Lyr Req: Maid of Kilmore

Subject: Lyr Add: MAID OF KILMORE
From: toadfrog
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 01:10 AM

This is a good song. I have the entire song on a reel-to-reel tape, but no reel-to-reel recorder, so right now it's inaccessible. It was recorded with a group of songs by Belle Stewart and her family. The Stewart who sang it had an Irish first name and accent. As I recall, the theme was, a man falls in love with woman who rejects him, and then immigrates. He is bitter, and wishes a storm would rise and sink the ship. Then he believes his wish has come true, and is consumed with remorse. (But it could also be, I misremember or misapprehended the real point.)

Here is what I recall of the song; does anyone know the rest of it? (It is decidedly not on DT.)

MAID OF KILMORE

Author Not Known

From sweet Londonderry to fair London town,
There's no better harbor on earth can be found,
[lost words} and away from the shore,
I first set my eyes on the maid of Kilmore.

The first time I met her, she passed me by,
The next time I met her, she bid me goodbye,
But the last time I met her, she grieved my heart sore,
[Lost words] and away from Kilmore.

[Lost words]
The wind would blow high and darken the sky,
The wind would blow high and the billows would roar,
[Lost words] Kilmore.

[missing verses]

To the North of America, my love I'll go see,
Where I don't know no one, nor no one knows me,
But if I don't find her, I'll return home no more,
Like an eagle I'll wander for the maid of Kilmore.

JWM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Maid of Kilmore
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 02:06 AM

Hi, toadfrog -

This can also be found on The Bothy Band's 2nd album, Old Hag You Have Killed Me, as "The Maid Of Coolmore." I didn't see this in the DT.

-chanteyranger

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAID OF COOLMORE
From: Pene Azul
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 02:21 AM

A version from here on The Tramps' lyrics page:

THE MAID OF COOLMORE
(Traditional)

From sweet Londonderry to the fair London Town
There is no other like her anywhere to be found
Where the children are smiling and playing around the shore
And the joybells are ringing for the maid of Coolmore

The first time that I met her she passed me by
The next time that I met her she bade me goodbye
But the last time that I met her she grieved my heart so
For she sailed down off Ireland away from Coolmore

If I had the power or the strength to arise
I would blow the wind back here for to turn the blue skies
I would blow the wind back here to make the salt sea to rise
On the day that my love sailed away from Coolmore

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Maid of Kilmore
From: Big Tim
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 03:41 AM

I wonder if the place name is really "Culmore", just a few miles north of [London]Derry?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAID OF CULMORE
From: Pene Azul
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 03:46 AM

Lyrics, notes and an MP3 to "The Maid of Culmore"here.

THE MAID OF CULMORE
(Traditional)

From sweet Londonderry, oh, to fair London town
There is no better harbour anywhere to be found
Where the children each evening are round the seashore
And the joybells are ringing for the maids of Culmore

The first time I saw my love she passed me by
And the next time I saw her she bade me goodbye
And the third time I saw her she grieved my heart sore
And she sailed down Lough Foyle and away from Culmore

To the north parts of America I will go my love see
Where I will know no one, oh, or no one knows me
And it's if I don't find her I'll return back no more
Like an exile I will wander from the maid of Culmore

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Maid of Kilmore
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 04:44 AM

Tim, you're right about the location. From Irish cúl - corner - should be pronounced "cool" as it is in the song, but now even local people tend to pronounce the placename with a short u. Previous threads:
Maid of Coolmore
also Maid of Culmore

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Maid of Kilmore
From: Big Tim
Date: 02 Jun 01 - 10:50 AM

Hey, tho I say so myself, the Culmore hunch wasn't a bad one!! I forgot that I have a little booklet called "My Parents Reared Me Tenderly and other traditional songs sung in Inishowen" by Jim McFarland and Jimmy McBride.(1985)And "Maid of Culmore" is in it, page 20, 4 verses, very similar to those already posted. Phillipa: re the place name; it's "big nook, or secluded spot", Cuil Mhor. If it were "Coill Mhor", as in the Monaghan place name of Culmore, it would be "big wood". Still with me! (From: "Irish place names" by Deirdrie and Laurence Flanagan. Gill & Macmillan, 1994, isbn 0 71712066 2066 x. By the way, it's definitely pronounced as "kullmore", I was born and raised just five miles away, and today my brother is Mayor of the neighbouring village of Muff. All the best.