The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #58153   Message #919249
Posted By: Stewie
26-Mar-03 - 09:04 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Flower of Finae
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Flower of Finae
The Parsons recording has 3 additional stanzas. These two after stanza 2 and before 'Fergus O'Farrell was true ...':

But who down the hillside like wild deer runs fleeter
And who on this lakeside is hastening to greet her
Who but Fergus O'Farrell that fiery young gay
The darling and pride of the flower of Finae

One kiss and one clasp, and one wild look of gladness
But why does it change all a sudden to sadness?
He has told his sad fortune he can no longer stay
He must leave his poor Eily alone in Finae

And this one comes in as third to last stanza before 'On the slopes ...':

Lord Clare on the field of Rammillies is charging
Before him the Sasanach squadrons enlarging
Behind him the Cravats their sections display
Beside him rides Fergus and shouts for Finae

In Parsons' version, there are several other minor textual variations from the version in bigJ's posting.

Parsons notes that it was 'written for "The Nation" by Thomas Davis some time between 1842 and his death in 1845'. She learned it from the Nuala Harris who recorded it in the 1980s.

Above text from booklet accompanying Niamh Parsons 'Blackbirds & Thrushes' Green Linnet GLCD1197

--Stewie.