The Goats of Achill.
Cast:
Goats 1, 2 and 3. (The goats could be represented by paper mache horns.)
Billy Goat.
A Small Group (who mime/dance actions to the the spoken words.)
Musicians.
Chorus: We are the Capra Goats of Achill
1) I am a Capra Goat. My name is Earliest.
2) I am a Capra Goat. My name is Latterly.
3) I am a Capra Goat…… My name Tragedy.
Chorus : We are came to Ireland….. a long…. long… time ago.
1) To Achill…. where the sea swam full of sharks and seals.
2) To Achill where the fish played in the waves.
3) To Achill where sweet fauna graced the slopes and fields.
Chorus: We came to Achill…..
When the hills were wooded…
Where the land was dense with trees.
And I ran free…….until….
1) I was confined and tethered to a staked.
2) I was forced to breed against my will.
3) I was milked and milked until I died.
Chorus: We’d come to Achill when nature still was rich
and animals ran free. Where little creatures
ran and owls swooped down….but then…
1) My hair was torn from me by human hands.
2) I was roasted…. eaten, flesh to bone.
3) I was skinned for leather. as if my skin was not my own!
The forest once so plentiful and lush
2) have disappeared…lie silent…still
beneath the ground.
3) All that is left is bog and stone
Chorus: The years rolled on……the years rolled on and on.
The trees were felled …the hill were bare.
The shark was killed for liver oils.
The creatures had no woods to roam.
Wild animals were gone.
But I ESCAPED….and I ran free…free…free…
1) My hooves could grip the rocky stone.
2) I ate the seaweed and the thorn.
3) I made my milk to feed my young.
Chorus:.The Cabra Goats live on…
My horns are now my own
We are the Gabhar Fiain.
We are a Matriarchy.
Wild Goats on wind-blown jagged hills.
2) We ramble high above the lakes
sea
3) We are self contained within our matriarchy.
.
Chorus: We have survived in Eire’s ….rugged land.
ENTER BILLY GOAT.
Billy: I am a Billy Goat. I’m free and wild.
Chorus: He is our son…our kid….but
When he comes of age
He must leave our female group.
Billy: I join up with other males…
Or wander off alone…..
as is my place in our society
We ramble, climb and eat.
. Until the season comes.
Then we compete.
Chorus: And when the season comes the skies
begin to roll The winds blow up to stir the heather hills.
1) Our instincts ancient …ancient old..
Chorus Rise up and each of us then knows
2) What will unfold.
3) As horns are locked…. the father of the
Goat’s is born.
Billy: And silently with stealth…the Billys
make our way towards
the female group….the Cabra goats
look..they wait to se what will unfold…
Each Billy wants to wear the crown
Become the master of the Males..Victorious
Chorus: And thus begin the rutting games.
!) When horn locks horn
2) And even blood is drawn
3) Each Male will be the King who may
release his burning sperm.
Billy: That’s why I was born!
And I will fight each inch
to reach my goal….for if
I do not win…I’ll join again…
the other bachelors..
as a defeated male……
and not the Billy King.
Chorus: Until… Next Season comes…
Billy: I will fight again.
Exit Goats. Who reappear as Humans one wearing a beard.
H.1) Those goats came into my garden again today.They smell so vile
H.2) . They’d eat your entire washing line given half the chance..
.H3) Horrible creatures…. think they can roam anywhere.
In this day and age. It’s ridiculous.
H1) It’s time we laid traps for them.
H2) Shoot them…. like the Badgers… Shoot the lot of them!
H3) We have no need of them. They’ll scare the tourists.
Chorus: We are the Capra Goats of Achill
1) I am a Capra Goat. My name is Earliest.
2) I am a Capra Goat. My name is Latterly.
3) I am a Capra Goat…… My name Tragedy.
Chorus : We are came to Ireland….. a long…. long… time ago.
1) To Achill…. where the sea swam full of sharks and seals.
2) To Achill where the fish played in the waves.
3) To Achill where sweet fauna graced the slopes and fields.
Chorus: We came to Achill…..
When the hills were wooded…
Where the land was dense with trees.
And I ran free…….until….
1) I was confined and tethered to a staked.
2) I was forced to breed against my will.
3) I was milked and milked until I died.
1) The forest once so plentiful and lush
2) Have disappeared…to lie in silence beneath the
swamps of Achill now.
3) All that is left is bog and stone
And people…more
2) More and more
3) And houses empty…empty houses…
Empty….most of the year
2) White houses in dull rows
3)
Chorus: The years rolled on……the years rolled on and on.
The trees were felled …the hills were bare.
The shark was killed for liver oils.
The creatures had no woods to roam.
Wild animals were gone.
But I the goat ESCAPED….and I ran free…free…free…
1) There was RUGGED beauty here….
2) When painters came to paint
3) And poets came to think.
The people come in coaches now
2) To glance around
3) And leave.
Chorus: Some leave litter…
Others pollute the sea.
Music as the cast sway, sing and mime.
Achill Achill Achill Achill of the seas…
the waves…the golden sands….bring back the trees.
Music and humming.
And I ….wild cabra goat…shall still run free.
Kristine Byrne. Sept. 2019
The Goats of Achill.
Cast:
Goats 1, 2 and 3. (The goats could be represented by paper mache horns.)
Billy Goat.
A Small Group (who mime/dance actions to the the spoken words.)
Musicians.
Chorus: We are the Capra Goats of Achill
1) I am a Capra Goat. My name is Earliest.
2) I am a Capra Goat. My name is Latterly.
3) I am a Capra Goat…… My name Tragedy.
Chorus : We are came to Ireland….. a long…. long… time ago.
1) To Achill…. where the sea swam full of sharks and seals.
2) To Achill where the fish played in the waves.
3) To Achill where sweet fauna graced the slopes and fields.
Chorus: We came to Achill…..
When the hills were wooded…
Where the land was dense with trees.
And I ran free…….until….
1) I was confined and tethered to a staked.
2) I was forced to breed against my will.
3) I was milked and milked until I died.
Chorus: We’d come to Achill when nature still was rich
and animals ran free. Where little creatures
ran and owls swooped down….but then…
1) My hair was torn from me by human hands.
2) I was roasted…. eaten, flesh to bone.
3) I was skinned for leather. as if my skin was not my own!
The forest once so plentiful and lush
2) have disappeared…lie silent…still
beneath the ground.
3) All that is left is bog and stone
Chorus: The years rolled on……the years rolled on and on.
The trees were felled …the hill were bare.
The shark was killed for liver oils.
The creatures had no woods to roam.
Wild animals were gone.
But I ESCAPED….and I ran free…free…free…
1) My hooves could grip the rocky stone.
2) I ate the seaweed and the thorn.
3) I made my milk to feed my young.
Chorus:.The Cabra Goats live on…
My horns are now my own
We are the Gabhar Fiain.
We are a Matriarchy.
Wild Goats on wind-blown jagged hills.
2) We ramble high above the lakes
sea
3) We are self contained within our matriarchy.
.
Chorus: We have survived in Eire’s ….rugged land.
ENTER BILLY GOAT.
Billy: I am a Billy Goat. I’m free and wild.
Chorus: He is our son…our kid….but
When he comes of age
He must leave our female group.
Billy: I join up with other males…
Or wander off alone…..
as is my place in our society
We ramble, climb and eat.
. Until the season comes.
Then we compete.
Chorus: And when the season comes the skies
begin to roll The winds blow up to stir the heather hills.
1) Our instincts ancient …ancient old..
Chorus Rise up and each of us then knows
2) What will unfold.
3) As horns are locked…. the father of the
Goat’s is born.
Billy: And silently with stealth…the Billys
make our way towards
the female group….the Cabra goats
look..they wait to se what will unfold…
Each Billy wants to wear the crown
Become the master of the Males..Victorious
Chorus: And thus begin the rutting games.
!) When horn locks horn
2) And even blood is drawn
3) Each Male will be the King who may
release his burning sperm.
Billy: That’s why I was born!
And I will fight each inch
to reach my goal….for if
I do not win…I’ll join again…
the other bachelors..
as a defeated male……
and not the Billy King.
Chorus: Until… Next Season comes…
Billy: I will fight again.
Exit Goats. Who reappear as Humans one wearing a beard.
H.1) Those goats came into my garden again today.They smell so vile
H.2) . They’d eat your entire washing line given half the chance..
.H3) Horrible creatures…. think they can roam anywhere.
In this day and age. It’s ridiculous.
H1) It’s time we laid traps for them.
H2) Shoot them…. like the Badgers… Shoot the lot of them!
H3) We have no need of them. They’ll scare the tourists.
Chorus: We are the Capra Goats of Achill
1) I am a Capra Goat. My name is Earliest.
2) I am a Capra Goat. My name is Latterly.
3) I am a Capra Goat…… My name Tragedy.
Chorus : We are came to Ireland….. a long…. long… time ago.
1) To Achill…. where the sea swam full of sharks and seals.
2) To Achill where the fish played in the waves.
3) To Achill where sweet fauna graced the slopes and fields.
Chorus: We came to Achill…..
When the hills were wooded…
Where the land was dense with trees.
And I ran free…….until….
1) I was confined and tethered to a staked.
2) I was forced to breed against my will.
3) I was milked and milked until I died.
1) The forest once so plentiful and lush
2) Have disappeared…to lie in silence beneath the
swamps of Achill now.
3) All that is left is bog and stone
And people…more
2) More and more
3) And houses empty…empty houses…
Empty….most of the year
2) White houses in dull rows
3)
Chorus: The years rolled on……the years rolled on and on.
The trees were felled …the hills were bare.
The shark was killed for liver oils.
The creatures had no woods to roam.
Wild animals were gone.
But I the goat ESCAPED….and I ran free…free…free…
1) There was RUGGED beauty here….
2) When painters came to paint
3) And poets came to think.
The people come in coaches now
2) To glance around
3) And leave.
Chorus: Some leave litter…
Others pollute the sea.
Music as the cast sway, sing and mime.
Achill Achill Achill Achill of the seas…
the waves…the golden sands….bring back the trees.
Music and humming.
And I ….wild cabra goat…shall still run free.
Kristine Byrne. Sept. 2019