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Island of St. Paul (feat. Carol Keogh)

from Old Ghosts In The Water by SJ McArdle

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about

In 1832 a ship called the Isabella became the latest to wreck off the coast of the infamous St. Paul Island in Nova Scotia, nicknamed “the Graveyard of the Gulf”. I was struck by the tone of the newspaper report I read of the incident, essentially apologising for a previous report which had overestimated the loss of life. It seemed a strange angle to take, as eight souls had been lost.

lyrics

Dear reader, just last week we had some sad news to relay
With loss of goods and souls aboard, three ships had cast away
But happily we now report these losses to be small
In fact only one ship lost souls on the Island of St. Paul

This ship had sailed from Ireland – some north-eastern seaport town
One hundred sixty souls aboard, all dreaming of renown
An English square-rigged brigantine, Isabella she was called
Well eight poor souls will dream no more on the Island of St. Paul

Far from South-West Light she was, on the island’s eastern side
Where many a vessel’s gone aground and many a sailor’s died
Maybe she was fog-blind or caught up in a squall
Or maybe the ghosts of the sea claimed her for the Island of St. Paul

Some were picked up in a boat, some made it to shore
Their ship lost to the rocks and to the ocean’s angry roar
They listened for a passing ship or a loved one’s lonesome call
But the wind carries only seagulls’ cries on the Island of St. Paul

In the north Atlantic, on an island grey and plain
The wind sings in the lichen for the memory of the slain
Many a ship has cast away before she’s made landfall
In the Graveyard of the Gulf we know as the Island of St. Paul

credits

from Old Ghosts In The Water, released July 1, 2022
Written by SJ McArdle

Carol – lead vocal
SJ – harmony vocal, high string guitar, mandolins, 6 and
12 string acoustic guitars
John – harmony vocal
Trevor – double bass
Graham – glockenspiel, harmonium, piano, brass arrangement
Dermot – accordion
Brendan – whistle
Barry – fiddle

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SJ McArdle image

SJ McArdle Drogheda, Ireland

SJ McArdle is an Irish songwriter and musician who has toured internationally, had several songs in movies and has released four solo albums.

He is known in part for his former work with Kern and with Long Woman's Grave with Nuala Kennedy & Trevor Hutchinson.

“Bravo for an artist who has taken contemporary Irish music to parts it far too seldom reaches” – Hot Press

Artist photos: Brian Connolly ... more

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