Lyr Req: Maid of Coolmore

Subject: Maid of Coolmore
From:
Date: 17 Nov 98 - 01:16 PM

Does anyone have the words to Triona's magnificent song on "Old Hag" record, "The Maid of Coolmore"? Can't understand the words on the album.

Also, a complete text to "Pretty Peg"? Some difficulties there too.

Thanks...

Steve Cook

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAID OF CULMORE
From: Felipa
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 05:27 PM

It's in the Sam Henry folk song collection, edited by John Moulden
The correct spelling is "Culmore,” on the outskirts of Derry City, N Ireland on Lough Foyle

From memory:

The first time I saw my love, she passed me on by
The next time I saw her, she bade me good-bye
The last time I saw her, she grieved my heart sore
As she sailed down the Foyle
And away from Culmore

Oh, had I the power the storms for to rise
I would make the wind blow,
I would darken the skies
I would make the wind blow and the salt seas to roar
To the day that my darling sailed away from Culmore.

To the far parts of America
I will go my love to see
And I shall know no one, nor no one know me
And If I don't find her,
I'll return here no more,
Like an exile I will wander for the Maid of Culmore.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 16-Apr-02.

Subject: RE: Maid of Coolmore
From: Wolfgang
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 02:53 AM

Steve, you can get Pretty Peg by a Forum Search or by using this shortcut . We also had already the Maid of Coolmore in a thread. You can get a version that is closer to the Bothy band version than Felipas by entering Coolmore into a Forum Search.

Wolfgang

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAID OF CULMORE
From: Felipa
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 03:39 AM

Later I remebered the first verse. So all together now:

From Sweet Lovely Derry to fair London town
There is no better harbour anywhere to be found
Where the youngsters each evening sport by the seashore
And the joybells they are ringing for the maid of Culmore

The first time I saw my love, she passed me on by
The next time I saw her, she bade me good-bye
The last time I saw her, she grieved my heart sore
As she sailed down the Foyle and away from Culmore

Oh, had I the power the storms for to rise
I would make the wind blow, I would darken the skies
I would make the wind blow and the salt seas to roar
To the day that my darling sailed away from Culmore

.

To the far parts of America I will go my love to see
And I shall know no one , nor no one know me
And If I don't find her, I'll return here no more,
Like an exile I will wander for the Maid of Culmore.

--I also remember the title of the book, Songs of the People; the Sam Henry Collection. edited by John Moulden probably published by Blackstaff Press, Belfast

Subject: RE: Maid of Coolmore
From: Felipa
Date: 20 Nov 98 - 06:05 PM

Woplfgang - out of curiosity I looked up the former thrtead on this song, It's basically the same as the one I have (I'd omitted the first verse in my initial reply). But there are some suggested words in brackets which are wrong, like heather for harbour, Well, I guess that's okay though the Foyle banks aren't heathery. and the guess at the name of Foyle didn't come out right. it's definitely the Foyle, the estuary which goes into Derry (Lough Foyle and the River Foyle). and Culmore should be spelled with a 'u'. the pronounciation in the song and in the original Irish are both like 'Cool', though nowadays most locals pronounce the area's name with a short 'u', as in the word 'cull'

The other song in the previous thread, about Lord Aldingar is really interesting, so it was well worth a look

Subject: RE: Maid of Coolmore
From: Philippa
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 06:19 AM

The Maid of Culmore is in the Sam Henry collection. When I was looking at the collected songs in the library in Belfast years ago, I saw someone had noted on the Maid of Culmore sheet that it was "worthless" (or something like that" - presumably the writer was only interested in meatier ballads or hisstorical songs? info. from Ulstersongs website: Sam Henry's "Songs of the People": (ISBN 0 8203 1258 4): edited by Gale Huntington, Lani Herrman with contributions from John Moulden. (University of Georgia Press) HARDBACK and dust cover: £30.00 + £5.00 p&p PAPERBACK £11.00 + £4.00 p&p (Original price: (paperback) £27.00 (hardback) £54.00) Songs of the People was a series which ran from 1923 to 1939 in the Coleraine newspaper "The Northern Constitution". For twelve of those years the editor was Sam Henry who contributed upwards of 500 songs of high quality. Previously highly regarded but known only from scrapbook copies compiled by Sam Henry for the Belfast Public Library, The National Library of Ireland and the Library of Congress, this, the first book publication, has been presented with the music in staff notation, an introduction, notes and references and extensive indices. The basic collection for the North of Ireland.

Forthcoming: Songs of the People: Part Two: From 1928-1932 the newspaper series founded by Sam Henry was edited by others. This book, researched and designed by John Moulden, draws on the newspaper archive, the personal papers and memories of one of the collectors and incorporates additional local information. The plagiarism of one of the editors is proven and fully described.The roughly 100 songs, which were not pirated, were collected in Antrim, Derry and Donegal and are presented with musical notation, notes and references and even a few pictures. approx. 160 pages, Price approx. £12, publication intended 1998, more information later. (Ulstersongs, Portrush, N. Ireland)

Subject: RE: Maid of Coolmore
From: Harry O
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 02:29 PM

A cracking good song, but only for those with the "nyah" to sing. About the best I ever heard singing it was Derryman Kevin Mitchell. Whatever happened to you Kevin ? Come back. Harry

Subject: RE: Maid of Coolmore
From: Philippa
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 11:07 AM

Last i heard he was in Glasgow and still singing

Subject: RE: Maid of Culmore
From: Philippa
Date: 24 Jan 99 - 11:27 AM

In fact I believe Kevin Mitchell is on the programme of this month's Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow.

When I was back home in Derry during the seasonal holiday, I looked for the song in my Blackstaff Press edition of the 'Songs of the People'. I couldn't find it. It was, however in Sam Henry's original collection, because I've seen it in his papers archived at the Belfast library. The words and tune are, however, published in Hugh Shields. "Shamrock, Rose and Thistle - songs of North Derry". Belfast: Blackstaff, 1981

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAID OF CULMORE
From: Chris Banshee
Date: 05 May 00 - 02:40 PM

I have heard two version of this beautiful song, one by I think De Dannan and the other, (my favorite) by a man I have a recording off of Thistle and Shamrock years ago. The lyrics as I have heard them are:

From sweet Londonderry, to the fair London town,
There is no finer harbor, anywhere to be found,
Where the children each evening, they play 'round the shore,
And the joy bells are ringing, for the Maid of Culmore.

The first time that I met her, she passed me by,
And the next time that I met her, she bade me goodbye,
But the last time that I met her, she grieved my heart so,
For she sailed down Lough Foyle, away from Culmore.

If I had the power a storm for to rise,
I would blow the wind higher, for to darken the skies.
I would blow the wind higher, to make the salt seas to roar,
On the day that my love sailed, away from Culmore.

To the north of Amerikay, my love I'll search for
For there I know no one and no one knows me.

Ah but should I not find her, I'll return home no more.
But like a pilgrim, I shall wander, for the Maid of Culmore.

Would that all men prove likewise!!

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 16-Apr-02.

Subject: RE: Maid of Coolmore
From: GUEST,Dan-Nova Scotia
Date: 29 May 00 - 10:05 PM

I think the Bothy Band also did a version of this with slight variations on the lyrics, on their Live in Paris LP. It was sung by Triona NiDohmnaill. (I think that's the proper spelling)

Subject: RE: Maid of Coolmore
From: GUEST,Dan-Nova Scotia
Date: 29 May 00 - 10:06 PM

Sorry I guess I should read all that has gone before.