By Mick McLaughlan

Oh father dear and did you hear
new houses they have built
and some of them in Easterhouse
and some in Castlemilk,
Balornock and Barmulloch too
they’re building them like mad,
and now they’re taking our friends away
from the dear old Garngad.

Oh Garngad! Oh Garngad!
upon you some folk frown,
I never thought I would live to see
your buildings crumbling down,
they may send me up to Drumchapel
or the Milton scheme my lad,
But they’ll never take away my heart
from the dear old Garngad.

Remember Paddy’s Castle
and the bowling alley too
remember yon blind window where,
we used to bill and coo,
McGregor’s land and Syme’s land
oh don’t it make you sad
to think today they’ve passed away
from the dear old Garngad

They’re building houses everywhere
they’re building them with skill,
They’re building them in Carntyne
and even in Priesthill,
they may send me away to Siberia
or even old Baghdad,
but they’ll never take my heart away
from the dear old Garngad.

On Villers Street and Cobden Street
And the good old Rosemount Pawn,
They’re all knocked down
But on that ground skyscrapers now adorn,
Yet still there’s one thing that keeps bothering me
Oh how I get so mad,
For they’ve changed the name to Royston now
Instead of Garngad.

Read about Provanmill and Blackhill
Read about Germiston
Read about Garngad and Royston
Read about Garngad characters (Mick McLaughlan by Michael Keenan)
Read about politics in the area
Read about entertainment in the area
Read about sports in the area
Read about schools in the area
Read about churches and religion in the area
Read the 'Farewell to Garngad'
Read about a poet from 'Little Ireland'
Read the conclusion by writer James Friel

+++

Return to history index page
Return to site index page