Origins: Groves of Boho

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 03 Apr 16 - 10:36 PM

Thanks for the tip, Guest. That sounds much better.

It's fun to look up Boho on Google maps. The names in the first few lines of the song are:

Sillie
Boho
Monea
Stratore
Carngreen
knockmore

You can find Boho and Monea on the map a few miles west of Enniskillen. To the south is Belmore, and I think 'Knockmore' is a corruption of that.

Does anybody know anything about Carngreen and Stratore?

Now, to go back to the first line of the song -

"when I was young my life was spent by sillies groves and streams."

I thought that might be "Scilly", but the Scilly Isles are far away, some in Cornwall and some in Surrey. There are two features on the map of Boho that have isles and streams, namely Lough Erne and Lough Macnean, but they don't scan. Unless Erne is pronounced Air-neh. But it's hard to understand how Erne could be corrupted to Sillie.

Any ideas?

I also looked up images of Boho and verified that there are trees in the vicinity.

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Apr 16 - 11:13 AM

Yes

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 02 Apr 16 - 11:58 AM

Really?

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Apr 16 - 09:55 AM

Boho is I think prononced the same as "Bo" or "Beau", not as Bo-Ho".

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Apr 16 - 06:20 AM

Interesting that Linnets are mentioned in the song. There is a Linnet Inn ("McKenzie's") at Boho. I spent some unscheduled time there one day in May 2014 when my car broke down (the staff were very helpful and eventually I managed to find a mechanic who towed the car home although I had to stay at my cousins house that night).

There are caves in the nearby limestone, though these are not open to the public; it is about 10 miles from the better-known Marble Arch Caves, which are open to the public.

Knockmore mentioned above is a large conspicuous cliff-walled limestone hill (over 900 feet high), visible for miles around. A few miles to the south, and not far from Boho, is "Noons Hole", apparently the deepest pot hole in Ireland (not open to the public and only experienced pot holers/cavers should enter it, preferably with others). I know nothing about caving but know that they can be dangerous as the water level can rise suddenly without warning (since you are below ground, you won't know if there has been a downpour above ground until it is too late). Some years ago, the brother of a young woman who I knew slightly was drowned when he was caught in a cave above Marble Arch following a flash flood. Sadly, they were never able to retrieve his body (though I believe there was a service at the mouth of the cave).

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: GUEST,mary conway
Date: 04 Mar 16 - 06:30 AM

i used to sing this when i was younger at family dos and weddings as my mum taught me it

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 13 Sep 14 - 10:46 AM

I know many of the places and it is a lovely part.
The caves there are amazing too.

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 13 Sep 14 - 10:38 AM

That's a nice song, m. Thanks for posting.

Do you have any idea of where to find the melody?

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: GUEST,m conway
Date: 13 Sep 14 - 06:07 AM

when I was young my life was spent by sillies groves and streams
each moment was a sparkling joy and everyday a dream
oh many and many the hour I spent while yet the sun was low
a listening to the linnet rare that charms the groves of boho
I knew the mavis of monea the blackbird of stratore
the lily rock of carngreen and the gold finch of knockmore
but of all the birds in bush or sky that sang so long ago
none can compare with the linnet rare that charms the groves of boho
I knew a whitewashed cabin along side carngreen
I knew a red haired colleen as bright as morning beams
I knew a hundred thousand joys that over my life did flow
as the lovely little linnets charms the groves of boho
oh wander east or wander west or wander far or near
that little linnets plaintive voice still pleading in my ear
still calling calling calling why do you wander so
why leave these happy happy woods come back come back to boho
so now please god ill bundle up and cut a stout blackthorn
the rising sun will meet me on the road tomorrow morn
farewell Ill cry Ill weep and sign to weather and woe
tis wealth Ill seek in a foreign clime as the linnets sings in boho

Subject: RE: Groves of Boho
From: John Moulden
Date: 27 Jun 00 - 04:46 PM

I should be able to find something - Ben "Sketch" McGrath used to sing this and I know Sean Corcoran recorded and possibly filmed him.

E_mail me personally [e-mail]

Subject: Groves of Boho
From: GUEST,Rachel D
Date: 27 Jun 00 - 09:02 AM

My mum used to have the words to a song called the Groves of Boho (near Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland) about the 'lovely linnet song that charms the groves of Boho' and something about a red-haired colleen fair and bright as morning beam. If anyone knows any more of the words, which tune is used to accompany it, if there was a recording made or if there is one available now I would be very grateful if they could let me know. Cheers Rachel D