Origins: The Dear Irish Boy

Subject: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Alice
Date: 25 Nov 97 - 12:25 AM

dick, I have tried several searches in the database in vain for these lyrics. It was recorded by "Sunita & Northern Gael" on a cd called "Crossing the Shannon". Do you possibly have it in the database by another title? I tried searching for the phrase, but still didn't find the right song. Thanks. Alice in Montana

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 25 Nov 97 - 09:41 AM

Alice

Any more details?

Regards

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy ^^
From: Alice
Date: 25 Nov 97 - 10:19 AM

I have one verse and the chorus, which I learned from the above mentioned recording. There MUST be (I hope) more verses.

THE DEAR IRISH BOY
The soft tuneful lark, her notes changed to mourning,
The dark screaming owl, now impedes my night's sleep.
While lonely I walk in the shade of the evening,
Til my Conor returns I will ne'er cease to weep.

chorus
Smiling, beguiling, cheering, endearing,
Together oft over the mountains we strayed.
With each other delighted, and fondly united,
I have listened all day to my dear Irish boy.

It has a beautiful, slow, haunting tune. I also tried searching the DT @love @Irish, and it's not there, so if anyone out there knows it, I'd appreciate additional verses. Thanks. Alice in Montana ^^

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 25 Nov 97 - 05:15 PM

Got it!

Sparling's "Irish Minstrlsy" of 1888 includes both it and a similar song called "My Connor" with the comment:

"There is a very favourite old Irish tune of this name (My Connor), with refrain, and some fragments associated with it. To this the given songs have been written".

He lists the Dear Irish Boy as a "street ballad".

Words later.

Regards

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: alison
Date: 25 Nov 97 - 06:11 PM

Hi,

come on Martin, spill the beans. I only ever knew this as a beautiful slow air tune, it'd be great to have the words too.

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Alice
Date: 25 Nov 97 - 06:12 PM

Thanks Martin, Alice.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DEAR IRISH BOY^^
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 26 Nov 97 - 10:38 AM

from a secondary source, Walton's New Treasury of Irish Songs and Ballads, Part I, 1968:

THE DEAR IRISH BOY

1. My Connor, his cheeks are as ruddy as morning,
The brightest of pearls do not mimic his teeth;
While nature with ringlets his mild brows adorning,
His hair, Cupid's bow-strings, and roses his breath.

Chorus :

Smiling, beguiling
Cheering, endearing,
Together how oft o'er the mountains we stray'd;
By each other delighted,
And fondly united,
I have listened all day to my dear Irish boy.

2. No roebuck more swift could fly over the mountain,
No veteran bolder meet danger or scars,
He's slightly, he's sprightly, he'is clear as the fountain,
His eyes beaming love; Oh! he's gone to the wars.

3. The soft tuneful lark, his notes changed to mourning,
The dark-screaming owl impedes my night's sleep,
While lonely I walk in the shade of the evening,
Till my Connor's return I will ne'er cease to weep.

4. The war being over, and he not returned,
I fear that some dark envious plot has been laid;
Or that some cruel goddess has him captivated,
And left here to mourn his dear Irish maid.

Wolfgang ^^

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Alice
Date: 26 Nov 97 - 10:59 AM

Thanks, Wolfgang!!! Alice in Montana

Subject: Lyr Add: DEAR IRISH BOY^^
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 26 Nov 97 - 11:07 AM

Looks identical, Wolfgang:

My Connor, his cheeks are as ruddy as morning
The brightest of pearls do but mimic his teeth
While nature with ringlets his mild brow's adorning
His hair Cupid's bow-strings, and roses his breath

Chorus
Smiling, beguiling, cheering, endearing
Together how oft o'er the mountains we strayed
By each other delighted and fondly united
I have listened all day to my dear Irish Boy

No roebuck more swift could fly over the mountain
No veteran bolder meet danger or scars
He's sightly, he's sprightly, he's clear as the fountain
His eyes twinkle love - O he's gone to the wars.

The soft tuneful lark, his note's changed to mourning
The dark screaming owl impedes my night's sleep
While lonely I walk in the shade of the evening
Till my Connor's return I ill ne'er cease to weep

The war being over and he not returned
I fear that some dark envious plot has been laid
Or that some cruel goddess has him captivated
And left here to mourn his dear Irish maid.

Street ballad? Doubt it! ^^

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Jon W.
Date: 26 Nov 97 - 11:53 AM

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Alice
Date: 26 Nov 97 - 08:39 PM

After singing the additional verses you provided, I can see why they only recorded the lark and owl verse on the cd I have!! The words are quite awkward! And roses his breath? Thanks. Alice in Montana

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Alice
Date: 11 Nov 99 - 11:23 AM

Strangely enough, I discovered I had these lyrics all along, even though I started this thread asking for them. They are in Volume Four of Herbert Hughes' Irish Country Songs. Although some of the words are awkward to sing in English, it was easy to adapt the lyrics into the version I now sing. I changed mostly the first verse, and my version is this:

Oh, my Connor, his face is as red as the sunrise,
And his bright sparklin' smile, like the pearls from the sea,
And his hair, silky ringlets, through my fingers caressing,
Oh his whispers, like doves, are a love song to me.

refresh for 11/11/99 request

alice flynn

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Bruce O.
Date: 11 Nov 99 - 11:37 AM

Reference to the Irish tune index on my website (www.erols.com/olsonw) shows that the tune "O my Connor/ Dear Irish Boy" has been popular since the early 19th century.

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Heather Jones
Date: 12 Nov 99 - 09:07 AM

Thanks everyone for sending me the former discussion. In reading the words, I'm now curious to hear how this is set to the music. The words do seem awkward. Is there a sampling of it somewhere on the internet or must I break down and buy one of these CD's? Thanks again, Heather

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Alice
Date: 12 Nov 99 - 09:11 AM

Heather, do you read music? I can scan the Herbert Hughes arrangement and post it. -alice.

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Heather
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 11:43 AM

Hi Alice, Yes I read music. I play the flute and the whistle. I have a beautiful rendition of this song that I'm learning to play. Have you heard Eileen Ivers play it on her latest CD? It's lovely! But, I can't imagine how those words fit with that music. That's why I'd love to hear it sung. Thanks, Heather

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Alice
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 12:45 PM

I forgot that I had already scanned this and uploaded it last February. Here it is - three pages. The book is old and out of print.

Dear Irish boy pg. 1 click here

Dear Irish Boy pg. 2 click here

Dear Irish Boy pg. 3 click here

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From:
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 01:22 PM

I continue to read some of these pages and wonder why LOL- there is a very large collection of "Airs" in print including this and several other very beautiful 'strains', It is by John Roche. The tunes present some difficulty for a person not familiar with Sean Nos singing but listening to that will ease playing the tunes.

The big error with these pieces is the way time sig has to be treated. The most prominent part of Sean Nos is the ability of the performer to draw out some notes and/or decorate others. That creates a realy big problem for a strict division of meter, and accouts in Alice's case for the apparent difficulty with the words used in this translation, however the Song is most often sung in 'Gaelge' so that does not have to be a problem.

Bruce may be interested to 'learn' that these airs are very popular at 'Pibreact' - for the uninitiated Pibreact are contests for the Pib Mor - Scottish Bag Pipe - where skill is sometimes measured by how accurately the Piper measures his notes. There are many variations to this including very long notes, some several minutes!

Scoti Abu

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Alice
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 01:29 PM

I agree, that sean nós doesn't really translate into metered written notation. I think the first thing I realized when I found all of this English set of lyrics is that the song should really by sung in Gaelic! ~alice

Subject: RE: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Heather
Date: 15 Nov 99 - 11:07 AM

Thanks Alice! That helped. I'm sure this song sounds beautiful if Gaelic. Now all I have to do is learn Gaelic LOL! Actually, I don't sing at all. I just play the music and dance to it. That's my true passion. So many of the ballads are so beautiful that I wish I did sing. I'll have to keep my eyes open for a version of this one that I can listen to. Thanks Again, Heather

Subject: RE: Origins: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 06:19 PM

needs research and cleaup

Subject: RE: Origins: The Dear Irish Boy
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 07:20 PM

Makes for a lovely slow air. It was well played by De Dannan on their album "Selected Jigs Reels and Songs."