Lyr Req: The Three-Leafed Shamrock

Subject: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 21 Oct 00 - 09:17 PM

Someone has written to me asking if I can identify and hopefully fill in the missing lyrics to a song her late father used to sing. It's not one I am familiar with but I am hoping one of you knowledgable bunch will have some ideas..

These are the lyrics she remembers..

"I was leaving dear old Ireland
In the merry month of June
The birds were sweetly singing
And all nature was in tune
When an Irish girl accosted me
With a salt tear in her eye
And as she said these words to me
She bitterly did cry
Kind sir I ask a favour
Will you grant it to me please
It is not much I ask of thee
But it would set my heart at ease"

I do not remember the intervening words, but as far as I can recall, the final verse is as follows:

"Willl you take these to Phelim
And will you kindly tell him
That these are the shamrocks
From his dear old mother's grave"

Fingers crossed the formatting worked ok on that.

Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 21 Oct 00 - 09:20 PM

No it didn't...
Apologies for that...

Here it is again

I was leaving dear old Ireland
In the merry month of June
The birds were sweetly singing
And all nature was in tune
When an Irish girl accosted me
With a salt tear in her eye
And as she said these words to me
She bitterly did cry
Kind sir I ask a favour
Will you grant it to me please
It is not much I ask of thee
But it would set my heart at ease

(there's a bit of a gap and then the following)

Will you take these to Phelim
And will you kindly tell him
That these are the shamrocks
From his dear old mother's grave


Mick

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: JTT
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 06:43 AM

Irish-American, I betcha. Shamrocks from his dear old mother's grave would not survive the native sense of irony.

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Catrin
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 07:08 AM

Sorry, I don't know this one but If anybody knows the answer to this Noreen will. Wait 'til it catches her eye.

Cheers,

Catrin

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: John Moulden
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 08:40 AM

This song appears on a Belfast printed ballad sheet (Nicholson, 26 Church Lane) with the title "The three-leafed Shamrock; or Take them to Phelim."

I have this one in my files. A more accessible source is Rober L Wright: Irish Emigrant Ballads and Songs (Bowling Green, Ohio, 1975) where it is given on page 51 in a New York (Wehmann) printed version.

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Anglo
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 11:13 AM

I've been trying to find a copy of that book for years - fortunately I know a library with one, but I've never seen another copy.

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: John Moulden
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 11:31 AM

Mine is not for sale - have you tried bookfinder, advanced book exchange or bibiofind or Mike Anderman?

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Anglo
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 01:19 PM

Thanks for the thought, yes, tried all those, (in the past I've even paid Mike's prices for a few books!). Maybe it'll turn up some day. But there is a library copy available.

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Noreen
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 04:04 PM

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Catrin, but it's not one that I've heard of- I go along with JTT's comments, and leave in the John Moulden's more-than-capable hands.

BTW, Mick, What formatting did you use to produce the longest single line ever seen on Mudcat? :0)

Noreen

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: THE MAJOR
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 06:25 PM

Try Fin and if she doesn't know it I feel sure her Mum will. What do you say Mrs P do you know this one?

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 07:31 PM

Thanks guys
Anglo I can sympathise re the frustration at trying to find decent printed material. I spent ages scouring music stores and "Irish Festivals" trying to track down a copy of "The Wind That Shakes the Barley", (I'm informed it is, if not the only collection to feature the song 'Donegal Danny', it is one of the very few). One day out of pure desperation I decided to check my local library (Hinckley for those interested and those that know will understand my lack of expectation as it's about as much use as chocolate teapot).. boy was I thrilled to see it had one listed at some remote branch or other. That soon passed when the assistant rang up to save it for me, only to find they had "lost" it.

And yes I am still looking...

Glad you liked the formatting Noreen.. I was trying to be clever and use the 'pre' command instead of having to hack in all the line breaks at the end of each line, but as I cut and pasted it out of an email I forgot that wouldn't have any carriage returns in it... c'est la vie.

Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Brakn
Date: 22 Oct 00 - 08:45 PM

So Mick are you still looking for Donegal Danny?

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: John Moulden
Date: 23 Oct 00 - 05:21 AM

Is the book "The wind that shakes the Barley" the one edited by Gareth James and published by the Belfast company Appletree Press?

If so, send me an e-mail ([e-mail]) and I'll see if I can get a second-hand copy - they occasionally turn up in bookshops in Northern Ireland.

The Wehman print (see above) of the "Three leaved shamrock" has the note "Copyright 1889, by Harding Brothers." It is possible that there will be versions in the American Sheet Music Collection at the Library of Congress.

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: GUEST,Tom Munnelly
Date: 23 Oct 00 - 03:02 PM

It was also recorded by Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers in the 1920's

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 23 Oct 00 - 04:18 PM

Hi all..
Yes Mick I'm still looking for the music to D.Danny(how's the website problems by the way.. you never did call me). I'll send an email winging it's way to you John.

I noticed Charlie Poole had recorded the Three Leafed Shamrock, when doing a search on altavista, like about 80% of the entries were related to his version.

I haven't been able to track down a copy of "Leaving Dear Old Ireland" that someone else suggested might be a candidate for this song as the words don't quite fit i with the lyrics of Three Leafed Shamrock that you posted here Mick.

Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Brakn
Date: 24 Oct 00 - 04:51 AM

The Shamrock From His Dear Mother's Grave

I was leaving dear old Ireland in the merry month of June
The birds were singing cheerfully and all nature seemed in tune
When an Irish girl accosted me with a sad tear in her eye
And as she said these words to me, she bitterly did cry
"Kind sir I ask one favour, will you grant it to me please?
It is not much, but what I ask will set my heart at ease -
Will you take this bunch of shamrock to my brother o'er the sea
And will you kindly tell him, sir, that this shamrock came from me"

Chorus
Just the three-leafed shamrock, the Irishman's shamrock
From his own darling Norah - her blessing too she gave
Take them to Phelim and will you kindly tell him
These are the shamrock from his dear mother's grave

Tell him since he left us how bitter was our lot
The landlord came one winter's day and turned us from our cot
Troubles we had many and friends were very few
And brother dear, my mother used oft to sigh for you
My gallant son will come again she often used to say
Until one day she sickened and soon was laid away
Her grave I watered with my tears- these are the flowers that grew
And Phelim these are all I have, and these I send to you

Chorus
Just the three-leafed shamrock, the Irishman's shamrock
From his own darling sister - her blessing too she gave
Take them to my brother for he knows I've no one other
Just the three-leafed shamrock from his dear mother's grave

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: John Moulden
Date: 24 Oct 00 - 09:26 AM

Brakn, I'd be interested to know the source of the text you have given above?

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Brakn
Date: 24 Oct 00 - 10:30 AM

I got it from an Ireland's Own.

Ireland's Own is a magazine that has been printed weekly for the last hundred years (I think) full of short stories, poems, household hints, letters and all things Irish.

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Brakn
Date: 24 Oct 00 - 10:50 AM

Also Mick, the words and the chords for Donegal Danny have been in previous threads. Is it the air your after?

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Noreen
Date: 24 Oct 00 - 12:50 PM

Sorry, Mick, but I can't get out of my mind the picture of a decomposed bunch of shamrock, totally unrecognisable after three weeks at sea, being handed over to Phelim... (I know, where's the poetry in my soul...?)**BG**

Noreen

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 04:51 PM

Hi again
Sorry for the delay in responding but I was awaiting a reply from the lady requesting the lyrics.. turned out to be "Shamrock from his dear mother's grave", so a big thanks for that Mick (all she wants now is to know who has recorded it... some people want the moon).

As for Donegal Danny I was looking out for the music as I've obviously heard a "different" version as none of the chords in the other threads fit to the tune I have in my head, hence having the tadpoles would be useful.

Okay Noreen where is the poetry in your soul?... only joking.. I must admit I don't think I'd fancy a far from healthy plant turning up on my doorstep, I have enough of them in the garden as it is. It does however seem to be a favourite topic amongst the song writing fraternity (must be the symbolism).. I'm reminded of "It was only a bunch of violets..", similar thoughts spring to mind of a squashed flower, caked in the blood of the unfortunate soldier boy, being presented to his love on her wedding day..

What I do find rather sad is the number of emails I get from people asking me to find songs that were sung by now departed relatives, that they never thought to record in some form before they passed away, but perhaps I ought to start a new thread about that.

Thanks again for your help

Mick

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 06:47 PM

Well she might have transplanted it into a flower pot. You've got to be poractical when you're making these gestures.

Anyway, who's to say he's gone to Americky anyway?

And has anyone got the words of Moriarty's Christmas? It's a recitation about a lad who goes home to Ireland for Christmas after being away for too many years, just in time to miss his poor old Mammy's funeral as he gets off the boat. Not a dry eye in the house.

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 04 Nov 00 - 09:15 PM

Someone must have heard this song on tape/cd/album... come on guys...

And yes McGrath (I hate to call you that cos I'm sure I know you're real name..LOL) a guy called Pascal down our watering hole sings Moriarty.. I'l try and get the lyrics from him

Mick

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 25 Nov 00 - 12:08 PM

McGrath..
Are you still looking for the words for the monologue 'Moriarty's Going Home For Christmas'?... as I've now got them on my site and could spend the hour or so typing them up here for you....

Mick

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: GUEST,Liam's Brother
Date: 25 Nov 00 - 04:34 PM

Charlie Poole... unbelieavable!

Subject: The Three-Leafed Shamrock
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 02:36 PM

John Moulden: any date on (or for) the Belfast ballad sheet?

Links to the Charlie Poole version:
Currently available on the cd, Legend of Charlie Poole, Vol. 3, County Records, 1999. There's a sample at Amazon.com, here.

Words and chords are in this Mudcat thread on Charlie Poole.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Can you ID this Irish Song?
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 12 Mar 03 - 03:20 PM

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