ADD/need info: My Darling County Clare

Subject: RE: Irish Emigrant Ballads and Songs Index
From: GUEST,Helen Batters Rowley
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 12:59 AM

Hi -

I have enjoyed this index - thank you...
I have a song or poem written down in a very old book by my great grandfather who left Ireland for Troy, Ny in 1964.

It is titled : "My Darling County Clare"

First Kibe is: Farewell, my lovely Erin, I mus bid thee now farewell, the grief I feel at parting thee no other tongue can tell,
no land shall win my heart from thee,
though poor thou art and bare,
For thee I'll pray, when far away,
My Darling County Clare.


there is more - would anyone see this rewsponse or like me to give more?

Subject: RE: Irish Emigrant Ballads and Songs Index
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 01:04 AM

Hi, Helen -
Yes, I'd like to see the rest of the poem. I have a friend who's been in the US for almost 40 years, but he still misses him home in County Clare.
The poem may not really fit in this songbook index thread and should go in a new thread - but if you have any trouble starting a new thread, post the poem here and I'll move it to a new thread for you.
Welcome to Mudcat!
-Joe Offer, Forum Moderator-

Subject: ADD: My Darling County Clare
From: GUEST,Helen Batters Rowley
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 01:58 AM

OK


It is titled : "My Darling County Clare"



MY DARLING COUNTY CLARE

Farewell, my lovely Erin, I must bid thee now farewell,
the grief I feel at parting thee no other tongue can tell,
no land shall win my heart from thee,
though poor thou art and bare.
For thee I'll pray, when far away,
My Darling County Clare.

No more i'll see thy verdant hills,
and skies of azure blue.
The vigil (or the wifal) birds sore "accessing" o'er the lake
or hear wolf dosg hoo
The trees which oft I've sat beneath are leafless now and bare
Since I must leave my native place,
My Darling County Clare.

The __ _ _ seas,
why do we grieve
where we are paid for going,
But payment ne'er could ease the hearts of dying parents
__ the workhouse __paupers grave they both shall shortly share
Since I must leave ny native home,
My Darling County Clare.

My parents grieve in ___(sick call?)
And my loving wife close crying
My little childrens (scream?) delayed saying
Father tell us why are you going to leave us here behind
we are hungry, cold and bare.
Oh Father stay-don't go away
from your Darling County Clare.

Farewell Green Land
The sails are set and _____ in the wind,
My heart is fraught with ____________
I have this at leaving ___ behind,
but I must seek employment ___ _____ __ stare____
with ghastly looks on the _____forever
Of My relatives in Clare.

I am glad you wanted it and sorry that I cannot decipher some of it - This book is hand written - anad these pages are from 1884. The ink is faded and at some point someone covered the pages with small pieces of a calendar - the year is not on the pages - but at the top it states the number of days gone by and the number of days to come and at the bottom are quotes from Shakespearean plays.We have carefully scraped( with fingernails!) sections of the calendars away to be able to read the writing beneath.

I wonder if this was a poem or song from the time - or could he have written it?

If you know anything about it - or find out anything, will you post it here?

Thanks Joe -

Helen Rowley - in Schenectady, NY, USA

Subject: RE: ADD/need info: My Darling County Clare
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 12:57 AM

refresh - can anybody fill in the blanks and furnish background information?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: ADD/need info: My Darling County Clare
From: GUEST,999
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 01:09 AM

I'm finding nowt on the www other than what's here on the 'cat.

If it's original, I doubt there'll be anything to find. Beautiful piece of writing, however.

Subject: RE: ADD/need info: My Darling County Clare
From: GUEST,Helen Rowley
Date: 25 Apr 20 - 04:15 PM

Now years later - I am retired and had time to go back and look for this song. On google it brought me to "The Poet's Box" and it is collected in the Bodleian Library.

Slightly different words than I have in my Great Grandfather's book...
Title on this site is "County Clare."

http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/static/images/sheets/15000/12110.gif

Just in case you would like to see it - I still have no idea of the original tune.

Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wishing you all in Ireland blessings and strength during this time.

Helen Batters Rowley
Schenectady, NY   12308

Subject: RE: ADD/need info: My Darling County Clare
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 02:53 AM

Well done - and thanks for returning! I’ll make few enquiries among my Clare friends ..,

Regards

Subject: RE: ADD/need info: My Darling County Clare
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 03:08 AM

Helen
Unfortunately I missed this first time around
I have heard this sung by several people her in Miltown Malbay, West Clare - always in sessions so we never got to record it

My partner and I have lived here for 20 years now bu started to visit to record the local songs in teh early 1970s
Some of the results can be heard HERE

Clare was rich in not olle extremely old songs, but alsop a large number of locally made ones such as 'Darling' - on every subject imaginable - many are smell history-books in themselves
We halped found a couple of local history/heritage groups which encourage interest in such local matters
I don't know wheer your family originated in Ireland, but if it was West Clare, I'm sure they would be interested in any contribution from family reminiscences you might like to offer
Best wishes and stay safe
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: ADD/need info: My Darling County Clare
From: Vic Smith
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 08:05 AM

This happened on one of our many summer holidays in County Clare some time in the 1990s. In a craft shop on a quiet midweek in Main Street, Miltown Malbay, two couples were in the shop - an American couple and Tina and I. A friend of the shopkeeper drops into the shop to have a chat:-
Friend: "Well, are you already for the Darling Girl?*
Shopkeeper: "Oh don't be talking! I haven't got over my Willy Week** yet!"
The Americans, who have no idea what she is talking about, exchange a startled and shocked look.

* The Darling Girl from Clare - a popular song written and composed by Percy French (1854-1920 which has become a sort of augmented talent/beauty contest which included (at that time) a huge and popular parade through Miltown
** Willy Clancy Summer School: Traditional music's version of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca

Subject: RE: ADD/need info: My Darling County Clare
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 26 Apr 20 - 10:08 AM

WILLIE WAS THE FIRST TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS HERE
Jim Carroll