Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly

Subject: Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly
From: michaelr
Date: 20 Mar 16 - 12:09 PM

Looking for lyrics to this song (click) (not the "drinking family" bit at the beginning) from Lynched.

"I had Rosie in me arms
At the fair in Ballinasloe"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly
From: Fergie
Date: 20 Mar 16 - 12:54 PM

From memory this is how it goes.

Rosie Reilly.

I wish I was in my love's arms,
I wish I was in my love's care,
Two pied-ball ponies in my pocket,
Rolling 'round and 'round the fair.

Chorus
Rosie, Rosie Reilly.
Rosie Reilly, Oh!
I rolled Rosie in my arms,
At the fair in Ballinasloe.

Ballinasloe was green and open,
In the morning coming down,
Rosie sitting, telling fortunes,
Cross my palm with half-a-crown.

Chorus

I didn't know she had a husband,
By far a bigger man than me,
I didn't know he had two brothers,
Both as big and as bad as he.

Chorus

I saw my brothers flinging bottles,
I saw my Da streatched on the ground,
I saw meself with my head wide open,
Rose Reilly where are you now?

Chorus

I wish I was in my love's arms,
I wish I was in my love's care,
Two pied-ball ponies in my pocket,
Rolling 'round and 'round the fair.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly
From: michaelr
Date: 20 Mar 16 - 02:50 PM

Thank you, Fergie! About the third line - shouldn't it be "piebald ponies"? And is that a reference to a coin?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly
From: MartinRyan
Date: 20 Mar 16 - 03:54 PM

Both as big and as bad as he

The Grammar Police would stand and applaud that!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly
From: Fergie
Date: 20 Mar 16 - 07:59 PM

Yes michaelr you have the more correct spelling.This is a song about Travellers. In Ballinasloe Co. Galway every year there is a horsefair and people (mainly travellers) go there to buy and sell horses. "Two piebald ponies in my pocket" refers to the fact that has sold two ponies and has the proceed from the sale in his pocket. Rolling 'round and 'round the fair is his way of saying that he has been drinking. Well that's my interpretation.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly
From: Fergie
Date: 20 Mar 16 - 08:17 PM

Hi Martin

The Politically Correct Police rather than the Grammar Police I'd think. "Both as big and as black as he" was what the author (whose name escapes me) originally wrote, but as you are aware in the wider context and understanding of that Hiberno-English phrase it is open to being misinterpreted as a term of racial abuse rather than a colloquial expression.
Love to Josephine. Great stuff happening here in the big smoke around 1916. We'd love to see yis in the Góilín.

Ferg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly
From: MartinRyan
Date: 21 Mar 16 - 04:04 AM

Thread drift:

A few years ago, there was what birdwatchers call a "mega-twitch" in Ireland when a very unusual species (Little Blue Heron, since you ask) turned up near Letterfrack in Co. Galway, on the west coast. The nearest the damn thing had ever come to Europe before that was The Azores, if I remember correctly. This provoked an instant flood of UK birders trying desperately to get there for the "tick" before it disappeared again. I met three guys who booked a flight into Dublin next morning and back out again that evening - and hired a car to drive to the west coast. "It's only about hundred miles each way - no sweat!". Unfortunately, this was just before the Athlone - Galway section of the motorway opened... This meant passing through the town of Ballinasloe itself - during the eponymous Horse Fair mentioned in the song! Instead of ten minutes, it took them nearly TWO HOURS! They were then torn between enjoying the bird and managing to get back to Dublin in time for their flight. I was able to give them directions to avoid the town...

Regards

p.s. Then there was the story about Robbie Henshaw's father and the double bass...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rosie Reilly
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 12:46 PM

What makes me laugh is the PC change from black to bad. The whole song is derogatory towards Travellers, especially to Traveller women. Great air and very catchy chorus that everyone can join in with and harmonies etc, but I have been in the company of Travellers who just walk out when someone starts it. That and Nancy Myles. I wouldn’t blame them. It’s a song of false stereotypes and should be left where it belongs.....in the past.