The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #19803   Message #3270724
Posted By: zozimus
08-Dec-11 - 06:34 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Coming Home from the Wake/Nellie Milkmaid
Subject: ADD Version: The Wake in Kildare
It's interesting to see that the only recorded version noted above is by O.J. Abbott. He recorded this in 1961, and I must agree it's a great version. However, Delia Murphy was in Ottawa in 1960, so the question is whether her version stirred his memory of his version, or whether he recomposed his version based on hers. While I really enjoy O.J, he does tend to re-arrange songs to a different air.
Meanwhile, to show this song is continually going thru the folk process,
I have added the lyrics I recently got from a person asking me to research the song. Many thanks to all you Mudcatters for your help.
The Wake in Kildare.


THE WAKE IN KILDARE
author unknown.

"Oh Mother, Dear Mother, There's a Wake in Kildare
And Roger the Dodger has promised to be there
He'll love me and caress me,he'll love me for my sake
Oh mother dear mother, can I go to the wake.

Oh daughter, dear daughter, be wise and beware
Beware of 'oul Roger the sod from Kildare
He'll love you and caress you and He'll love you for your sake
But keep your legs together coming home from the wake.

Now poor little Nellie, she was just seventeen
With white silken stockings and petticoats of green
He stuffed her up with chocolates, and he stuffed her up with cake
And he stuffed it up poor Nellie, coming home from the wake.

'Twas three months from the Kildare wake, her Cassanoa gone
That poor little Nellie wasn't feeling very strong
Her legs began to quiver, and her knees began to quake
It was all because of Roger coming home from the wake.

Nine months awaitin'. yes nine months have passed
And poor little Nellie has had her child at last
She'll love it and caress it it and she'll love it for it's sake
And she'll call the bastard Fagan coming home from the wake.