Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie (Stanley Robertson)

Subject: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie
From: folktheatre
Date: 11 May 07 - 02:41 PM

Am looking for the lyrics to this beautiful song on the Voice of the People box set.

Can anyone translate the scottish? Is it on here with a different name maybe?

Michael FT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie
From: folktheatre
Date: 12 May 07 - 04:34 AM

It's on....:

Volume 15: As Me and My Love Sat Courting - Songs of Love, Courtship & Marriage (Topic TSCD 665)

And sung by Stanley Robertson, Aberdeen, 1973. Roud 12939.

Yep.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 12 May 07 - 04:59 AM

Can't find the lyrics here or anywhere else, Michael.

If you see what you can make of them and put them up on this thread I'm sure you'll get people helping with missing bits.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie
From: Declan
Date: 12 May 07 - 05:04 AM

There's an Irish (I think) song called Moorlough Mary which is sung by (among others) Cathal McConnell of Boys of the Lough. Without seeing or hearing Moorlough Maggie, I can't tell if its related or not.

Moorlough Mary begins
"When first I saw you my Moorlough Mary,
It was in the Market of Sweet Strabane"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 May 07 - 05:46 AM

The songs are classed separately by Roud; plenty of examples of 'Moorlough Mary', one only of 'Moorlough Maggie'. That doesn't necessarily mean they are not related.

There are full lyric transcriptions in the VOP inserts, surely? Show us the transcription; we will help with any difficult words.

Subject: Lyr Add: MOORLOUGH MAGGIE (Stanley Robertson)
From: GUEST,Steve Byrne
Date: 08 Sep 09 - 09:05 PM

I realise I'm a couple of years behind the times but perhaps this might be of help to someone.

I'm cataloguing Stanley's song at the moment for the Kist o Riches / Tobar an Dualchais project and came here looking for clues. Alas it's a singular entry in Roud and I can find little other trace.

Here are the lyrics from the 1974 tape I'm working on:
^^
And dae ye see love, yon flock o sheep
One hundred must I own but two or three
I'll grant them aa tae my moorlove Muggie
Gin she consents for tae gang wi me         [if, go]

Tae gie consent love I daurna gie          [to give, I dare not give]
Tae herd yer sheep high in yon heathery hills
I'll grant them aa tae my moorlove Muggie
Gin she consents for tae gang wi me

And dae ye see love yon herd o kye          [cattle]
One hundred must I own but two or three
I'll grant them aa tae my moorlove Muggie
Gin she consents for tae gang wi me

Tae gie consent love, I daurna gie
Tae herd yer sheep high in yon heathery hills
T'll grant them aa tae my moorlove Muggie
Gin she consents for tae gang wi me

And dae ye see yon ships at sea
One hundred must I own but two or three
I'll grant them aa tae my moorlove Muggie
Gin she consents for tae gang wi me

Tae gie consent love I daurna gie
Tae herd yer sheep high in yon heathery hills
I'll grant them aa tae my moorlove Muggie
Gin she consents for tae gang wi me

Fairly repetitive on the face of it, but Stanley manages to make it sound fabulous.

VOP's title is, in my view, incorrect. Stanley is clearly singing 'Moorlove' rather than 'Moorlough'. And while VOP has chosen 'Maggie', on the 1974 tape Stanley explains quite deliberately that he sings 'Muggie', and not 'Maggie', such is the pronunciation from his part of the world. He also says he got the song from his Auntie Maggie (McQueen, presumably, going by Stanley's own genealogical chart).

I think it's probably a verging-on-mondegreen conflation that, thanks to the well-known Irish song, 'Moorlough Mary', we find 'Moorlough Maggie' on VOP.

As for the song's origin / relationships, it's quite hard to say. There are any number of songs out there with the "I'll give you sheep and cows and ships on the ocean if you'll go with me" element. I can't see a great deal of similarity to 'Moorlough Mary' from the versions I have to hand in O'Lochlainn and O Boyle.

It reminds me a bit, in feel at least, of Roud 3785 'Cauries and Kye', or 'Courting Among the Kye', as Ord calls it. However, 'Moorlove' is so lacking in any kind of developed narrative, it's hard to link it decisively to anything else. One could venture it has elements of a handful of Child ballads (e.g. the latter sections of Child 228 - Glasgow Peggie), but the link is not strong enough to conclude that 'Moorlove' is a variant of any of them. It seems almost like a fragment that's been turned into a song of sorts through the use of formulaic repetition. Definitely a fragment of something, but not enough there to tell quite what at the moment.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Sep 09 - 09:15 PM

O'er the Moor to Maggie?

I can't find a copy of either the words or the tune here at the moment - will look tomorrow if nobody else jumps in.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie
From: Peace
Date: 09 Sep 09 - 08:26 PM

Try CB 226 also.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Sep 09 - 03:38 AM

The words Stanley sings are in the liner notes. (More or less).

Subject: Lyr Add: MOORLOUGH MARY (from Bodleian)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Sep 09 - 10:13 AM

From the Bodleian broadside collection, 2806 b.11(223):

^^
MOORLOUGH MARY
[Printed in London between 1863 and 1885]

The first time I saw young Moorlough Mary
Was in a market of sweet Strabane.
Her smiling countenance was so engaging,
The hearts of young men she did trepan.
Her killing glances bereaved my senses
Of peace and comfort by night and day.
In my silent slumbers, I start with wonder.
O, Moorlough Mary, won't you come away?

To see my darling on a summer morning,
When Flora's fragrance bedecks the lawn,
Her neat deportment and manner courteous,
Around her sporting the lamb and fawn.
On her I ponder where'er I wander,
And still grow fonder, dear maid, of thee.
By thy matchless charms I am enamoured.
O, Moorlough Mary, won't you come away?

Now I'll away to my situation,
Though recreation is all in vain
On the river Mourin, where lambkins sport,
The rocks re-echoing my plaintive strain.
I'll press my cheese while my wool's a-teasing.
My ewes I'll milk by the peep o' day.
The whirring muircock and lark alarms me.
O, Moorlough Mary, won't you come away?

On Moorlough banks I will never wander,
Where heifers graze on a pleasant soil,
Where lambkins sporting, fair maids resorting,
The timorous hare and blue heather bell,
The thrush and blackbird will join harmonious,
Their notes melodious on the river brae,
And the little small birds would join the chorus.
O, Moorlough Mary, won't you come away?

Were I a man of great education,
Or Erin's Isle at my own command,
I'd lay me down on her milk-white bosom.
In wedlock bands, love, we'd join our hands.
I'd entertain thee both night and morning.
With robes I'd deck thee both night and day.
With kisses sweet, love, I would embrace you.
O, Moorlough Mary, won't you come away?

Farewell, my charming young Moorlough Mary.
Ten thousand times I bid you adieu.
While life remains in my glowing bosom,
I'll never cease, love, to think on you.
Now I'll away to some lonely valley
With tears bewailing both night and day,
To some silent arbour where none can hear me.
O, Moorlough Mary, won't you come away?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie (Stanley Robertson)
From: AmyLove
Date: 03 Feb 17 - 11:06 PM

TG4 footage of John Doherty singing Moorlough Mary in 1965:

John Doherty sings Murlough Mary

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie (Stanley Robertson)
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Feb 17 - 08:53 AM

Maybe Sam Lee knows more about it, from the time he spent with Stanley?

Does he sing it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie (Stanley Robertson)
From: BobKnight
Date: 04 Feb 17 - 02:44 PM

Stanley's aunt Maggie was Maggie Stewart, not McQueen, she was my mother's aunt, and my mother was named after her, maiden name, Margaret (Maggie) Stewart. Aunt Maggie was a sister of Auld Maria Stewart, Jeannie Robertson's mother, also my mother's cousin. Confused?? :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie (Stanley Robertson)
From: GUEST,Joss Cameron
Date: 29 Nov 17 - 11:11 AM

Bob, Maggie McQueen was also known as Maggie Robertson, my Great Aunty. She was also Stanleys aunty, she married Davy Robertson. Confused?? Aye we all are!!! As Bob knows (we know eachother), the older generations shared names that were the same!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie (Stanley Robertson)
From: GUEST,Will Fitzgerald
Date: 13 Jan 18 - 03:15 PM

Here is a transcription from the singing of Paddy Tunney

The very first time I met my Moorlough Mary
’Twas in the market of sweet Strabane
Her killing glances were so engaging
The hearts of young men she did trepan
Her killing glances bereft my senses
Of peace or comfort either night or day
And in silent slumber I start and murmur
Oh Moorlough Mary won’t you come away?

Were I a man of great education
Or Erin’s Isle at my own command
I would lay my head on your snowy bosom
In wedlock bands, love, we’d join our hands
I would entertain you both night and morning
With robes I’d deck you both night and day
And with kisses, sweet love, I would embrace you
Oh Moorlough Mary won’t you come away?

On Moorlough's banks now no more I'll wander
Where heifers graze on yon pleasant soil
Where lambkins sporting, fair maids resorting
A timorous hare and blue heather bell
I would press my cheese while my wool's a-teasing
My ewes I'd milk by the break of day
While a whirring moorcock and lark alures me
Oh Moorlough Mary won’t you come away?

Now I'll away to my situation, my recreation is all in vain
On the river Mourne where the salmon sporting
The rocks re-echoing my plaintive strain
Where the thrush and blackbird do join harmonious
Their notes melodious on the river brae
And the little song-birds will join in chorus
Oh Moorlough Mary won’t you come away?

Now it's fare you well my own charming Mary
Ten thousand times I bid you adieu
While life remains in my glowing bosom
I'll never cease, love, to think on you
Now I'll away to some lonely valley
With tears be wailing both night and day
In some silent arbour where none can hear me
Since Moorlough Mary you won’t come away?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEq8b96EkHY

One change: 'harbour' to 'arbour' in the penultimate line

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie (Stanley Robertson)
From: GUEST,Joss
Date: 28 May 21 - 03:58 AM

Maggie McQueen was Davy (Iron Man's) wife. Maggie was the daughter of Grace (Robertson), who was Sojur Donald's sister. Sojur Donald was Jeannie Robertson's dad.
My grannie was Annie (Robertson) McQueen. They were also known as Stewarts. From Old Meldrum way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Moorlough Maggie (Stanley Robertson)
From: GUEST,jim Bainbridge
Date: 28 May 21 - 05:22 AM

'Now Nell is her mother's own mother
Her father becomes her own son,
Her auntie's first child is her daughter-in-law
And her granny's a son of a gun'

          (last verse of 'Little Nell' from Freddie Mackay of Belfast)