Answer to Youghal Harbour

DESCRIPTION: Near Yougal Harbour the singer meets Mary of Cappoquin again. She tells him that she had his baby. He reminds her that her parents had rejected him. He leaves her again "in grief bewailing" to return to his girl "in sweet Rathangan, near to Kildare"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1825 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 28(20))
KEYWORDS: love infidelity rejection separation baby lover
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (1 citation):
OLochlainn 8, "Youghal Harbour" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #2734
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 28(20), "Answer to Youghall Harbour," W. Armstrong (Liverpool), 1820-1824; also Harding B 11(2180), 2806 b.9(227), 2806 b.11(205), Harding B 25(2128), Firth b.27(11/12) View 1 of 2 [partly illegible], 2806 c.15(163), 2806 c.15(17), 2806 b.11(204), Harding B 19(3), "Youghal Harbour" ("As I roved out on a summer's morning")
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Youghall Harbour"
NOTES [34 words]: Yougal, County Cork, is on the Celtic Sea coast. Cappoquin is in County Waterford, about 15 miles north of Yougal. Rathangan is in County Kildare, about 100 miles north-east of Yougal as the crow flies. - BS
File: OLoc008

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This is No. 8 in O'Lochlainn's "Irish Street Ballads" (1960, Corinth Books)

YOUGHAL HARBOUR

As I roved out on a summer's morning,
Early as the day did dawn,
When sol appeared in pomp and glory,
I took my way through a pleasant lawn.
Where pinks and violets were sweetly blooming,
And linnets warbling in every shade,
I've been alarmed by a killing charmer,
Near Youghal Harbour I met this maid.

Her aspect pleasing, her smiles engaging,
I thought she really would distract my mind,
When I viewed her features, I thought on the fair one
That in Rathangan I left behind.
Her glancing eyes they seemed most pleasing,
“I think young man I saw you before,
Here in your absence in grief I languish,
My dear you’re welcome to me once more.

“Don’t you remember how you once deceived me,
And courted me with right good will,
But at your returning I’ll now quit mourning,
In hopes your promise you will fulfil.
A darling babe for you I’ll be rearing,
As in your travels you have never seen,
If you’ll agree, love, and come with me, love,
We’ll all live happy in Cappoquin.”

“Oh no, fair maid, I will tell you plainly,
Here to remain I will not agree,
For when your parents would not receive me,
It made me leave this countery.
And when your parents would not receive me
It’s then to Leinster I did repair,
Where I fell a-courting another fair one,
In sweet Rathangan, near to Kildare.

And now I’m going to leave off roving
For I am hoping her love to win,
To her I’ll go now, and I’ll bid adieu, now,
Saying ‘Fare you well, sweet Cappoquin.’
So now he has left me in grief bewailing,
That he my tender young heart did win.
So all fair maidens, beware of strangers,
And think on Mary of Cappoquin.”


The tune I know for this is "The Old Triangle," and I believe the name of the town is pronounced "Yawl" (or is it "yowl")

There's a nice town clock in Youghal, and a beautiful lighthouse by the side of the road.