The Toon O’ Dalry PDF Print E-mail
Written by Hilda McAdam   
Saturday, 09 January 2010 18:11
The Toon O’ Dalry
By Robbie Murray 1985

Some sangs hae been sung ‘boot oor valleys and mountains,
An’ ithers hae praised oor weemin and men
But noo we will sing o’ years lang since gane,
O’ a lovely wee toon near the banks o’ the Ken.
Wi’ its nice cheery folk and its weel keepit hooses.
It’s floorbeds an’ roses, they aye catch yer eye.
An’ when ye see that nice tidy fountain
You’ll ken you’ve arrived in the toon of Dalry.

Lang syne there were caiters, dykers and masons,
Wi’ cobblers, blacksmiths, rabbit-trappers an’ a’
Tailors an’ plumbers, motor hirers and joiners,
Bakers an’ butchers an’ ministers twa.
There were slaters an’ painters an’ haulage contractors,
Three grocers, three pubs and a doctor forbye
Postmen an’ roadmen, taxi drivers an’ buses
A busy wee place was the toon of Dalry.

At Newfield the show was aye held in the summer,
The day was a Friday, the first week in July.
Wi’ livestock an’ poultry, dogs, cats and rabbits,
A’ washed an’ brushed up for the judge’s keen eye.
There was rinnin’ an’ jumpin’, sheep clippin’ an’ fitba’
A brass band in the field if the day it was dry.
The pipers they played an marched doon the toon,
Drawing the crowd tae the show at Dalry.

A travelling circus whiles cam’ tae the Kirklan’.
A’ kinds o’ animals they used tae bring.
Wi’ elephants, tigers, bears, leopards an’ lions
An’  wee pipled (piebald) ponies runnin’ roon in a ring.
There was shooting wi’ rifles, roll the penny an’ hoopla.
A man on a bike on a wire up sae high.
There was snakes an’ pythons, chairoplanes an’ swingboats
The night the circus cam’ tae Dalry.

Tam Crozier’s choir held a guid concert.
His brother frae Kirkcowan wi’ their famous String Band.
An their guests for the night were the best singers
That was tae be foun’ in the hale o’ the land.
J.M.Hamilton sang “Be kind tae auld Granny”
Robert Wilson sang o’ the seas that’s gaen dry:
It’s been said his very first time on the platform
Was the night that he sang in the hall at Dalry.


Some auld worthies noo ye canna forget them,
Johnnie Walker, auld Findlay an’ big Jock McKee.
Caird, Crobbie and Lankie, Lappie Priestly an’ Nally,
An’ Jumpin’ Johnnie wha had only ae ee.
There was General Johnstone wi’ his wee trap an’ pony
An’ Cull Wull wi’ the beard that aye catched the eye.
Osy Fergie an’ Chick, Cout, Dougan an’ Boatie.
Happy days they a’ spent in the toon of Dalry