A Man & His Dream

from Coming of Age by Kieran Hegarty

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about

A Man & His Dream (1987) My Dad, Jim, grew up on farms in Ireland before leaving as a 17-year-old to be a labourer in London, near the end of the Great Depression in 1932. He immigrated to New Zealand in 1949…& after 30 years of working, mainly in towns & cities for other people, he had an overwhelming urge to get back into ‘farming life’ with its relative
independence of ‘being his own boss’. His story has fascinated me for decades and his strong urge to follow his dream has influenced me in developing my career as both a PE & Health teacher…& as a lifelong musician.

lyrics

A Man and his Dream -words & music: Kieran Hegarty

V1.
There’s no load on his lorry…but a load’s on his mind
Driving home in the city, he can’t leave it all behind
Tomorrow will be the same…the same old dead beat
No end to the struggle, of trying to make ends meet

V2.
He thinks back to his boyhood, a farming life he knew
The time had come to make a break, to make a start anew
He found a piece of land…a place to call his own
Though he was close to fifty…he started off again

Chorus
A hard man he had to be…he worked himself to the bone
But there was more to his toil…than just ‘boxing-on’

V3.
As the years go marching by him, the family starts to grow
They work & learn to labour…like a hundred years ago
When the time comes later, they scatter & they roam
Their hunger won’t be sated…while dreams are in their bones

Chorus
A hard man he had to be…he worked himself to the bone
But there was more to his toil…than just ‘boxing-on’
A hard man I can be…I can work myself to the bone
But there’s more to my toil…than just ‘boxing-on’

credits

from Coming of Age, released April 22, 2023
Vicki Fergusson - piano
Tony O'Connor - electric Bass
Kieran Hegarty - acoustic guitar, tenor banjo, tin whistle & vocals
Mike Duffy - sound recording & mixing

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Kieran Hegarty Wellington, New Zealand

New Zealander of Irish descent; songwriter & composer; multi-instrumentalist (acoustic guitar, tenor banjo, tin whistle); plays folk-rock, ballads & traditional tunes. Attended School of Creative Musicianship in Auckland and the London Guitar Institute. Member of Nu Kelts, London in early 90s. Song topics are of personal experiences, family history and political perspective as an environmentalist. ... more

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