The Tay Bridge Disaster By William Mcgonagall As Amended By Dan Mcgonagle Poem by Dan McGonagle

Beautiful Bridge o'er the Silvery Tay
Alas... I am very vexed to say
Ninety lives have been taken away
December,1879, on its last Sabbath day



Twas seven o'clock on that stormy night
The wind was blowing with all of its might
The rain in sheets came pouring down
Dark clouds overhead seeming to frown



The Demon of the Air seemed to say
'I'll rage and blow bringing tears to the Tay.'
When the train left Edinburgh earlier that eve
The passengers were happy and ready to leave



Boreas blew hard a terrific gale
Which made their hearts start to quiver and quail
Many of the passengers with fear did say
'I hope God will send us safely o'er the Tay.'


When the train approached near Wormit Bay
Boreas in anger did loudly bray
Shaking the girders of the Bridge of Tay
Which will be recalled long after that day


The train sped on with all its might
Bonnie Dundee soon hove into sight
The passengers hearts felt cheery and light
As the New Year approached at the end of the night



The train moved slowly along the track
Halfway across came a terrible crack
The central girders with a crash gave way
Down went train and passengers into the Tay



The Storm Fiend Boreas did loudly bray
Because ninety lives were taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879
Which will be remembered for a very long time


As soon as news of the disaster was known
The alarm from mouth to mouth was blown
The cry rang out all o'er the town
Good Heavens above! the Bridge is down


It must have been an awful sight
To witness in the pale moonlight
The bodies of the dead afloat
Dressed in their best of shoes and coat.