Origins: Sweet Little Town of Coleraine (Flavin?)

Subject: Origins: Town Of Coleraine
From: GUEST,Declan Gamble
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 06:44 PM

Hi I spotted this video on Youtube and seemed to like the song. Only thing is that it was sung by Irish Country Artist Mick Flavin. Just wondering if it is an unknown song to you or is it a well known traditional song. If you can, will you find out who wrote the song etc (full background of the song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KMoiQMbouk

Subject: Lyr Add: SWEET LITTLE TOWN OF COLERAINE (Flavin?)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Apr 09 - 11:26 PM

Oddly enough, this song isn't mentioned at Mick Flavin's web site, so I can't confirm that he wrote it, but I can't find any evidence that anybody else ever recorded it. For what it's worth, here's my transcription from the YouTube video:


SWEET LITTLE TOWN OF COLERAINE
As sung by Mick Flavin

1. There's a sweet little spot in the county of Derry.
If ever you go there, you'll want to remain.
You may travel old Ireland from Antrim to Kerry,
And not find a spot like the town of Coleraine.
Sure the boys and the girls never seem there to alter.
It's go where you like, sure they're always the same.
And if ever you're wantin' a light hearty welcome,
Just come to the sweet little town of Coleraine.

2. Ah, you hear about sportin' in the sweet land of Gortin(?),
With Mary or Lizzie or Cassie or Jane,
But more famous and pretty is our own wee Kitty
Who trips with her pitcher to the fair of Coleraine.
Sure the girls from Killarney, they'd fill you with blarney.
To hear of their beauty, 'twould drive you insane,
And the girls from the city, though they think themselves pretty,
Would never compare with the girls of Coleraine.

3. Though I'm here in this strange land, my heart is in Ireland,
And in that fair spot it will always remain.
Not in Galway or Kerry, nor the city of Derry,
But where I was born, the wee town of Coleraine.
Oh, my star of the north, shining on yon Bann waters,
I wonder if ever I'll see you again.
May good fortune shine down on the sons and the daughters
That hail from the sweet little town of Coleraine.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sweet Little Town of Coleraine (Flavin?)
From: Deda
Date: 30 Mar 15 - 06:14 PM

This was recorded by Burl Ives. Some kind soul here helped me find it referenced in a book, not too long ago, but before the technical meltdown == and I've since lost the thread and can't seem to re-trace it. The Burl Ives LP "Burl Ives Sings Songs of Ireland" (IIRC) had this song on it, but it's mistakenly listed as the OTHER Colerain song about Kitty tripping through the fair. But the actual LP, which Amos and I grew up with, had this song, and I'd LOVE to find, again, the book that contained these lyrics.

Deda

Subject: RE: Origins: Sweet Little Town of Coleraine (Flavin?)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 31 Mar 15 - 07:09 AM

A somewhat shorter version was published in Songs of the People by Sam Henry. Coleraine Newspaper "The Northern Constutution" on 31st January 1925. Fuller texts are extant but, my books being in boxes, I can't search as I would need to. However, it's older than Mick Flavin.

Subject: RE: Origins: Sweet Little Town of Coleraine (Flavin?)
From: GUEST,John Moulden
Date: 31 Mar 15 - 07:25 AM

Inspired memory (I'm not senile yet!) led me to check my copy of a little book called 'Ireland Calling' a 20 page, approx A6 size booklet published by Mozart Allan in Glasgow. I bought mine in the 1950s or early 60s but it was first printed in the late 20s or 30s. It contains much the same words as appear above. The tune is od course, Teddy O'Neale.