RED IS THE ROSE

1. Over the mountain down in the glen
By a little thatched cot in the valley
Where the thrush & the linnet sing their song & their ditty
And my love's leaning over the half door

CHORUS:
Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows.
Fair is the lily of the valley.
Clear is the water that flows from the stream,
But my love is fairer than any.

2. Down by the seashore on a cold summer's eve
With the moon raising over the heather
The moon, it shone clear on her locks of golden hair
As she vowed she'd be my love forever

3. It's not for the parting with my sister Kate.
It's not for the loss of my mother.
But it's for the loss of my bonny blue eyed lass
That I'm leaving my home land forever.


I probably got this from the singing of Joe Heany maybe 30 yrs ago & he said he had it from his grandfather when he was a very young boy.
Joe also said he believed it was older than Lock Lomond but he gave no reason as to why he believed that. Joe sang this in his remarkable Connamara sean nos style which distinguishes his version from the version Tommy got from his mother.

Barry