Lyr Req: West of Ireland

Subject: west of ireland
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jan 01 - 12:42 PM

I'd like to know the lyrics of the song The West of Ireland as sung by Cathal McConnell in the last CD by The Boys of the Lough, with the same title as the song. Can somebody please post the text of that song? Thank you. Roberto

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: Wolfgang
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 05:06 AM

May I help giving this request a boost? I have the track at home on a worn tape but do not understand enough to do a decent transcription. I also would love to see these lyrics. For a start, here are two snippets:

One summer's morn as I walked all in the foggy dew....
adieu to all fair maids from the west of Ireland

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: Noreen
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 07:55 AM

Wolfgang, I haven't time to transcribe ATM but if you'd care to see what you can work out, I'll help with any problematical words.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: Wolfgang
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 03:26 AM

Fine offer, Noreen, I'll see how far I come within the next couple of days.

Wolfgang

Subject: Lyr Add: WEST OF IRELAND
From: Wolfgang
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 07:41 AM

It was a bit easier than I had thought. The three bits where I am unsure are marked by parentheses. I have tried to fit the lyrics to any of the many 'all in the foggy dew' songs but without success. I bet this song must be known under another title but my searches have failed. I only know it from the Boys of the Lough.

Over to you, Noreen or anybody else, who knows more about this song.

Wolfgang

WEST OF IRELAND

One summer's morn, as I walked forth all in the foggy dew,
it was there I spied a pretty fair maid appearing in my view.
Where have you strayed, my pretty fair maid or what took you this way?
I am from the west of Ireland, kind Sir, don't me delay.

If you're from the west of Ireland as I take you for to be,
come sit you down in this flowery vale and bear me company.
I kindly did salute this maid I grasped her by the hand,
saying, you're welcome her, my pretty fair maid, from the west of Ireland.

Let go my hand, kind Sir, she said, and don't be making fun,
for if I'm delayed all on my way, my mama would think wrong.
My journey is far if you knew (but all) so here is my right hand,
and a friend to you I will prove true in the west of Ireland.

Now to conclude no more (for ruse) my pen I will throw down,
and to yonder alehouse I will go, my sorrows for to drown.
I will (toss of a) glass onto you, fair maid, no matter where you stand.
And adieu, adieu to all fair maids from the west of Ireland.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: Wolfgang
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 07:46 AM

verse 2, line 4: 'here' instead of 'her'

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: MartinRyan
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 07:56 AM

Wolfgang

In the last verse, you might check it it is....
..no more to muse
....
..toss off a glass...

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: Snuffy
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 08:33 AM

toss off a glass UNTO you (drink your health), not toss off a glass ONTO you (throw liquid at you)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: Wolfgang
Date: 15 Jan 01 - 08:54 AM

Thanks, Martin and Snuffy, what you're writing makes a lot of sense. I'll wait for other corrections and then I'll come back with a better transcription.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: Wolfgang
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 04:46 AM

After rehearing, the before last line has to be (thanks to Snuffy and Martin):

I will toss off a glass unto you, fair maid,...

The 'no more to muse' bit, good as it sounds, doesn't agree with what I hear, but I'm still no willing to bet on my transcription above.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: west of ireland
From: Noreen
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 09:51 AM

Hi Wolfgang. I had to refer to my friend Joe Kerins' notebook for this, I couldn't make out what that final phrase meant either. It's:

Now to conclude, no more for use my pen I will throw down.

i.e. he's not going to use his pen any more. The rest of it sounds fine now, but I'll always think of him throwing a glass onto his lass, when I hear it in the future! :0)

Good luck with singing it!

Noreen

Subject: Lyr Add: WEST OF IRELAND
From: Wolfgang
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 10:04 AM

Thanks, Noreen. I'm tempted a bit to say 'onto' was but a typo, but that would be a lie. Until Snuffy pointed it out for me, I never had seen the difference between onto and unto. Here's now the final version as far as I am concerned, ready for harvesting:

Wolfgang

WEST OF IRELAND

One summer's morn, as I walked forth all in the foggy dew,
it was there I spied a pretty fair maid appearing in my view.
Where have you strayed, my pretty fair maid or what took you this way?
I am from the west of Ireland, kind Sir, don't me delay.

If you're from the west of Ireland as I take you for to be,
come sit you down in this flowery vale and bear me company.
I kindly did salute this maid I grasped her by the hand,
saying, you're welcome here, my pretty fair maid, from the west of Ireland.

Let go my hand, kind Sir, she said, and don't be making fun,
for if I'm delayed all on my way, my mama would think wrong.
My journey is far if you knew but all so here is my right hand,
and a friend to you I will prove true in the west of Ireland.

Now to conclude no more for use my pen I will throw down,
and to yonder alehouse I will go, my sorrows for to drown.
I will toss off a glass unto you, fair maid, no matter where you stand.
And adieu, adieu to all fair maids from the west of Ireland.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: West of Ireland
From: GUEST,murray munn
Date: 01 Jun 19 - 05:43 PM

Here's my rendition ... transcribed before I scrolled down and saw others had already done it.

The West of Ireland
(as sung by The Boys of the Lough on The Piper’s Broken Finger—best as can be understood by the transcribe)

One summer’s morn as I walked forth all in the foggy dew
It was there I spied a pretty fair mai’en appearing in my view
“Where have you strayed, my pretty fair maid, or what took you this way?”
“I am from the west of Ireland, kind sir, don’t me delay.”

“If you’re from the west of Ireland, that I take you for to be;
Come sit ye down in this flowery vale and bear me company.”
I kindly did salute this maid; I grasped her by the hand …
Sayin’ “You’re welcome here, my pretty fair maid from the west of Ireland.

“Let go my hand, kind sir, she said, and don’t be makin’ fun
For if I’m a little on my way, my mama would think wrong.
My journey is far if you knew at all, so here is my right hand—   
and a friend to you I will prove true in the west of Ireland.”

Now to conclude no more peruse my pen I will throw down.
And to yonder alehouse I will go, my sorrows for to drown.
I will toss up a glass to you, fair lass, no matter where you stand,
And adieu, adieu to all fair maids … from the west of Ireland.