Hi Daniel O'Donnell recorded my father Stewart Ross's song 'My Bonnie Maureen' in 1988 as stated. It is actually a Scottish song - but Daniel's version has a couple of lyric differences and is also in a different style to the way it it was first written and copyrighted. So depending on whose version you hear the odd word and the way the chorus comes in will be different as well as where the stresses are on various words and odd notes. All are different approaches to the same copyright song, and there have been Scottish, Country and Folk styled versions mostly only available on a small-time basis - until Daniel O'Donnell picked it up.

It was written in Inverness Scotland in 1971. My brother was engaged to a local lass called Maureen and suggested to my father that he write a song with her name in it in her honour. Not long after the song was written and recorded my brother split up with Maureen!


MY BONNIE MAUREEN
(C) 1971 Stewart Ross/ Stewart Ross pub. /Valentine Music (at the present date 2004)

Though I'm far from the Highlands, the hill and the glen,
Still in my fancy, my thoughts turn again.
For there lives a lassie, the fairest I've seen,
She is so lovely, my bonnie Maureen.

Oft in the twilight, at the close of the day,
Sadly in fancy my memories stray
To the land I was born in, a land fresh and clean,
And the lassie who lives there, my bonnie Maureen.

CHORUS: Beautiful maiden of far distant shore,
Will I return and see you once more?
Oh, how I long for what might have been,
Lass of the highlands, my bonnie Maureen.

I hope and I pray that my dreams will come true,
And one day I'll walk through the heather with you,
And there in the church/chapel* in the valley so green,
We will join hands forever, my Bonnie Maureen.

CHORUS: Beautiful maiden of far distant shore,
Will I return and see you once more?
Oh, how I long for what might have been,
Lass of the highlands, my bonnie Maureen.
We will join hands forever. my bonnie Maureen.


*Church and chapel are interchangeable.
Some versions have the chorus line as
"And the lassie who lives there, my bonnie Maureen".