Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...

Subject: Lyrics/knowledge on Hills of Sweet Mayo
From: triskelion
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 08:23 AM

Hello,
My first post - I've enjoyed absorbing all of the wonderful knowledge available on Mudcat for years.
I'm looking for the lyrics to the Hills of Sweet Mayo, and any background on the song. The only version I've heard is Tina Mulrooney's and I've had a little trouble picking all the words out. It's a beautiful song and sounds to me like there's some history behind it.

Slainte

Subject: RE: Lyrics/knowledge on Hills of Sweet Mayo
From: mayomick
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 06:08 PM

I've refreshed a thread that might be useful Treskillion

Subject: RE: Lyrics/knowledge on Hills of Sweet Mayo
From: triskelion
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 09:56 AM

Thanks, that is helpful. I've e-mailed Tina Mulrooney about her rather singular version; hopefully, she will get back to me.

Subject: RE: Lyrics/knowledge on Hills of Sweet Mayo
From: mayomick
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 11:09 AM

My father used to sing this as the Hills of Sweet Mayo too. For him it was a civil war song .
For the second verse , last line he sang " Free State guns"
Third verse last line , "there she did spy her bolshie boy in the Hills Of Sweet Mayo"
When I was surprised about the bolshie boy bit he said that "bolshies" was what the IRA was called at the time.

Subject: RE: Lyrics/knowledge on Hills of Sweet Mayo
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Aug 10 - 01:06 AM

This sounds like a variant of THE GLENS OF SWEET MAYO. Click here for a thread about that song.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HILLS OF SWEET MAYO (from T Mulrooney
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 01:02 AM

The singer sounds quite young but has a lovely voice.


THE HILLS OF SWEET MAYO
[As sung by Tina Mulrooney on The Mulrooney Sisters album "The Cream of Irish Traditional Ballads" (2011)]

1. It was on a summer's evening as I rambled from my home.
Upon the banks of a silv'ry stream I carelessly did roam.
I chanced to hear a fair young maid as the tears from her eyes did flow.
'Twas for the love of her own true love on the hills of sweet Mayo.

2. Late last night I heard the news that nearly broke my heart,
When a bounty boy came from the hills and said that you must part,
Part from your own love Willie that loved you long ago.
He's wounded, deadly wounded, on the hills of sweet Mayo.

3. My own true love was a rebel bold; he loved sweet liberty.
He fought in 1916 to set old Ireland free.
He fought for Ireland's freedom and never feared the foe.
'Twas a Fenian gun that shot my love on the hills of sweet Mayo.

4. There is one request I ask of you and grant it to me please.
It is not much to ask of you but 'twould set my mind at ease.
Have pity on a fair young maid who knows not where to go,
And come with her to find her love on the hills of sweet Mayo.

5. We started out together her true love for to find.
Two days and nights we searched for him with sad thoughts on our mind,
Till at last we came to a silent spot and the tears began to flow.
It was there she found her true love dead on the hills of sweet Mayo.

6. My own true love was a rebel bold who loved sweet liberty.
He fought in 1916 to set old Ireland free.
He fought for Ireland's freedom and never feared the foe.
'Twas a Fenian gun that shot my love on the hills of sweet Mayo.
'Twas a Fenian gun that shot my love on the hills of sweet Mayo.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...
From: Joybell
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 07:35 PM

I posted the Lyrics on the link here. It was before I became a member of Mudcat.
The title is "The Glens of Sweet Mayo"
Note that I gave a printed source from 1966.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...
From: GUEST,becky Xx
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 11:06 AM

Hi I'm trying to fet this song for a frunral where can I download it please ?? Someone HELP :-(

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 08 Nov 12 - 08:38 AM

You might try Martin Dardis's song site unitedirelandtripod.ie or just put Martin Dardis in search

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...
From: GUEST,Nico Coetzee R.S.A.
Date: 02 May 13 - 09:00 AM

Thank you very much

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 May 13 - 08:25 PM

There's another thread that ought to be linked with this one:

Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Apr 19 - 09:18 AM

That last line is incorrect.
The original line is "Twas a british gun that shot my love on the hills of sweet Mayo"

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...
From: GUEST,triskelion
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 01:06 PM

Just coming back to this thread I began some years ago. I'm revisiting these lyrics as I'm bringing the Hills of Sweet Mayo back into my repertoire. The last post from 2019 is intriguing - I interpreted the Mulrooney version as an anti-war song; her lover killed by friendly fire, all the more tragic. But does anyone know of other evidence/reason, beyond the apparent similarity to The Glens of Sweet Mayo, for the Fenian rather than British lyric?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Origin Req: Hills of Sweet Mayo / Glens of ...
From: rich-joy
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 07:19 PM

This is the version my late Beloved, Paul Lawler, used to sing :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWSYX3qgEno

It is 'presumed' he learnt it from Vin Garbutt's rendition.

Cheers, R-J

[sorry, you'll have to cut-and-paste - my connection to the blue clicky keeps cutting out......]