Bonnie Kilmany, in the County of Fife,
Is a healthy spot to reside in to lengthen one’s life.
The scenery there in the summer time is truly grand,
Especially the beautiful hills and the woodland.
Chorus —
Then, bonnie Annie, will you go with me
And leave the crowded city of Dundee,
And breathe the pure, fragrant air
In the Howe of Kilmany, so lovely and fair?
And the little village in the Howe is lovely to see,
In the midst of green trees and shrubbery;
And the little rivulet, as it wimples along,
Can be heard singing aloud an aquatic song.
Chorus
And the old church there is built on a knoll,
And on the Sabbath mornings the church bell does toll,
Inviting the people to join in prayer,
While the echoes of the bell is heard in mid-air.
Chorus
Then there’s a little schoolroom, surrounded by trees,
A favourite haunt for butterflies and busy bees,
And an old red-tiled smithy near by,
And the clink of the hammers can be heard sounding high.
Chorus
And thew’s a wood sawmill by the roadway,
And the noise can be heard by night and day,
As the circular saw wheels round and round,
Making the village with its echoes resound.
Chorus
And in the harvest time on a fine summer morn
The Howe looks most beautiful when the corn is shorn;
And to hear the beautiful lark singing on high
Will make you exclaim, “Dull care, good-bye.”
Chorus
My maternal grandfather was the minister of this very church for many years. A highly educated man. The church and village is just as described in the poem and was also the home of the racing driver Jim Clark who my family knew well.
The church is rather dull from the outside but beautiful on the inside mainly lined with baltic pine, for the pews and walls. My Grandfather, Grandmother and most of my family are buried at the rear of the church.
My paternal Grandfather who was a well known builder in Dundee knew William Mcgonigall when he had fallen on hard times, as he was known as one of “Dundee worthies”by then. He often came out with little bits of poems that amused him such as – The Tay the Tay the silvery Tay gas oot and in twice a day.