Skin the Goat's Curse on Carey

Subject: Skin the Goat's Curse on Carey
From: Pat deVerse
Date: 03 Apr 18 - 11:30 AM

I have set myself a task to find a suitable air for a song that I was recently sent; 'Skin the Goat's Curse on Carey' . I'm not sure if there is a tune this was originally sung to, as it is held to be from the pen of James 'Skin the Goat' Fitzharris himself, and is dated 1883. I had thought of a few airs myself, incl, 'The Hackler from Grouse Hall', but either way I think I'll have to make a few adjustments before I sing it as not all the verses rhyme properly. Anyway, here's the first verse, so if anyone knows what original air might be , I'd be grateful,

Before I set sail I will not fail to give that lad my blessing
And if I had him here, there's not much fear
but he'd get a good top dressing
By the hat on my head, but he'd lie in his bed from
here to next September
For I'd give him good cause to rub his jaws and Skin the Goat remember.

Subject: RE: Skin the Goat's Curse on Carey
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 04 Apr 18 - 05:26 PM

The Cow That Ate the Piper has a similar metre, so tunes for that should work. There's one in O Lochlainn, More Irish Steret Ballads, and a different one in Sam Henry, and I have a different one again, which I got from Pete Wood: I don't know where he got it.

Subject: RE: Skin the Goat's Curse on Carey
From: Pat deVerse
Date: 05 Apr 18 - 07:38 AM

Thanks Richard, I'll check out Colm O'Lochlainn's book.