a low budget with friends in her spare time. She also writes short dramas usually located in Ireland or has Irish characters. She is fascinated by her Irish heritage and Celtic history, and hopes one day she can write/direct professionally.