Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman

Subject: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: DerrytreskGirl
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 02:46 PM

Hey everyone!

I'm looking for the words of "O'Reilly the Fisherman" if anyone has them i would be grateful if you could post them up.

Thanks DerrytreskGirl.

Subject: Lyr Add: RILEY THE FISHERMAN
From: GUEST,Henryp
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 06:06 PM

RILEY THE FISHERMAN

As I walked out one morning down by the riverside
I heard a lovely maid complain and the tears fell from her eyes
This is a cold and stormy night, these words she then did say
My love is on the raging sea bound for Amerikay

John Riley is my true love's name, he lives down by the quay
He is as nice a young man that ever my eyes did see
My father he has riches great but Riley he was poor
Because I love my sailor lad, they could not me endure

My mother came one morning and unto me did say
If you be fond of Riley you must leave this count-e-ry
Your father says he will take his life and that without delay
So you must either go on board or shun his company

Oh mother dear don't be severe, for where I send my love
His very heart lies in my breast as constant as a dove
Oh daughter dear, I'm not severe, here is one thousand pound
Send Riley to Amerikay and purchase there some ground

Oh when she got that money to Riley she did run
Saying this very night you must take your life, for my father's charged his gun
Here is one thousand pound in gold my mother sent to you
Sail off to Amerikay and I will follow you

It was then twelve months after, she was walking by the sea
When Riley he came back again and took his love away
The ship was wrecked, all hands was lost, her father grieved full sore
He found his daughter in Riley's arms, drowned upon the shore

They found this letter in her breast, it being wrote with blood
Saying Cruel was my parents that they thought to shoot my love
Now may this be a warning to all fair maids so gay
And never let the lad you love go to Amerikay

Collected by Ralph Vaughan William from George Hall in Hooton Roberts in 1907; sung by Coope Boyes and Simpson on Triple Echo.

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN O'REILLY (THE FISHERMAN)
From: ClaireBear
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 06:09 PM

Is this it?

JOHN O'REILLY

(O'Reilly The Fisherman) (Willie Reilly)

I rode out one evening in the lovely month of May,
I heard a lovely maid complain, the tears rolled from her eyes;
This is a dark and a stormy night, those words to me did say,
My love is on the raging seas bound to America.

My love he was a fisherman, his age was scarce eighteen,
He was the nicest young man that ever yet was seen;
My father he had riches great and Reilly he was poor,
Because I loved this fisherman they could not him endure.

John O'Reilly was my true love's name, lived near the town of Bray,
My mother took me by the hand, those words to me did say;
If you'll be fond of Reilly, you must quit this country,
Your father says he'll take your life, so shun his company.

Oh, mother dear, don't be severe, where will you send my love?
My very heart lies in his breast as constant as a dove;
Oh, daughter dear, I'm not severe, here is one thousand pounds,
So send Reilly to America to purchase there borne ground.

When Ellen got the money, to Reilly she did run,
Saying, this very night to take your life, my father charged a gun;
Here is one thousand pounds in gold my mother sends to you,
So sail away to America and I will follow you.

It was just three weeks later they were lying by the shore,
When Reilly he came back again and took his love away;
The ship got wrecked all hands were lost, her father's grief was sore,
Found Reilly in her arms and they drownded on the shore.

And in her bosom a note was found, and it was wrote with blood,
Saying, cruel was my father who thought to shoot my love;
So, let this be a warning to all fair maidens so gay,
To never let the lad you love go to America.

___________________________________
Notes from the source site (click here):

Author unknown. Variant of a mid-19th century British broadside ballad, Riley The Fisherman [Laws M8] American Balladry From British Broadsides, p.263 (G. Malcolm Laws, 1957). Also a variant of a 19th century British broadside ballad, Riley The Fisherman, published by A. Ryle and Co. (London) between 1845 and 1859, and archived at the Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, shelfmark: Harding B 17(257b)

Sung by Mike Kent (b.1904) of Cape Broyle, NL, and sung as Willie Reilly by Jack Knight (b.1874) of Pouch Cove, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).

A very similar variant was also collected in 1952 from Phillip Foley of Tilting, NL, by Ken Peacock and published as O'Reilly The Fisherman in Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 3, pp.698-700, by The National Museum Of Canada (1965) Crown Copyrights Reserved.

Kenneth Peacock noted that this beautiful Irish ballad has appeared in many English and American broadsides and books, but he doubted that any of them surpass this Newfoundland variant.

A variant was also collected in 1976 from Gerald Campbell of Branch, NL, by Genevieve Lehr and Anita Best and published as #84 in Come And I Will Sing You: A Newfoundland Songbook, pp.149-150, edited by Genevieve Lehr (University of Toronto Press © 1985/2003).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: ClaireBear
Date: 27 Aug 09 - 06:11 PM

Cross posted, so now you have your choice of English and Newfoundland versions.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: DerrytreskGirl
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 10:52 AM

the one i was looking started

"One evening fair to take the air....."

Any luck?

DerrytreskGirl

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 11:14 AM

That sounds more like Blackwaterside than Riley The Fisherman, the most interesting aspect of which is its time signature. Just put "Blackwatersise" into a search engine to be bombarded with lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: DerrytreskGirl
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 12:51 PM

I know for a fact the recording i have isn't Blackwaterside- "As I roved out one evening...."

I have tried to listen word for word of my recording and this is what i have come up with so far.

"One evening fair to take the air (although?)
I chanced to stray down by a silvery winding stream (..........)
I overheard a maid complain as the tears fell from her eyes
Saying "my love is on the ocean wide bound for Americkay"

John O'Reilly was my true loves name he lived near the town of Brae.....

I have the whole song on recording but not all the words are easily picked up.

Thanks, still hoping for help
Derrytresk Girl.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 01:18 PM

A quick look through the Roud index for the 1st line of the John Reilly versions seems to indicate that it's the version collected by Robin Morton from Sarah Anne O'Neill on the records: Topic TSCD 654 Farewell My Own Dear Native Land or Topic 12TS 372 On the Shores of Lough Neagh. This is the only version starting One evening fair to take the air. Sadly I have neither recording.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 01:37 PM

(That 1st one is in the Voice of the People series btw).

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 01:45 PM

DerrytreskGirl

An internet search also showed a review suggesting that the version of the song recorded by Leraud of this parish may have been Sarah Anne O'Neill's. If noone provides it, you might try a PM to her to check that (she's might be at Broadstairs this week, but that ends today anyway).

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: DerrytreskGirl
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 03:12 PM

she lives right beside me so i might just take a call in.

thanks anyway.

Derrytresk Girl.

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN REILLY
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 03:31 PM

I've got the LP, and the CD, but I still had to wait until I saw Mick Pearce's comments before I recognised this song. Anyway here you go - I've copied the transcription of the lyrics from the Topic CD booklet, although on listening to the song again I thought I heard some very slight differences.


JOHN REILLY (Roud 270)

One evening fair to take the air alone I chanced to stray
Down by a silvery winding stream that ran along the way
I overheard a maid complain as the tears fell from her eyes,
Saying, "My love is on the ocean wide bound for America."

"John Reilly was my true love's name, he lived near the town of Bray.
He was as fine a young man as ever you did see,
My father he had riches, while Reilly he was poor,
But because he was a fisherman they could not him endure."

Her mother took her by the hand and this to her did say,
"If you be fond of Reilly, you must shun his company.
Here is one hundred pounds in gold and it can all be used.
Send Reilly to America and you can follow, too."

When Eileen got the money to Reilly she did run,
Saying, "This very night to take your life my father charged his gun,
Here is one hundred pounds in gold my mother sent to you,
So you sail for America and I will follow you."

It was early then next morning that young Reilly he sailed away,
But before he'd put his foot on board these words he then did say,
"Here is a token of true love and we'll break it now in two,
Here is a ring and half my heart until I find out you."

It was three or four months after she was walking down by the quay,
When Reilly he came back again for to take his love away.
The ship was wrecked, all hands were lost and her father grieved full sore,
He found Reilly in her arms and both drownded on the shore.

He found a letter on her breast and it was wrote with with blood,
Saying, "Cruel was my father who thought he would shoot my love."
Let this now be a warning to all young maidens gay,
For to never let the lads they love sail to America.

Sung by Sarah Anne O'Neill
Recorded by Robin Morton in the singer's home near Derrytresk, Coalisland, County Tyrone, 1977.
Issued on Topic LP 12TS372 On The Shores Of Lough Neagh 1978, and on Topic CD TSCD654 Farewell, my own dear native land (Vol 4 in The Voice of the People series).

John Moulden's notes to the original LP give Sarah Anne O'Neill's account of how she learned the song:

"My father used to sing John Reilly from the Town of Bray but I never learned it. After that I heard it a few times and was interested because of my father so I got the words from Brian Mullen of Derry. I heard it once at a Fleadh, I think from Kevin Mitchell."

John Moulden added:

"Sarah Anne has remade parts of the song since learning it.
This very widespread song more often called Reilly the Fisherman has a story of tragedy, almost certainly the work of a broadsheet writer. All the ingredients are here, true love, forbidding father, departed lover, lover returning prosperous, elopement, mutual accidental death and , final irony, the discovery of the dead lovers, locked in each other's arms, by the cruel parent.
The air is a variant of the Star of the County Down and, like it, pentatonic."

Matthew Edwards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: DerrytreskGirl
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 03:42 PM

thank you soo much matthew :)

DerrytreskGirl

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 06:28 PM

Derrytresk Girl

Glad to have been able to help you out - but seriously if you live right beside Sarah Anne O'Neill then please do GO and listen to her in person. She's a wonderful singer - and I'm sure that she would love to pass on her songs to someone local.

Matthew

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 09:00 PM

"One evening fair to take the air" is a floating verse but it is the first line of Blackwaterside, not "As I roved out one evening" which is the first line of Handsome Sailor Boy and doubtless others of that ilk.

I thought the OP meant she lived near Lynne Heraud (who I've never heard do Riley The Fisherman (which doesn't mean she doesn't) but she's probably at Towersey this weekend.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 28 Aug 09 - 09:21 PM

Lynne and Pat sang John Reilly on Parallel and it was a comment in this review suggesting it was Sarah Anne O'Neill's version that lead me to suggest contacting Lynne: Parallel review.


Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: DerrytreskGirl
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:42 AM

Yeah i do :)
Just thought i would check the internet before going into her, as she has so many songs it would take her ages to find the one in question.

Thanks for your help.

DerrytreskGirl.

Subject: Lyr Add: O'REILLY THE FISHERMAN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 11:53 PM

From Irish Come-All-Ye's, compiled and arranged by Manus O'Conor (New York: The Popular Publishing Company, 1901), page 49:


O'REILLY THE FISHERMAN.

As I roved out one evening fair, down by the river side,
I heard a lovely maiden complain. The tears fell from her eyes.
"This is a cold and stormy night," those words she then did say,
"My love is on the raging sea, bound for America.

"My love he was a fisherman. His age was scarce eighteen.
He was as nice a young man as ever yet was seen.
My father he had riches great, and Riley he was poor.
Because I loved this fisherman, they could not him endure.

"John O'Riley was my true love's name, reared near the town of Bray.
My mother took me by the hand and these words to me did say:
'If you be fond of Riley, let him quit this country.
Your father says he'll take his life, so shun his company.'

"'Oh, mother, dear, don't be severe. where will you send my love?
My very heart lies in his breast as constant as a dove.'
'Oh, daughter, dear, I'm not severe. here is one thousand pound,
So send Riley to America to purchase there some ground.'"

When Ellen got the money to Riley she did run,
Saying: "This very night, to take your life, my father charged a gun.
Here is one thousand pound in gold, my mother sent to you,
So sail away to America and I will follow you."

When Riley got the money, next day he sailed away,
And when he put his foot on board, those words she then did say:
"Here is a token of true love, and we'll break it now in two.
You'll have my heart and half my ring until I find out you."

It was three months after, as he was waiting by the shore,
When Riley he came back again to take his love away.
The ship was wrecked, all hands were lost, her father grieved full sore,
And found Riley in her arms, and they drowned upon the shore.

He found a letter on her breast, and it was wrote with blood,
Saying: "Cruel was my father that thought to shoot my love!
So let this now be a warning to all fair maids so gay,
To never let the lads they love go to America."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O'Reilly the Fisherman
From: MartinRyan
Date: 15 Oct 14 - 09:35 AM

There's now a fine recording of Sarah Anne O'Neill singing her version, at The Goilin Song Project:

Click here

Regards