When Saint Peter's Day Was A-Dawning

You true sons of Grainne that's darin and clever
Give ear unto my recitation
Although I'm scarce able for to teach all this subject
For want of some more education
But still I'll endeavor to consult with the muse
Who never did aid or petition refuse
Concerning the deeds of the sons of Saint Patrick
To show their behavior how decent they acted
In the town of Corliss where they were respected
When Saint Peter's Day was a-dawning

Our numbers appeared in Corliss they say
There were ten thousand bodies in station
With their helmets of steel, bright guns and broad shields
To free and protect all this nation
Each body assembled soon formed in a line
They were dressed in all splendor for to take the prize
They would fight till they'd die or they'd win satisfaction
For Island Magee, for the Boyne or for Aughrim
For the debts that were done and the blood of the martyrs
While Saint Peter's Day was a-dawning

At Fetherna Bush these parties were dressed
With silk scarfs and green sashes tied round them
With their helmets of steel, bright guns and broad shields
Their bugles and trumpets were sounding
By reinforcements our ranks they did fill
With all the stout heroes around Cullaville
Spectators did gaze and with wonder did fill
As they saw us approaching we all marched together
With blooming cockade and white plume and feather
We carried the day, took the pride of all other
While Saint Peter's Day was a-dawning

And we fired a volley that opened the valley
From Drogheda's gate to Rathfriland
And to answer our guns sure the hills they did speak
All the Protestant churches did tremble and quake
And so did their women all miscarry
All those who were bearing the rank seed of Harry
And their fair maids they swore that they never would marry
While Saint Peter's Day was a-dawning

Our drums they did beat and our trumpets did sound
The harp of old Ireland played Orange Lie Down
And the Brunswick's awoke in this nation all round
And the Black Hare of Luther no longer was sleeping
For she quickly arose between mourning and weeping
Through hedges and holes at us they were peeping
While Saint Peter's Day was a-dawning

You true sons of Grainne, Milesians so pure
Who sprang from the Rocks of Gadelus
Who was bit by the snake and by Moses was cured
And green was the spot he was healed on
Patriot David was chosen our king
Who Goliath the giant he slew with his sling
And down from his race our Virgin did spring
Who bore the Messiah who trampled the serpent
That came to the garden where Adam was tempted
And his blood he did spill for to have sin exempted
While Saint Peter's Day was a-dawning

But their lust and their passion they couldn't keep down
Till Luther and Calvin with them did compound
A text in the scripture a phrase to expound
That would answer the ends of all Protestant nations
Their kindreds might marry and still gain salvation
Without any danger of hell or damnation
While Saint Peter's Day was a-dawning

And it's now to conclude my advice to yous
To tear down all rotten foundations
And banish this crew that our land did pollute
And corrupted our true ordinations
We'll raise up a storm and chase them away
All the informers since King Harry's day
And all other tribes that with them would say
We'll send them a-sailin all putrid and carrion
To some other island that's fruitless and barren
For this one was promised to Moses and Aaron
While Saint Peter's Day was a-dawning

Temptation Song

When the small birds of the outer air
They sport with one another
Then why should me and you forbear
To sport all gay together?

Good music, sir, should make one dance
Unless their limbs would fail them
Unconcupiscence preÎmpts our procreation

For naked we come on this earth
And naked we'll go under
So why wear hose and costly clothes
To hide the heights of wonder?

Great Adam when he first wed Eve
No rings they wore or diamonds
But naked they did sport and play
Around the horn of Hymen

Flesh to flesh and fleece to fleece
And their numbers did increase
And did multiply and spread throughout each nation

O maiden far beyond compare
Don't talk with tongue of fire
For holy writ shall never quit
To purge us of desire

And chastity the beacon bright
Does shine throughout the ages
To guard us on the darkest night
When the storms of passion rages

So the narrow path I'll hold
Up to heaven's gate of gold
And resist the demons dark and their damnation

If free will is a gift divine
For man's emancipation
Free love's a draft of Cupid's wine
To tease us with temptation

These laws and rules were made for fools
Each day they're growing stricter
So come with me, we'll sport in glee
Let Venus be the victor

And if Bacchus lends a hand
We will riot through the land
And we'll fornicate with fervor and elation

When David fell from God and grace
No armies did applaud him
And none was saved and not depraved
And (?)

And look then to storied Troy
What led to its destruction?
But vengeance for the crime of rape
And ravishing seduction

King Solomon that monarch wise
Wooed thrice three hundred lovers
He'd wives and queens and concubines
As the Scripture it uncovers

Let curving breast be your fond quest
And yield to female charm
And lie one long and lusty night
All naked in my arms

Begone, you slut, heaven is shut
To all such fornicators
To strumpets, streels and harlots all
Likewise abominators

Matrimony was God's command
And matrimonial station
And with these words the two withdrew
This was their conversation

The Flower of Gortade

Descend, ye chaste muses, ye bards and ye sages
And Orpheus who tamed roaring beasts with his lyre
You ancien historians who are dead many ages
I hope you'll awake and my genius inspire
You great men of learning lend me a probation
Ye gods and philosophers lend me your aid
In praise of a fair one I leave in this nation
She's the bright star of Erin, the pride of Gortade

O were I as Homer, that prince of the writers
Who sang of Athenians and Spartans of old
Could I paint with the skill of a Roman inditer
The fame of this fair one can never be told
Penelope, Venus, Diana and Flora
Whose beauty and chastity never will fade
Fair Helen, Lucretia and famous Aurora
Even these couldn't equal the flower of Gortade

Unrivalled she stands mid the daughters of Erin
For style and for beauty none can her excel
On the 3rd of November my bark it is steering
Far far from the spot it did formerly dwell
The consort of Hector that's mentioned in story
Susanna whose virtue it never will fade
Queen Dido who dwelt with the sovereign in his glory
Even these couldn't equal the flower of Gortade

Adieu to you, Erin, the land of my childhood
Where energy, wealth and magnificence rove
No more I'll traverse by the plains or the wild woods
Or list to the mavis who sings in the grove
And if to Columbia God sends me safe over
I'll write a few lines to my own country maid
Who along with my parents and her dear old mother
Await my return once again to Gortade

Two verses of The Colleen Rue

Are you Aurora or the goddess Flora, Artemidora or Venus bright
Or Helen fair beyond compare that Paris stole from the Grecian sight
O fairest creature you have ensnared me, I'm captivated in Cupid's clew
Your golden sayins are infatuations that have ensnared me, a Colleen Rue

Kind sir be easy and do not tease me with your false praises most vauntingly
Your dissimulation and invocation are vaunting praises alluring me
I'm not Aurora or the goddess Flora but a rural maiden to all men's view
That's here condoling my situation, my appellation the Colleen Rue

The False Bride

As I roved out on a bright May morning
To view the meadows and flowers gay
Whom should I spy but my own true lover
And she sat under yon willow tree

I took off my hat and I did salute her
I did salute her courageously
When she turned around and the tears fell from her
Saying, False young man you have deluded me

For to delude you, how can that be, my love?
It's from your body I am quite free
I'm as free from you as the child unborn is
And so are you too, sweet Jane, from me

Three-diamond ring sure I own I gave you
Three-diamond ring to wear on your right hand
But the vows you made, love, you went and broke them
And married the lassie who had the land

If I married the lassie who had the land, my love
It's that I'll rue to the day I die
Where misfortune falls sure no one can shun it
I was blindfolded I'll neer deny

Now at night when I go to my bed of slumber
The thoughts of my truelove run in my mind
When I turn around to embrace my darling
Instead of gold sure tis brass I find

And I wish the queen would call home her armies
From England, Scotland, America and Spain
And every man to his wedded woman
In hopes that you and I would meet again

Caitlín T(?)

The night's fanged with frost and it bites to the bone
My true love took flight, with another she has flown
O dark hair curl-clustered and cheeks like the rose
O Kitty my darling, the cause of my woes
I've travelled east and I've wandered the west
By the cairn of Maeve's mountain of damsels in quest
But the like of this colleen my heartache to heal
I can't find to compare with my Caitlín T(?)

My love's not capricious, I vow and declare
She can have it or hold it in one curling snare
She's the belle of this planet, as God did ordain
And the star of my morning who's left me in pain
A priest I am pining the most of the year
But my wish and my will is for women, I fear
I'll forsake holy orders come woe or come weal
To bed with my darling, my Caitlín T(?)

Tis my woe and my bad luck I ever did see
The red of sun rising or brown (?)
Tis my grief and my sorrow I met with this girl
To put both my faith and redemption in peril
She promised me twice under most solemn vow
That to me she'd be faithful as bark is to bough
But the (?) such treason would rust heart of steel
And the blame and the blight's on you, Caitlín T(?)

Maggie Pickens

Maggie Pickens on the wall
Maggie Pickens very tall
Maggie Picken goin to fall
Maggie Pickens dancin

Maggie Pickens had a coo
Black and white abeen the brow
Open the gates and let her through
Maggie Pickens' ain coo

Maggie Pickens at Kilmore
Gatherin cockles by the score
She lifted her leg and let a roar
--What the devil ails you?

Maggie Pickens at Kilmore
She had daughters twenty-four
Wishes she could have some more
A row dil dootle deil dum

My mother sent me to the well
I missed my foot and in I fell
She really should have gone herself
What the devil ails you?

My mother sent me to the burn
With the scrubber and a churn
I fell in, was nearly drouned
A row dil dee dil dootle dum

The Wearin o the Britches

O come all young men whereer ye be
And listen to my lamentation
I courted a girl beyond compare
And I loved her above admiration
At length and time she became my wife
Twas not for beauty but for riches
And oftentimes it'll cause great strife
To see which of us will wear the britches

O Paddy Keane it is my name
In height I am five foot eleven
My wife is nearly not so big
She only measures four foot seven
The hedges I have nearly stripped
I've left them bare of rods and switches
Her hide with blows I did make black
But still she swears she'll wear my britches

O I am a tailor to my trade
At cuttin out I am quite handy
But all the money that I earn
She leaves it out on tay and brandy
Sometimes we do shout and bawl
There's nothing going but rogues and witches
Her head goes often to the wall
But still she swears she'll wear my britches

One mornin at the tay and eggs
Contented sittin by the fire
She broke the teapot on my legs
And left me leppin to retire
Sometimes I do sigh and moan
As I go hoppin on my critches
I wished I'd broke my collarbone
The day I let her wear my britches

So come all young men whereer ye be
Don't marry a girl if she's enchanting
For if ye do ye'll be like me
With the young boys she'll go gallanting
My advice it is to yous
To marry for love and work for riches
If ye can't get a girl with a civil tongue
That'll give ye leave to wear your britches

The Drunken Cow

There's a man in Ardraghy, he's l(?) and tall
He's one Paddy Sheenahan as we do him call
Tis he brews the cordial that does exceed all
And it beats all the doctors in old Donegal

We can't have a christening without it at all
Shake hands and be merry, shake hands and sing all
Here's a health to those gossips as we do them call
And if you be a ghost, that you may meet us all

Now Paddy, the rascal, of late he had been
With steam and hot water he brewed his poteen
He left it in barrels I hear people say
Till the cow took a notion of drinking one day

Whenever old Branny this notion did take
She first broke the b(?) and then pulled the stake
She went to the barrel and she drunk her fill
And troth and she didn't leave much in the still

When she got drunk she forgot her good name
And she said, Paddy Sheenahan, callin him by her name
I'm as drunk as a beggar with the juice o your malt
But Paddy avourneen, it isn't my fault

She hiccupped and staggered and challenged him to fight
And swore that in through him she'd let the daylight
That his breed was all cowards she told him to note
And she dared him to tramp on the tail of her coat

She got up the next day with a bad broken horn
And started to curse the first day she was born
She cursed (?) and poteen likewise
And all the still-tinkers in under the skies

She advised all good cows to protect their fair name
And never take drink that would bring them to shame
She whispered to Paddy, she said in his ear
O you don't tell Una I went on the beer

O Paddy mavourneen, if mercy you'll have
I'll bring you each season a fine heifer calf
O Paddy avourneen these words they are true
O Paddy a mhic sure I'll take all my due

Well Paddy was faithful, we'll give him renown
But when Una went to milk her, the milk it was brown
Poor cow now, says Una, her heart's blood she's given
We'll never want milk that's as long as she's livin

So drink and be merry and forgive the old cow
Here's a health to bold Sheenahan whether or how
May he never want poteen, head, worm or still
In that sanctified spot they call K(?) Hill

Here's a health to myself and God bless Ireland's king
Tis I make the valleys and caverns to ring
Tis I make the mountains and glens all to roar
If you don't bring me poteen I'll sing you no more

Easter Snow

At twilight in the morning as I roved out upon the dew
With my morning cloak around me, intending all my flocks to view
I spied a lovely fair one, she seemed to be a beauty bright
And I took her for Diana or the evening star that rules the night

I being so much surprised by her, it being the forenoon of the day
To see that pretty creature coming oer the banks of sweet Loughrea
She was a charming beauty bright and her cheeks they were a rosy red
And my heart was caplivated by the two black eyes rolled in her head

Fair maid, I cried, your love I crave, for Cupid was a cruel foe
I'll roll you in my morning cloak and bring me home to Easter Snow
Go home, acquaint my parents, and indeed kind sir I'll do the same
And if both of my parents give consent neither you nor I will bear the blame

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