Lyr ADD: The Meet Was At Matthews

Subject: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Hornpipe
Date: 03 Nov 20 - 12:35 AM

Does anyone have the lyrics of Jimmy Crowley’s song “The Meet Was At Matthews”? I think it’s the album “Camp House Ballads” that he recorded with Stoker’s Lodge in the late 1970s. I don’t think I ever had all the correct lyrics, even when I “knew” the song back in the ‘70s! If anyone could provide them, I’d be ever so grateful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: cnd
Date: 03 Nov 20 - 01:17 AM

You can listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOJYtpjCdxw

I haven't attempted to do the lyrics just yet but I'm pretty busy right now and wouldn't be able to start for another week(?) or so

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: cnd
Date: 03 Feb 21 - 11:16 AM

Oops, here's another lyr req. I never got around to transcribing. On second listen, I can't really understand the lyrics very well. Can anyone else help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: GUEST,#
Date: 03 Feb 21 - 12:50 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSoJPcRtLWA

Perhaps between the two someone will be able to transcribe the lyrics.

Subject: ADD: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: cnd
Date: 04 Feb 21 - 11:57 PM

Thanks, #, that link had a bit clearer elocution, but my American ears couldn't get all of it!

Here's my attempt, assembled from the two links above. Criticism is not just welcome, but invited. I'm missing a ton of surnames or place names.


THE MEET WAS AT MATTHEWS

The meet was at Matthews, the boys were all there
With a couple of sportsmen, including ???
The hounds started trailing when Fender gave out
And he gave such a ball that the hare, he jumped out

CHORUS
With me right tally-ho, with me sweet tally ho
Whoopy-way, tally sweetally, way tally-ho

The first place we met her was ?? floodland
Where Blair forgot Lynn held a dog in his hand
She busted so sprightly, she got overjoyed
And he let the dog loose when McHough got tonight - ???

CHORUS

The next place we saw her was Cutter's old glenn
And from there to ???? was a fine rattling spin
She passed the old break, where ?? give out
And he kept her on trail for he knew she was true

CHORUS

Twas in Andy's big ploughland, the hare started to dodge
And she gave a big ring where ??? had to trod
She jumped on the road, swang around, ?????
Jumped back on the road and she ????

CHORUS

Here's a health to Jimmy Mehigan, that sportsman of fame
Like a boy of 16 he was wild for the game
While hunting the hounds his like seldom was seen
And he rattled them into the groves of ????

CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Reinhard
Date: 05 Feb 21 - 02:56 AM

Most of the ??? seem to be Irish names (places, dogs, ...) which are difficult to understand for non-Irish.

The discogs.com entry for "Camp House Ballads" shows that the album has a lyrics sheet. Unfortunately the scan is so small that it's unreadable. Does someone have the album and can add the lyrics?

And besides what the discogs.com tracklist says, the cover picture and record label clearly show that the song's title is "The Meet Was At Mathews" with just one 't' in the place name. Also, according to the record label the song is trad. arr. Jimmy Crowley, not written by Jimmy Crowley.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Hornpipe
Date: 02 Apr 21 - 09:21 PM

Thank you for writing it all out. Your ???s are the same as mine, though—all those local Corkonian place and dog names.

After posting my original question I remembered that I had seen the written lyrics before, back in the 1990s, possibly in Jimmy Crowley’s out-of-print songbook. I’ve been unable to find an affordable copy for but perhaps someone who owns a the book could fill in the gaps for us?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: cnd
Date: 02 Apr 21 - 09:27 PM

I unfortunately have neither the book nor the album. However, a much more affordable solution which I just thought of is to buy a copy of the album. On Discogs.com they're selling copies as low as $5.54. Just message the seller before purchasing to make sure the lyric sheet is with the copy you're buying, and then after shipping you're spending $10-15.

Let us know if/when you find out the words you're looking for!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Hornpipe
Date: 03 Apr 21 - 02:08 AM

That’s a great idea. Thank you. I just bought a copy and hopefully will soon have those lyrics, which of course I will post here.

Subject: ADD: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Hornpipe
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 03:24 PM

My new LP with lyrics sheet WITH LYRICS SHEET just arrived! Here at last are the official lyrics to this elusive song (collected by Jimmy Crowley from Mick Dowling of Cork City in 1978. Words and music traditional, arranged by a Jimmy Crowley):

THE MEET WAS AT MATTHEWS

The meet was at Matthews, the boys were all there
With a couple of sportsmen, including Boss Faire*
The hounds started trailing when Finder** gave out
And he gave such a ball the hare upped in full view.

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

The first place we met her was Maye’s ploughed land
Where Blair from Cat Lane held the dog in his hand
She passed him so spritely, he got overjoyed
And he left the dog loose where McHugh got annoyed.

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

The next place we saw her was Connor’s glen
And from that to Ballea was a fine rattling spin
She passed the old brake, where Drummer gave out
And he kept on the trail for we knew he was true.

‘Twas in Andy’s big ploughland the hare started to dodge
And she gave the big ring where our boys had to trod.
She jumped on the road, swing around by Tom Brownes
Jumped back on the road and she bailed out McShine’s***

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

Here’s health to Timmy Meegan, that sportsman of fame
Like a bit of sixteen he was wild for that game.
While hunting the hounds his like seldom was seen
And he rattled in to the groves of Glasheen.

(Jimmy’s footnotes (verbatim):
* “Boss Faire” is a person’s name
** “Finder” is a dog’s name
*** Some class of an old local expression “She bailed out McShines.”)

---

Jimmy Crowley Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOJYtpjCdxw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Hornpipe
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 03:35 PM

I should have titled that last post “LYR ADD” instead of just a response. Can a moderator (if there is one) fix it? I’m using an iPad and can’t find a way to edit my own post.

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I take care of that as part of handling songs I select for indexing, like this one. I don't bother if the transcription is sloppy or a duplicate of something we already have.
-Joe Offer, Mudcat Music Editor-

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: cnd
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 04:35 PM

Thanks for wrapping this up Hornpipe! The correct lyrics are appreciated.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Hornpipe
Date: 06 Jun 21 - 09:03 PM

I just spotted a typo in those lyrics (shame on me)!!
The last verse line 2 should be “Like a boy of sixteen” NOT “a bit of sixteen.”
Sorry about that!

Subject: ADD: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Hornpipe
Date: 04 Dec 21 - 04:31 PM

I just found a copy of Jimmy’s 1986 book, which includes the lyrics to this song. They differ slightly from the version printed on the album sheet: small details like “bawl” instead of “ball” and “swang” instead of “swing” as well as the spelling of the local names Mathews (only one “t”), Hayes and Fare. I think this set of lyrics is in fact the authoritative and correct version, so I’ll post the whole song again.

THE MEET WAS AT MATHEWS
(the official lyrics as published in “Jimmy Crowley’s Irish Song Book (The Mercier Press, Cork, 1986)

The meet was at Mathews, the boys were all there
With a couple of sportsmen, including Boss Fare
The hounds started trailing when Finder gave out
And he gave such a bawl the hare upped in full view.

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
(With me) Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

The first place we met her was Hayse’s ploughed land
Where Blaire from Cat Lane held the dog in his hand
She passed him so spritely, he got overjoyed
And he left the dog loose where McHugh got annoyed.

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
(With me) Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

The next place we saw her was Connor’s glen
And from that to Ballea was a fine rattling spin
She passed the old brake, where Drummer gave out
And he kept on the trail for we knew he was true.

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
(With me) Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

‘Twas in Andy’s big ploughland the hare started to dodge
And she gave the big ring where our boys had to trod.
She jumped on the road, swang around by Tom Brownes
Jumped back on the road and she bailed out McShines.

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
(With me) Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

Here’s health to Timmy Meegan, that sportsman of fame
Like a boy of sixteen he was wild for that game.
While hunting the hounds his like seldom was seen
And he rattled ‘em in to the groves of Glasheen.

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
(With me) Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOJYtpjCdxw

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The words (with me) in the second line of the chorus are in the recording, and were added by Joe Offer.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Dec 21 - 03:01 AM

Excellent, Hornpipe. I added a link to the Jimmy Crowley recording to your post, and I corrected the chorus to this:

With me right tally-ho, sweet tally-ho
(With me) Right tally, sweet tally, right tally-ho.

because that's what's in the Jimmy Crowley recording.

I go to church in Auburn, California. From 2005-2015, we had a difficult but wonderful Irish priest from Cork named Mike. He should have been my best friend because he and I thought so much alike, but for some reason he hated me about half the time. But he was friends with Jimmy Crowley, and Jimmy did house concerts here a number of times and Jimmy and I hit it off. It was wonderful to have a chance to get to know Jimmy.
As Fr. Mike would say, your last post was brilliant.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Meet Was At Matthews
From: cnd
Date: 05 Dec 21 - 09:42 AM

Personally, I feel like we should leave it as printed in the booklet, since that's what the post's source is, but if it's not that significant then it's probably no big deal.

But, to echo Joe, thanks for keeping us abreast of your continued searching on the song!