My sister Mary heard the express, As I was walking up Wexford Hill, As I was mounted on the platform high, It was in Dungannon this young man died, THE CRUISKEEN LAWN.1 Let the farmer praise his grounds, The shepherd his dew-scented lawn; With my charming little crúiscín lán, lán, lán, Grádh mo chroidhe mo crúiscín,- Is grádh mo chroidhe a cúilin bán. 1 The chorus is pronounced thus : Grá-ma-chree ma crooskeen, S giá-ma-chree a cooleem bảm, etc. and means : Love of my heart, my little jug! 2 Lan, full. Grádh mo chroidhe mo crúiscín,- Is grádh mo chroidhe a cúilin, bán, bán, Immortal and divine, Create me by adoption your son; Nor my smiling little crúiscín lán, lán, And when grim Death appears, To tell me that my glass has run; To take another crúiscín lán, lán, lán, lan, Then fill your glasses high, Though the lark now proclaims it is dawn; To fill another crúiscín lán, lán, lán, THE DEAR AND DARLING BOY.1 When first unto this town I came, With you I fell in love, I'd vow I'll never rove. I love as well as thee. My cushla gal ma chree. My love she won't come nigh me, Nor hear the moan I make; 1 This is from a bunch of modern ballads, evidently, from the use of the term “ French Flanders," of considerable antiquity. Neither would she pity me Tho' my poor heart should break. And she of low degree, And surely pity me. The ship is on the ocean, Now ready for to sail. With a sweet and pleasant gale; With a sweet and pleasant sound, I'd range the nations round. Nine months we are on the ocean, No harbor can we spy. To harbors that were nigh. To harbors that were nigh. O, fare you well, my darling girl, Since you and I must part! That stole away my heart. To say that I must go, Till my return home. DRIMMIN DUBH DHEELISH.1 Oh, there was a poor man, And he had but one cow, And when he had lost her He could not tell how, But so white was her face, And so sleek was her tail, That I thought my poor drimmin dubh Never would fail. 8 Drimmin ... dheelish, loyal black white-back. 'Agus oro, Drimmin dubh, Oro, ah, Oro, drimmin dubh, Miel agra.1 Returning from mass, On a morning in May, Drowning by the way. And my neighbors did call She being my all. 'Ah, neighbors! was this not A sorrowful day, Where my drimmin dubh lay? She bade me adieu, Was a loud pillelu. Poor drimmin dubh sank, And I saw her no more, Was close by the shore; I saw her again, Rolled in the rain. Arrah, plague take you, drimmin dubh! What made you die, For what and for why? My bouchelleen baun,2 Now that you 're gone. When drimmin dubh lived, And before she was dead, To eat to my bread, O choice black white-back. Honey O love ! 2 Bouchelleen baun, my little fair-haired boy. And likewise new milk That I soaked with my scone, Since drimmin dubh's gone. GARRYOWEN. Let Bacchus's sons be not dismayed, Instead of Spa we'll drink brown ale, From Garryowen in glory! We are the boys that take delight in Smashing the Limerick lamps when lighting, Through the streets like sporters fighting, And tearing all before us. Instead, etc. We'll break windows, we'll break doors, Instead, etc. We'll beat the bailiffs, out of fun, Instead, etc. Our hearts, so stout, have got us fame Instead, etc. Johnny Connell's tall and straight, Instead, etc. |