Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)

Subject: Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)
From: Stewie
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 06:59 PM

When browsing through DT, I was surprised to find that the entry contained 2 songs from the Stewball, Skewball, Molly and Tenbrooks family, but not the song that goes by that specific name.

CURRAGH OF KILDARE

The winter it is past
And the summer's come at last
The birds they are singing in the trees
Their little hearts are glad
But mine is very sad
For my true love is far away from me

And straight I will repair
To the Curragh of Kildare
For it's there I'll find tidings of my dear

The roses on the briar
By the waters running clear
Bring joy to the linnet and the bee
Their little hearts are blessed
But mine can find no rest
For my true love is far away from me

A livery I'll wear
And I'll comb back my hair
In velvet so green I will appear
And straight I will repair
To the Curragh of Kildare
For it's there I'll find tidings of my dear

All you who are in love
And cannot it remove
I pity the pain that you endure
For experience lets me know
That your hearts are full of woe
A woe that no mortal can cure

Traditional Irish.

Source: From the singing of Paul Lawler Darwin, Australia late 1970s. Paul learned his version in Irish clubs. Similar versions have been recorded by the Johnstons and Christy Moore.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)
From:
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 07:11 PM

There are ABC's of 3 tunes for it in an old thread, Curragh of Kildare.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)
From: MudGuard
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 01:39 AM

I have an additional verse (before the last), but as so often I am not sure about all the words (see the red one)
MudGuard

I will wear a cap of black
With some frails around my neck
Golden rings on my fingers I will wear
Oh yes this I'll undertake
For my own true lover's sake
For she lives in the Curragh of Kildare

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)
From: Stewie
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 02:14 AM

Yes, I have heard that verse, but all I recall is 'undertake for my own true lover's sake' bit. Could it simply be a stumbling or mispronunciation of 'frills'?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 04:48 AM

CURRAGH OF KILDARE in the DT. And as for "traditional Irish" it should be mentioned that Robert Burns' "The winter it is past" is rather similar to The Curragh of Kildare. However, we all know, that Burns being known as the author of a song doesn't necessarily mean the song was not traditional.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)
From: Stewie
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 06:45 AM

Thanks, Wolfgang. My apologies, I somehow did not go far enough with my DT search - I only saw the Stewball ones and thought the song was not there. I promise to be more thorough in future before posting lyrics. All the same, both MudGuard and I have submitted some lines that are not in the DT version.

Cheers, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)
From: MudGuard
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 11:02 AM

Stewie, it is not a mispronounciation of "frills" by the performers (Finbar + Eddie Furey), it is a mishearing of "frills" by me. I neither knew the word "frails" nor the word "frills" (my English is not the best), so I wrote down what I thought to hear.
After you gave me the hint that it might be "frills" instead of "frails", I listened to the song once again, and now I heard "frills" as well.
MudGuard

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Curragh of Kildare (2)
From: Bruce O.
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 01:18 PM

There's a broadside issue at www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/ballads
"Cold winter's gone and past', Harding B 20(53), and it's given with music (given in the other thread) in The Scots Musical Museum.