Origins: As I was a-going to the fair of Athy

Subject: Origins: As I was a-going to the fair of Athigh
From: GUEST,Yorkie Chris Bartram
Date: 27 May 26 - 09:43 AM

Martin Carthy sings a very short song:

As I was a-going to the fair of Athigh (or Athay, Athea?),
I saw a girl's petticoat hung out to dry.
I took off my trousers and hung 'em close by
just to keep that girl's petticoat warm.
The petticoat flapped and it made a loud noise.
it fluttered and flounced; lost all feminine poise.
It wound round the legs of my old corduroys.
Oh, trousers, I hope you're on form.

Unfortunately, Martin can't remember where or from whom he got it. Does anyone have any ideas?

Subject: RE: Origins: As I was a-going to the fair of Athay
From: GUEST,Sean O'Shea
Date: 27 May 26 - 10:04 AM

It's Athy and I believe it to be straight out of James Joyce,but the literature source, in detail, escapes me.

Subject: RE: Origins: As I was a-going to the fair of Athay
From: Reinhard
Date: 27 May 26 - 10:33 AM

Paddy Tunny wrote in his book "The Stone Fiddle" (1979), p.54-55:

… When Mick Hernon, still one of Castlecaldwell’s great fiddle-players, was in good spirit and flaking that fine jig, The Rakes of Kildare, he invariably broke into song:

As I was going into the fair of Athy,
I spied an oul’ petticoat hanging up on high.
I took off my trousers and hung them up high
To keep that old petticoat warm

The petticoat fluttered, and made a loud noise,
It lifted its tail and lost feminine poise,
And all round its flounces it wrapped my corduroys.
Old trousers I hope you’re in form.

The night of the wedding, the night of the fun,
The night of the wedding she had a big son.
The father is dead, he was shot with a gun,
And the neighbours maintained ‘twas no harm.

The Woods Band played "Over the Bar (including Road to Athy)" in 1971 on their only and eponymous album "The Woods Band". This included the one verse:

As I was a-going the road to Athy
Saw an old petticoat hanging to dry
I took off me old breeches and hung them nearby
To keep the old petticoat warm

Subject: RE: Origins: As I was a-going to the fair of Athay
From: Reinhard
Date: 27 May 26 - 10:49 AM

Pete Seeger on his 1960 album "The Rainbow Quest" (Folkways FA 2454), track 2b:

As I was going the road to Athay
I saw an old petticoat, hangin' to dry;
So I took off my britches, and hung them close by,
Just to keep that old petticoat warm.

Subject: RE: Origins: As I was a-going to the fair of Athay
From: The Sandman
Date: 27 May 26 - 11:34 AM

Chris Wilson sings a fuller version of the song

Subject: RE: Origins: As I was a-going to the fair of Athay
From: Reinhard
Date: 27 May 26 - 11:36 AM

Young Buchan posted in the 2011 thread
Lyr Req: song about 'a goat becoming a bodhran'?:

Back in the 70s Mike Henry used to sing this - note the third verse:

She came from the mountains, her stockings were black;
I'd like to be tickling the small of her back.
Oh, she came from the mountains, her stockings were red;
I'd like to be tightening her garters.

Going the road to sweet Athy,
I saw an old petticoat hanging to dry;
Took off my trousers and left them near by
To keep the old petticoat warm.

Paddy McCarthy, he had a fine goat.
He tied it up with a rope by the throat.
Along came some fellow and stole off its coat,
And now it's a bloody great bodhran.

I met a girl and she was quite fair.
Her only drawback was her surplus of hair.
She came from Athy in the County Kildare,
And she shaved before Mass every Sunday.

Maggie McCarthy she said unto me,
'I’ll never get married, no never,' said she.
Now she is happily married to me
And the mother of seventeen children.

Tune is approximately The Limerick Rake, with a chorus of mouth music.


The Roud Index lists a song "The Kildare Rake" (Roud 5681) as sung by Michael Quinn from Mullaghbawn, Co. Armagh on the album Outlet OAS 3020 ('Time to Make the Hay') with the first line
"She came down from the mountains, her stockings were black"
and the keywords: Stockings black, Love to be tying her garter, Old Petticoat on line, Took off trousers, Paddy McGinty, Goat, Maggie O'Brien, Never marry, Married me, Seventeen children. Looks like this is the same song.


Christy Moore sang "Maid of Athy" in 1969 on his first album "Paddy on the Road" which are basically verses 1, 2 and 5 of the above. The sleeve notes say "The Maid of Athy briefly and amusingly relates the winning of a girl's heart".

She came from the mountains, her stockings were black;
I'd like to be tickling the small of her back.
Oh, she came from the mountains, her stockings were red;
I'd like to be tightening her garters.

Going the road to sweet Athy,
I saw an old petticoat hanging to dry;
Took off my trousers and left them near by
To keep the old petticoat warm

Maggie O’Brien she said unto me,
'I’ll never get married, no never,' said she.
Now she is happily married to me
And the mother of seventeen children.