Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever

Subject: The bogs of Shannakeever
From:
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 03:09 PM

l am looking for the words of a song l heard inn ireland recently,The bogs of Shannakeever, Any response would be very much appreciated

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 03:20 PM

No luck, at least with that spelling. I have NO clue about another spelling.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 03:34 PM

The song is The Bogs Of Shanaheever nominally about coursing, but a bit about Irish emigration. I'll post the words here in a while (after I type them up). Let me know if you want the tune - I'll do that later.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: Stewart
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 03:49 PM

This was the Timothy Cashman theme in the PBS documentary film "Out of Ireland." The instrumental is very nicely done on Mick Moloney's CD Out of Ireland.

S. in Seattle

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BOGS OF SHANAHEEVER
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 03:55 PM

Here as promised, the words. I was given recording of 2 slightly differing versions of the song by my good friend Mrs.Mary O'Connor of Watford - one a commercial recording by artist unknown and one recorded in former times by a neighbour of hers at her home in Ireland. This is the version I sing (derived from them). Some of the place names may not be spelled correctly and 'Glenrikken' is not correct but Mary couldn't remember what it should be, and that was the best I could do from the recordings.
Phil Hughes, who left England and Herga FC to return to Ireland a few years ago, sang this version in the All-Ireland finals 2 or 3 years ago.
John Moulden was selling broadside versions of this song a few years ago, and probably is still doing so.

Mick

---

THE BOGS OF SHANAHEEVER

My youthful days are past and it makes my heart feel weary
As I sit in the cart in the wilds of the prairie.
Hunting the deer that skip around the beaver
While my thoughts fondly stray to the Bogs of Shanaheever.

By the cold light of the moon won't you tell them to be ready
Tell them to prepare and to bring on Master Freddy.
Tell them to be quick and to be very clever
For it's my last day of coursing on the Bogs of Shanaheever.

From the shores of Lough Oonagh to the Plains of Glenrikken
Beneath a red sun my poor old heart is ticking.
We made straight for Letterdean, but the land it didn't favour
So we crossed over the mountains for the Bogs Of Shanaheever.

They have boasted in London of the trials of O'Donnel.
And young Willie Ayres praised the fortunes of Diana.
But the truth to you I'll tell, that Diana was the favourite,
But Victor took the sway on the Bogs of Shanaheever.

On the day that Victor died, my coursing days were over.
And I sat down and cried like a broken-hearted lover.
I put Victor in his grave and I left him there forever
And booked a passage to New York from the Bogs of Shanaheever.

So it's fare-you-well Ireland, and fare-you-well forever.
There is nowhere in the world I will look on with such favour.
And if ever I return I'll come back again and see her
And I'll bid a last farewell to the Bogs of Shanaheever.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: GUEST,yum yum
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 04:03 PM

A beautiful Galway ballad. I learned this from John Flanaghan of Corofin, Co Clare in 1976. The same has been reproduced in old balladsheet style, by ..Bogside Balladsheet Company 18/20 Bishop st, Derry. John Mouldin (who never strays far from these threads) may have some. Hope this helps.

yum yum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: GUEST,yum yum
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 04:15 PM

Mick, the line should read.. From the shores of Lough Anna to the plains of Kilbricken. By the light of the red moon my poor heart it was stricken...

you have a verse missing ... Oh the going it was rough but Bruce he was long winded, And fierce now every bound, the hunting it was splendid, And the two year old dogs were lanky keen and clever, But the next thing I saw was a death on Shanaheever.

yum yum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 04:34 PM

e mail sent

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: GUEST,Phil
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 05:50 PM

If my memory is correct? Rosie Stewart of Co Fermanagh sings this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From:
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 06:19 PM

Thank you so much for the words of shanaheever,they are the exact words sang by Damien Molloy from tyrone,and the person who recalls rosie stewart singing this song is also correct,she is a good friend of the family thanks again monica

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: Stewart
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 07:38 PM

I just transcribed the tune from Mick Moloney's CD "Out of Ireland" and made a midi file, CLICK HERE. I also have a NWC file with the first two verses that you can download, CLICK HERE.

This is a very nice song. Let me know if I have done this correctly.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 07:52 PM

yum yum

Thanks for the correction. The extra verse I may already have in one of the two versions on tape. I'll try and dig out the tape and check.


Stewart
I've had a quick listen to the midi. It's slightly different to the tune I know. When I get a little time I'll try and put up the tune I know. (probably not before Monday now - I'm off to the Rod Shearman memorial concert tomorrow).

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 07:59 PM

Thanks yum yum. Learning from the oral tradition can have some very interesting consequences. For some time, MCP thought Diana was the ferret.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 08:12 PM

Alas true, mea culpa! What can I say: The recording quality was poor and I did eventually realise what the man was singing and I did get it right before I sang it and ...

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 08:19 PM

OK Mick. Now explain tua maxima culpa for loss of source material when Mary heard you'd given the words to Phil H ... this might be regarded as thread drift but it's had consequences for Shanaheever and other songs....

Kit

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: Brķan
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 08:40 PM

Here's a version by Joe Heaney: THE TWO GREYHOUNDS. You might have to scroll down about 2/3 of the way down.

Brķan

Subject: Tune Add: THE BOGS OF SHANAHEEVER
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 11 Nov 01 - 07:20 AM

Had a few minutes to spare after all, so here is the tune as I have it (decoration omitted)

Mick

---

My/ youth-ful days are/ past and it/ makes my heart feel/ wear-y
As I/ sit in the/ cart in the/ wilds of the/ prair-ie./
Hunt-ing the/ deer that/ skip a-round the/ bea-ver
While my/ thoughts fond-ly/ stray to the/ Bogs of Shan-a-/hee-ver.


X: 1
T:Bogs Of Shanaheever, The
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=80
K:A
E/C/|A,>A, C> D|E3 C/ D/|E> F E> C|B, A,2
A/ B/|c2 d> c|B3 F/ G/|A2 A> G|F E3|
c2 d> c|B3 F/G/|A> B A> G|F E2
C/ B,/|A,2 C> D| E3 C/ D/|E> F E>C|B, A,3|]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The bogs of Shannakeever
From: Stewart
Date: 11 Nov 01 - 12:58 PM

Mick, thanks for the tune. It is slightly different from the one I posted. The tune I got from Mick Moloney's instrumental was quite slow and hard to discern the meter. I'll have to work with these two versions, but I like yours.

This is one of the things I like best about Mudcat - after sorting out all the BS and non-music postings, most of which I am not interested in. I don't think I would ever pick up a gem of a song like this otherwise. In the year or so that I have been active in Mudcat I have picked up some great songs and information about traditional music that I would not found anywhere else. So thanks Mick and the rest of you who have been so helpful.

Cheers, S. in Seattle