Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon

Subject: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Rightlawd
Date: 15 Apr 23 - 03:11 PM

Good day folks!

Im looking for the lyrics for this song as sung by Liam Weldon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th3ttufY8k0
i cant quite make out some of the lyrics.

also if anyone has any more information on the songs origins etc.

thank you!
P

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Rightlawd
Date: 15 Apr 23 - 03:20 PM

link to the Liam Weldon performance

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 15 Apr 23 - 07:18 PM

OK, This is a big one. I also met Liam Weldon. Firstly the listener needs to know the difference between Romany-Cant and Shelta.
About one-third of this song is in Shelta. (Don't confuse this with Gammon, which is a form of Irish back slang)
I am reasonably fluent in Romany, and knowledgeable about Cant (19th-century street slang) but only partly knowledgeable about Shelta.
Liam is singing about the Irish Travelling life, hawking with a low-caste woman (Bewer) and being brought up in front of a judge. The judge appears to be a total fantasy as he applauds the travelling man, and this is probably a piss-take on the judiciary. He appears fluent in Shelta for a start. I would have to study it to translate all the words because it's not my first Gypsy/Traveller language. (There is a difference between the two, and the parlance). Could I suggest that you type out the words leaving blanks for the bits you do not understand, I'll fill them in for you as best as I can. Then we can both sing the song! Thank you for a very interesting post. I was aware of this video, but put it on the back boiler due to pressure of work.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 15 Apr 23 - 07:25 PM

I should have said Pavee means Irish Traveller. Bewer is spelt in about three different ways and there is old and modern Shelta. Liam is singing mostly modern.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Rightlawd
Date: 15 Apr 23 - 08:46 PM

Ah right!
that explains a lot, ive listened to it many times and couldnt for the life of me make out some of the lines.
yea i will type out what i think i know and leave some blanks for you to fill in.
that would be great, thanks very much.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Rightlawd
Date: 15 Apr 23 - 09:02 PM

I am an Irish travellin' man, My years they are 34
Ive been around all Erins ground from Cork to ( ? )
I was born beside the boreen wide? to a raggedy roarin' clan
My father said this boy is bred as an Irish travellin' man.

In sweet Kildare at a stallin' site there i met with a pavee sham,
With a Dublin bewer from door to door a gammay auld ( ? ) van.
We lushed the bewer and stumbled the floor of the (?) beside the van,
we'll make another (?) now says the Irish travellin' man

In the county Clare all the way from there, i helped to reap the corn,
Ill give you gold and daughter fair as sure as you were born,
Ill give you gold and daughter fair, if you stay all on me farm,
but a fond goodbye and a blue blue sky for the irish travelling man.

In Cork ( ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?)
Well the judge he was a ( ? ) a regular to me ( ? )
He said to me ye may go ya deycent pavee sham,
crush on said he scoot off now your free me daycent travellin' man.

Outside the window of this pub i see the blue blue sky,
Im here ( ? ? ?) ill lash it for i am dry,
and when tonight im got dead? in the (?) i will lie,
sure thats the song and story of an irish travellin boy.


thats about as much as i can make of it,
thanks
P

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 02:17 AM

I'm on to it. It may take a while though. Shades are police by the way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 08:54 AM

First Verse. I think Liam is singing Bridin Fair. but I may be wrong, I've never heard of it. No doubt somebody will put me right. Secondly, he's singing Raggedy Rawney Clan. Rawney (Rani in Romany) actually means queen or wise woman, but in this context is used as a slang word for Gypsy. The Burren is on the west coast in Co. Clare


I am an Irish travellin' man, My years they are 34
I've been around all Erin's ground from Cork to ( Bridin Fair?? )
I was born beside the Burren wide to a Raggedy Rawney clan
My father said this boy is bred as an Irish travellin' man.

TO BE CONTINUED

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 03:14 PM

Second verse. If I have got it right there are a few distasteful references. Looking at the song in terms of life on the road and survival it is understandable if repellent.

In sweet Kildare at a stallin' sark there I met with a pavee sham,
With a dogrin bewer from door to door a gammey auld Vardi van.
We lushed the bewer and strumbled the floor of the mulley beside the van,
We'll make another gallier now says the Irish travellin' man.

OK it reads like this. Stalling Sark =Stopping Field (camp)
Pavee Sham= Gypsy man (Sham is Irish slang, not Shelta)
Dogrin Bewer= disabled, or mentally challenged woman
Vardi Van = Living wagon (Bow top in bad condition)
lushed the Bewer = fed the woman
Strumbled= spread straw
Mulley = idiot
gallier= laughing stock

MORE TO COME I HOPE

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 08:16 PM

I've contacted singing Irish Traveller Sharyn Ward who knows the song to help me out with the words. I may not get a reply, it depends.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 17 Apr 23 - 04:16 AM

Might have got gallier wrong it could be giller meaning story or song. Not sure about mulley either. More research is needed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Modette
Date: 17 Apr 23 - 12:58 PM

2nd line of the first verse - 'from Cork to Farranfore' (a place in Co. Kerry halfway between Killarney and Tralee').

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 17 Apr 23 - 02:26 PM

Brilliant! Thank you Modette! Just what I was hoping. Meanwhile the word 'Mulley' is Rolley or Rulley in Romany, and means a four-wheeled dray, used for carrying harnesses and straw. The whole thing begins to make more sense.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Modette
Date: 18 Apr 23 - 09:54 AM

First verse (continued)

Third line - 'I was born beside the boreen wide to a raggedy, roaring clan.'

A boreen is an unpaved country lane or road.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 18 Apr 23 - 12:50 PM

I'll go with that. Thanks yet again. I'm probably confusing two dialects. Wondering why it's Boreen-wide, which may be applicable to the Burren in Co Clare. Both make equal sense. Do you have any ideas on verse four? I can work out some of it, but you may do better.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Apr 23 - 09:27 PM

Any luck on that fourth verse?

thanks
P

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 27 Apr 23 - 07:56 AM

No reply to my enquiry. I've been out and about so I'll have another go soon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,John
Date: 20 Jun 23 - 04:38 AM

A wide boreen would be a perfect place for travellers to stop years ago, also "molley" is a place to camp, "shadogues" are gaurds. Not sure of spelling.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: mayomick
Date: 20 Jun 23 - 12:16 PM

sang to the same air THE TRAVELLING CANDYMAN

For I take in old iron, take in old bones and rags,
And I take in all different kinds of stuff, and I put them in separate bags.
I've travelled this country o'er , and I'm known to everyone.
My name is Pat O'Flannagan, I'm a travelling candyman.

When I sailed over from Belfast, the work was very slack.
And when I landed in Glasgow I was wishing that I were back.
I searched for work, but no work could I find, so I hit on another plan.
I came to the conclusion I should be a candyman.



A woman came up the other day and said she had lost her frock.
Said she, "My good man, come tumble it out, for I know it is in your stock."
Said I, "My good woman, your frock is not here, no more of your lip I will stand."
Bedad, she up with her ugly fist, and nailed the candyman.

For I take in old iron, take in old bones and rags,
And all other different kinds of stuff, and I put them in separate bags.
I've travelled this country o'er and o'er, and I'm known to everyone.
My name is Pat O'Flanagan, I'm a travelling candyman.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 20 Jun 23 - 04:05 PM

Just got back from the Marton Moss, and there are no Irish travellers around today. I have the gist of the last two verses. The only man I know who might have the dialect squared up to me (and backed down thank God) on a Gypsy site. So he is off the Christmas card list. I wonder if Dara Yeates might know. I'll Email him.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 21 Jun 23 - 04:35 AM

HOOOORAY Dara's done it!!!

I spent a bit of time at this. Some of the words I know because they've passed into Irish slang ("shade" for police, and "byore" for girl), and I managed to find most in a great book called The Hidden Languages of Ireland. Here's what I have for the last two verses:

In Cork the shadyog (policeman) salked my jeels (arrested me)
For corpin’ a gooseen (for stealing a goose)
The judge he was a m’ali (nice) go’nan (young man)
A regular Twomey feen (a member of the Twomey family)
He said to me, “you may go free,”
Me decent Pavee sham (friend),
“Crush on,” said he, “scoot off now, you’re free,”
Me decent Travellin’ man

Outside the window of this pub,
I see’d the blue blue sky,
I’m in here lushin’ (drinking) tawny wine,
I’ll lush (drink) it for I am dry,
When tonight I am garted (tired),
In the strumble (straw) I will lie,
Sure, that’s the song and story of
An Irish Travelling boy

I would be very curious to read your transcription of the second verse. I couldn't make head nor tail of it.

Le meas,
Macdara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 22 Jun 23 - 07:25 PM

So finally with the help of Macdara, we have the whole song. There are one or two words we're not too certain about, but 99% is accurate. This exercise has increased my knowledge immensely. and I hope it helps our original enquirer Rightlawd. Here it is then...
I am an Irish travellin' man, My years they are 34
I've been around all Erin's ground from Cork to Farranfore
I was born beside the Burren wide to a Raggedy Roarin’ clan
My father said this boy is bred as an Irish travellin' man.


In sweet Kildare at a stallin' sark (stopping place) there I met with a pavee sham,
With a dukkering (fortune telling) bewer (Woman)from door to door and a gammey auld Vardi van.
We lushed (gave drink to) the bewer and strumbled (spread straw) the floor of the molley (Camp) beside the van,
We'll make another gallier (child???) now says the Irish travellin' man.

In the county Clare at a wee farm there, I helped for to reap the corn.
I’ll give you gold and my Daughter fair as sure as you were born,
I’ll give you gold and my daughter fair if you’ll stay all on me farm,
But a fond goodbye and a blue blue sky for the Irish travelling Man.

In Cork the shadyog (policeman) salked my jeels (arrested me) For corpin’ a gooseen (for stealing a goose)
The judge he was a m’ali (nice) go’nan (young man) A regular Twomey feen (a member of the Twomey family)
He said to me, “you may go free,” Me decent Pavee sham (friend),
“Crush on,” said he, “scoot off now, you’re free,” Me decent Travellin’ man

Outside the window of this pub, I see’d the blue blue sky,
I’m in here lushin’ (drinking) tawny wine, I’ll lush (drink) it for I am dry,
When tonight I am garted (tired), In the strumble (straw) I will lie,
Sure, that’s the song and story of The Irish Travelling boy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 29 Dec 23 - 04:18 PM

Just found out Dogrin means peddling or hawking.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 30 Dec 23 - 07:05 PM

I think the last line of verse two is We'll make another gollian now. Meaning make another plan or goal. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: Thompson
Date: 05 Jan 24 - 07:35 AM

Cork to Farranfore. Raggedy roving clan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 05 Jan 24 - 10:24 AM

Well done Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: Thompson
Date: 06 Jan 24 - 01:42 AM

You're welcome, Nick Dow. Here's an English-Shelta dictionary for translations of some of the terms, though unfortunately it doesn't seem to have Shelta-English, and a Shelta vocabulary list.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: An Irish Travelling Man - Liam Weldon
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 07 Jan 24 - 05:53 AM

Even better! That's very useful.