Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society, 1904 vol 1 no.2, p57-58

"The Flower of Magherally"
Taken down from the singing of Mrs Ryan, now deceased. She heard it sung by a ballad-monger in Belfast

'Twas at a fair near Banbridge town
I met this blooming maiden O ;
Sure Adam was not more surprised
When he first saw Eve in Eden O !

Her yellow hair in ringlets fair,
Her shoes of Spanish leather O !
She is the girl that won my heart,
And keeps it in the tether O !

And let them all say what they can,
Or let them scoff or rally O !
She is the darlin' of my heart,
An' the flower of Magherally O!


Another version
TAKEN down at the Feis-na-n Gleann held at Waterfoot in County Antrim, June, 1904, from the singing of Dominick Maguire, a native of Castlewellan, County Down.

'Twas on a summer's morning,
The flowers were all a-blowing O !
And nature all adorning,
I met the charming Sally O !

In admiration I did gaze
Upon that lovely maiden O !
Adam was not more surprised
When he met Eve in Eden O !

I hope the day will surely come
When we'll join hands together O !
When I will take my darling home
In spite of wind and weather O !



Sam Henry's Songs of the People, pp 243-44
From Dominick Maguire, principal of St. Malachy's Schools, Coleraine, 28 Jan 1928

Twas on a summer's morning,
The flowers were a-blooming-o,
Nature all adorning.
The wild birds sweetly singing-o,
I met my love near Banbridge town,
My charming blue-eyed Sally-o,
O, she's the pride of the County Down,
The flower of Magherally-o

In admiration I did gaze
Upon that lovely maiden-o,
Adam was not more surprised
When he met Eve in Eden-o,
Her lovely hair in ringlets fell,
Her shoes of Spanish leather-o,
Her bonnet blue with ribbons strung,
Her scarlet scarf and feather-o.

An Irish boy although I be,
With neither wealth nor treasure-o,
She's the dearest of the dear,
My darling beyond measure-o.
If I'd all the wealth that is possessed
By the great titter-a-tally-o,
I'd give it to her that I love best,
The flower of Magherally-o.

But I hope the time will surely come
When we'll join hands together-o,
It's then I'll take my darling home
In spite of wind and weather-o.
And let them all say what they will,
And let them scowl and rally-o,
For I shall marry the girl I love,
The flower of Magherally-o.


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