Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl / Pride of Liscarroll

Subject: Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl/ pride of Liscarrol
From: GUEST,Gill Cawley
Date: 07 May 07 - 01:04 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics of this song, and some idea of where it came from and how old it might be. Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl/ pride of Liscarrol
From: Peace
Date: 07 May 07 - 03:39 PM

Can you provide ANY lyrics at all?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl/ pride of Liscarrol
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 07 May 07 - 04:09 PM

For two undated songsheets, see Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads:

The blind Irish girl

The first was printed on green paper and the digital image is unreadable, but it is noted as 'Performer: Donnelly, R.' This is Robert Donnelly, who apparently also wrote it. It seems first to have been published around 1895. Donnelly also wrote, among other things, the words of 'Don't Go Down in the Mine, Dad'.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLIND IRISH GIRL (from Bodleian)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 May 07 - 11:40 PM

Here's my transcription from Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, Harding B 11(1816):

THE BLIND IRISH GIRL

1. In my native home, Lisscarroll,
Lives a colleen who is blind;
And her name is Katie Farrell.
To her the neighbours are all kind.
To see her knit beside her mother,
You ne'er would think her sight was gone;
And with Barney, her young brother,
She milks the cows at early dawn.

CHORUS: The pride of Lisscarroll is sweet Katie Farrell,
With cheeks as red as roses and teeth as white as pearl.
The neighbours all pity this colleen so pretty,
And oh! how we all love this blind Irish girl.

2. Years ago when she was courting
Her young sweetheart, Ned Molloy,
One night they were both out walking
With hearts like children, full of joy.
A storm came on and Kate got frightened.
She seized the arm of sweetheart Ned,
When both of them were struck by lightning.
They found her blind and he was dead. CHORUS.

3. What a sad and awful ending,
Just when everything seemed bright,
For her to lose her future husband,
And she, poor girl, to lose her sight!
All the neighbours gathered round her.
One and all to her were kind;
And the reason: her affliction.
They pitied her for she was blind. CHORUS.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl/ pride of Liscarrol
From: Peace
Date: 09 May 07 - 12:02 AM

I think that Jim and Malcolm should be declared national treasures. You guys are somethin' else.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl/ pride of Liscarrol
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 09 May 07 - 08:14 AM

Just as well her name was Farrell or it wouldn't have rhymed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl/ pride of Liscarrol
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 May 07 - 06:41 PM

An Buachaill: Your comment reminds me of a Homer and Jethro song:

HOMER: (sings) On top of Ol' Smoky…all covered with trees…
I stood in the water… plumb up to my ankles….

JETHRO: (interrupting) Homer, just a minute. That don't rhyme.

HOMER: Well, the water wasn't deep enough.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl / Pride of Liscarroll
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jul 19 - 05:28 PM

Would anyone know the birth and death place of Robert Donnelly

The first was printed on green paper and the digital image is unreadable, but it is noted as 'Performer: Donnelly, R.' This is Robert Donnelly, who apparently also wrote it. It seems first to have been published around 1895. Donnelly also wrote, among other things, the words of 'Don't Go Down in the Mine, Dad'.
kind regards
Bobby Beck [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blind Irish Girl / Pride of Liscarroll
From: weerover
Date: 04 Jul 19 - 01:48 PM

Sheet music for this is available at Irish Sheet Music Archives.