Tape twenty nine.

Mikeen McCarthy

Contents

Dingle Puck Goat (v hesitant)

2nd take of above

One Fine Summers morning

Early, Early In The Month of Spring

County Mayo.

Flowery Nolan

Travelling men in Birmingham, accent misunderstood

Murder-riddle story

M Mc   It must be going on thirty five, forty years ago since I heard this first and then, when I got to selling the ballads, I learned it off of the ballads sheet.   But before that and after I often heard the old men and the old women singing it.   But that's where I learned it complete anyway, off of the ballads.  'Twas a great selling ballad that time.

J C.  Can you sing it?

Oh I am a bold hero who is foolish and airy,

To the green hills of Kerry I long for to see,

Oh I went up to Dingle to buy up some cattle,

And I hope you'll all listen to what happened me.

I entered the fair of a Saturday morning,

And the first thing I met was a long legged goat1

Oh bedod then, says I, for to commence my dealing,

I think, me old hero, you're worth a pound note.

So I went to the owner, the man now that held him,

And the bargain we made without any delay,

So into his hand I put twenty five shillings,

And an advice he give me before I go way.

So now this old hero, he well knows the mountains,

In the year sixty four sure he learned some drill,

So jump on his back and catch a hold of his horns,

And if you fall off let him go where he will.

So I jumped on his back and caught a hold of' his horns,

And towards Connor Hill sure, we went like a crack,

When I landed in Brandon I thought it was London,

I regretted my journey when I saw the sea.

So a might big mackerel caught a hold to my nostril,

And he thought to run away with the half of my nose,

So when we landed in the Strand we scarcely ran,

And towards Castlegregory we went in high speed.

Sure, now went to Camp and in to Kilorglin,

And on to Killarney and in to Kenmare......

And into Camp and in to Kilorglin,

And we never cried crack til1 we landed Kenmare

And away goes old Puck and I see him no more,

But as long as I'm living I've a story for telling,

My rambles through Kerry and the Dingle Puck Goat.

M Mc  I left two or three verses out Jim.

JC   Ok Michael.

M Mc

I am a bold hero who is foolish and airy1

To the green hills of Kerry I long for to see.

So I went up to Dingle to buy up some cattle1

And I hope you'll all listen to what happen me.

So I entered the fair of a Saturday morning,

And the first thing I met was a long legged goat,

Oh bedod, then says I, for to commence my dealing,

I think, me old hero, you're worth a pound note.

So I went to the owner, the man now that held him,

And the bargain we met without any delay,

So into his hand I put twenty five shillings

And an advice he give me before I go way.

Oh now this old hero he well knows the mountains,

In the year sixty four he learned some drill,

So I jump on his back and catch a hold of his horns,

And if you fall off let him go where he will.

So I jumped oil his back and caught a hold of his horns,

And straight for Connor hill sure, we went like a crack,

When I landed in Brandon I thought it was London

I regretted my journey when I saw the sea.

So a mighty big mackerel caught a hold of my nostril

And he thought to run away with the half of my nose,

So we landed in The Strand and we scarcely ran,

And towards Castlegregory we went in high speed.

To Camp and Kilorglin and in to Kilarney

And we never cried crack till we came to Kenmare,

And the sight of the old puck I ne’er saw again,

But as far as I hear he’s in New York or in Boston,

Or maybe out foreign where he’s not very well known,

But as long as I’m living I’ve a story for telling,

My rambles through Kerry and the Dingle Puck Goat.

That's it.

M Mc            

Oh one fine Summer's morning I being walking along,

Down by a clear river I heard a fine song,

'Twas sung by a fair maid with her voice low and clear,

And how happy would I be if my true love was here.

Oh we both walked together till the sun it shines on,

We both walked together till the sun it shines on,

Till the green leaves grow o'er me nevermore for to close,

And 'tis then I’ll prove false to my blooming red rose.

Here’s a health to all you weavers that weaves in white thread,

Don't rise up in the morning; oh don't stop too long in bed,

Do not earn white money; spend it foolish like me,

And 'tis then you'll prove false to my gay gal mo chroidhe.

May the bright stars of heaven may darken tonight,

May the bright stars of heaven may show me no light,

May the rocks will split open nevermore for to close,

And 'tis then I'll prove false to my blooming red rose.

Oh through mountains and valleys this fair maid did go,

Through mountains and valleys and those hills full of snow,

Through mountains and valleys oh, this fair maid did go,

And she never proved false to her blooming red rose.

That's it Jim.

M Mc

Oh there was an old man that lived in Kenmare,

He used have some herrings and herrings for sale,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin.

So what do you think we made of his nose,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

The finest chisels that ever cut stones,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

Sing herring, sing nose, sing chisel, sing stones

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

And yet I have more of my song to be sung,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin.

So what do you think we made of his back,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro un,

A fine old man and his name it was Jack,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

Sing herring, sing nose, sing chisel

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

And yet I have more of my song to be sung,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin.

Oh what do you think I made of his belly,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

A fine old girl and her name it was Nellie,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

Sing girl, sing Nellie, sing herring, sing belly,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

And yet I have more of my songs to be sung,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin.

So what do you think we made of his mouth,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

The finest kettle that ever did spout,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

Sing herring, sing mouth, sing kettle, sing spout,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

And yet I have more of my song to be sung,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin.

So what do you think we made of his tail,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

The finest ship that ever sought sail,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

Sing herring, sing tail, sing ship, sing sail,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

And yet I have more of my song to be sung,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin.

Oh what do you think we made of his teeth,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

It's gone again.

Oh what do you think we made of his tongue,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

The finest spring that ever did sprung,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

Sing herring, sing tongue, sing spring sing sprung,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

And yet I have more of my song to be sung,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin.

So what do you think we made of his eyes,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

The finest saucers that ever could spies,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

Sing herring sing eyes, sing ship, sing spies,

Sing avaro lin, sing avaro lin,

And now I've no more of my song to be sung,

Sing avaro un, sing avaro lin.

M Mc

0h, 'twas early, early in the month of spring,

When my love Willie went to serve the king,

The night was dark and the wind blew high,

Oh that parted me from my sailor boy.

Oh then, father, father, build me a boat,

It's on the ocean I mean to float,

To watch those big ships as they pass by,

See have they any tidings of my sailor boy.

Oh she was not sailing but a day or two,

When she spied a French ship and all her Crew,

Saying, captain, captain, come tell me true,

Oh does my love Willie sail aboard with you.

Oh what colour hair has your Willie dear?

What kind of clothes do your Willie wear?

He've a bright silk jacket and it trimmed all round,

And his golden locks they are hanging down.

Oh indeed, fair lady, your love is not here,

For he is drownded I am greatly fear,

For in yon green island as we passed by,

Oh we lost nine more and your Willie boy.

Oh she wrung her hands and she tore her hair,

She was like a lady all on despair,

She dashed her small boat against the rocks,

Saying, what will I do if my love is lost?

Oh I'll write a letter and I'll write it long,

In every line I'll compose a song,

In every line I will shed a tear,

And in every verse I’ll cry, Willie dear.

Oh then father, father, dig my grave,

Oh dig it long, both wide and deep,

Put a headstone to my head and feet,

And let the world know it was in love I died.

M Mc

Oh we're leaving the land of the good Irish heather,

It's a place we must leave and we'll all have to go,

Far away from the land of' the good Irish heather,

Not forgetting th'ould spot called the County Mayo.

Balineen, Balinagh, Balinrobe and Claremorris,

It's Swinford and Foxford, that place down below,

One kiss from your brother1 like a tear from your mother,

Like the stout hearted men from the County Mayo.

And if ever we'll promise to go back there tomorrow,

Never show the white feather wherever we go,

One kiss from your brother, like a tear from your mother,

Like the stout hearted men from the County Mayo.

That's all that I can think of.

M Mc  No, I heard that with the old people, but they brought in a new way now, ten or twenty years ago there like. that Eileen Donaghey brought it out, an Irish singer, it all. much the same verses like, but a different you know.

J  C       But it was older than that?

M Mc  Oh yeah, yeah, that's the proper air of it now like. brought out a different air and quick, d'you know

M Mc       

A man called Flowery Nolan, a terror to all men,

He lived upon the Stokestown Road, convenient to Arphin,

A man called Flowery Nolan, a terror to all men,

He reached the age of seventy one and he thought himself it was time,

For to go and get him a missus and his wedding 'twould be no crime.

So several maids come offer to him but from them all be fled,

Except one young fair maid9 her fortune was rather high,

So he took and he married this young far maid for to be his wedded wife.

Oh the wedding it lasted two nights and one day till one night going into bed,

Oh Flowery turned all to his wife and these are the words be said,

You think you are my wedded wife but I'll tell you that you're not,

You are only but my serving maid and better is your lot.

Oh there is two beds in my bedroom and you take the one to the right,

I've lived all alone for seventy one and I'll lie all alone tonight.

When Mrs Nolan heard those words she thought her husband queer,

So she packing up her belongings and from him she went away

That's it, she went back to her mother's house and she never returned again, er, I might think of the other verse later on.

M Mc  There was two old Travelling men like, they came over to Birmingham like, working in a factory of course and they decided anyway, in order to save money they kept away from pubs, and doing their own cooking,.

So they'd the room let at that time for a pound a week.  

So such as onions now, they couldn't say onions like, only inyins, you see, couldn't say potatoes now, spuds, you know, all that like.

They had no English at all like.

They goes in to do their shopping anyway.   So begod,  one of them, Paddy Whack was his name, he called for the spuds anyway, so eventually got the spuds, it took the girl a long time to find out what he wanted, he wanted two pound of spuds or three pound of spuds, or something.   

He was asking then for the rashers, what they call it in this country is bacon like, so it took him another few minutes to get them anyway.   

But the other feller was fond of onions like, and he said, “give me a pound of inyins too”.    “Pardon”, the girl go.   

“Give me a pound of inyins”.    So bejay, he was another five or ten minutes explaining what he wanted.   

“Oh, onions you want”, she said, “why didn't you say onions”.   

So they goes home that night anyway, and they were cooking inside in the room.  

So Paddy was peeling the onions like, as we call them now and Mikey was frying on the gas anyway, and he said,  “Oi Paddy, you want to save one of them inyins”, he said,  “in case we want to get more”.   

“Why”, says he.   

“Well”, says he, “you want to save one for a pattern in case we want more”.

M Mc  There was a girl and boy back in Kerry, a place called Castlemaine.    Every night they'd have a date on like, well that time, when they'd have a date, 1twouldn1t be at a picture house or anything like that, they'd just meet up the road at, we'll say the crossroads, or alongside Jack's gable end, or Mr Sullivan’s hayshed, something like that, you know,   

So Jack anyway, and Mary…… 'twas a grand moonlight night of course and so he was to meet her at eight or nine o’clock, something like that.    And so he got up in a tree anyway, to give her a bit of a shock.   

And he saw her coming along anyway, he saw two fellers following her, and bejay, he saw 'em killing her.    And he was frightened to get down off of the tree now because I suppose the same thing would happen to himself.    And he saw them digging a grave anyway, inside the ditch, that's a hedge we call it now, and he saw them burying her.   

So bejay, he was arrested the following morning anyway, by the guards and taken into custody and charged with. the murder of Mary anyway.

And begorrah, it went on anyway till the day of the court anyway.    So he was long enough in jail anyway to make up this kind of a riddle or a rhyme.   

So the judge asked him anyway, “what have you to say for yourself Jack”?   

He said;

“Well, one moonlight night as I sat so high,

Waiting for one as two passed by,

The tree did shake and my heart did break

To see the holes that the rogues did make”.

And the two fellers that did it, he saw them at the back of the courthouse, and the very minute he said it anyway, with the two of them out the door.    So they weren1t gone very far anyway when they were caught be the guards.   

So Jack was brought back and found innocent anyway.    'Twas his rhyme that did the trick anyway, or his riddle, whatever it was.