Lyr Req: The Ducks of Marilyn/Mackerlin/Magheralin

Subject: The Ducks of Marilyn/Mackerlin(?)
From: Shimbo Darktree
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 10:49 AM

Would love to hear from anyone with the words to the above.
Marilyn/Merilyn/MAckerlin or whatever is presumably a town
on the coast of County Down, Ireland. I have a recording
of an Irish group (who it is escapes me, as I can't find the
tape)doing this song. I have tried my atlas, which is great for
Australia, but bugger-all use for Irish towns. I have tried
the net, but even Irish net sites do not go into sufficient map
detail to nail down the actual town. Any takers? I'll love
you forever ... well, until Wednesday week, anyway.

All the best, Shimbo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Marilyn/Mackerlin(?)
From: Philippa
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 01:55 PM

try Magheralin (?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Marilyn/Mackerlin(?)
From: Jack Hickman - Kingston, ON
Date: 06 Nov 99 - 12:53 AM

There's a group, now disbanded, called Barley Bree who did a great version of the Ducks of Magheralin. They've put out several tapes, and I'm not sure which one it's on. I have some of them and I'll take a look and if I can find it I will post additional details.

Jack Hickman

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Marilyn/Mackerlin(?)
From: Shimbo Darktree
Date: 06 Nov 99 - 09:37 AM

Thank you, Philippa and Jack. I would never have got that
name from how the song sounds.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN
From: MudGuard
Date: 06 Nov 99 - 02:12 PM

This is my transcription of the lyrics to that song.
As usual I am unsure about some part of it (marked in red).

MudGuard

DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN

[spoken]
This next song was written to disprove the popular rumour that Dublin is the capital of Ireland

Oh well just a year ago today
I went to see the queen
She wrapped me up in satin
And its colour it was green
She decked me out in medals
And they were all made of tin
Oh said she go home you critter
You're the mayor of Magheralin

Chorus


[VC*]

Last time repeat last two lines starting with "And" instead of "Yes".

Oh what is the finest city
In a real old fashioned style
A credit to sweet county Down
The pride of the emerald isle
It has the finest harbour
For the red coats to sail in
And if ever you sail to Ireland
You'll sail by Magheralin

Oh you've all heard of Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte
He conquered half of Europe
But left the older parts
He tried to conquer Ireland
But they would not give in
And he died in Saint Helena
When he thought of Magheralin

Oh you've heard of Cleopatra
The treasure of the Nile
And how she conquered Tony
With one adoring smile
She tried to conquer Ireland
But they would not give in
And they beat her rife with cabbage
Leased from the town of Magheralin

Oh you've heard of good king William
King William crossed the Boyne
With a hundred thousand balls of wax
And a thousand balls of twine
And then he gave the order
For the cobblers to begin
For to make a thousand pairs of boots
For the ducks of Magheralin

Oh you've heard of Mussolini
That great Italian bum
And how his troops in Africa
Were always on the run
You've heard of Winston Churchill
He always wore a grin
For he knew the Ulster rifles
Was all born in Magheralin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Marilyn/Mackerlin(?)
From: Shimbo Darktree
Date: 12 Nov 99 - 09:31 AM

Thank you, MudGuard - saves me wading through a tape. I
appreciate the help.
Regards
Shimbo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Marilyn/Mackerlin(?)
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 12 Nov 99 - 09:47 AM

My gauess on the section in red is "they beat her off with cabbage leaves from....".

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ducks of Marilyn/Mackerlin/Magheralin
From: GUEST,lattds
Date: 29 Dec 13 - 10:02 AM

Their or many different versions to the song the Ducks of Magheralin
I think Yevon has the correct version
But it would be good if it was posted on U tube so we could here the correct versin

Subject: Lyr Add: DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN (from Sean O'Neill)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Dec 13 - 10:55 PM

My transcription from a recording I heard on Spotify. I have boldfaced the words that are different from the version posted by Mudguard above.

DUCKS OF MAGHERALIN
As recorded by the Sean O'Neill Band on "Irish Songs of Wit and Wisdom" (2013)

1. Oh, it's just a year ago today I went to see the Queen.
She dressed me up in satin and its colour it was green.
She decked me out in medals and they were all made of tin.
"Oh," says she, "go home, you cratur; you're the mayor of Magheralin."

CHORUS: Oh, it is a fine old city in the real old-fashioned style,
A credit to sweet County Down, the pride of the Emerald Isle.
It has the finest harbour for the bread carts to sail in,
And if ever you sail to Ireland, you'll sail by Magheralin.

2. Oh, you've all heard of Napoleon, Napoleon Bonaparte.
He conquered half of Europe but left the other part.
He tried to conquer Ireland but they would not give in,
And he died in Saint Helena when he thought of Magheralin.

3. Oh, you've heard of Cleopatra, the treasure of the Nile,
And how she conquered Tony with one alluring smile.
She tried to conquer Ireland but they would not give in,
And they beat her out with a cabbage leaf from the town of Magheralin.

4. Oh, you've heard of good King William; King William crossed the Boyne
With a hundred thousand balls of wax and a thousand balls of twine,
And then he gave the order for the cobblers to begin
For to make a thousand pairs of boots for the ducks of Magheralin.

5. Oh, you've heard of Mussolini, that great Italian son,
And how his troops in Africa were always on the run.
You've heard of Winston Churchill; he always wore a grin,
For he knew the Ulster Rifles were all born in Magheralin.

[There is another somewhat different version of the lyrics at the Balladeers web site, and yet another version posted in another Mudcat thread here.]