Lyr Req: Ballad of O'Carolan Country (J McDermott)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of O'Carolan Country (J McDermott)
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 03 Jul 18 - 03:08 AM

Stanton's Brae and Stanton's Hill
Mullaghglas
Brigid

No trace of LaHinde at first search.


Regards

Subject: Lyr Add: BALLAD OF THER O'CAROLAN COUNTRY
From: GUEST,Matthew Olwell
Date: 03 Jul 18 - 12:38 AM

I have been studying up on this song and the area it describes and I think I can clean up the lyrics a bit. There are some place names that are spelled incorrectly above (some are still murky, as I can't find them to verify the names). Here's my best guess so far, which I think more closely matches the 1977 recording:



Ballad of Ther O’Carolan Country (Josie McDermott)

The learned men who’ve used the pen, and wrote the praises high
Must have forgot a beauty spot, that in North Roscommon lie
They overlooked LaHinde with its wooded banks, and Kilronan's lovely dell
And the Keadue mountains looking down, on Lasair's holy well

In bye-gone days the people came in thousands there to pray
To do a station round the well, and from the grave to take some clay
But the curse of immigration, its evil work has done
And our grand old Irish customs are fast fading one by one

On the hill above the graveyard lies, so peaceful to be seen
The grand old ancient abbey, overgrown with ivy green
Where the blackbird, finch, and linnet, softly sing their serenade
Round that holy plot, that treasured spot, where O’Carolan's bones are laid

On the road to Ballyfarnon, as you slowly wend your way
You pass the house at Alderford, where O'Carolan used to stay
Where the music of his noble harp, once echoed loud and shrill
Round that little town of high renown, near the foot of Stanton's hill

As you journey on by Mulloughlas, you can visit Brigid's well
Where pilgrims came in days of yore, historians can tell
Where a pattern was held each year, with bands and banners gay
And thousands came to join the fun, on each St. Patrick's day

All you strangers who love scenery, come take a tip from me
Come down to North Roscommon, those lovely sights to see
You're sure of hospitality if ever you roam that way
In the town of Ballyfarnon, at the foot of Stanton's Bray



Notes: In the RTE documentary where McDermott sings the first verse of this song live, he substitutes "Lough Meelagh’s wooded banks" for LaHinde (LaHinde being one of the places I can't find to verify spelling, and I am taking my best guess but could be completely wrong). Elsewhere, I have corrected to match proper place names (Kilronan, Keadue, Alderford, etc.)

Words/places that might still be incorrect/can’t verify: LaHinde, Stanton's Hill, Mulloughlas, Brigid, Stanton's Bray (Brey? probably a word for a hill).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of O'Carolan's Country
From: GUEST,999--BINGO
Date: 30 Dec 09 - 01:59 AM

BALLAD OF O'CAROLAN COUNTRY

The learned men who used the pen, and wrote the praises high,
Must have forgot the beauty spots, that in North Roscommon lie,
Overlooked LaHinde with its wooded banks, and Killrunnan's lovely dell,
And the Keadue mountains, looking down Lassar's holy well.

In bye-gone days the people came in thousands there to pray,
To do a station round the well, or from the grave to take some clay,
But the curse of immigration, its evil work has done,
And our grand old Irish customs are fast fading one by one.

On the hill above the graveyard lies so peaceful to be seen,
The grand old ancient abbey, overgrown with ivy green,
Where blackbird, finch, and linnet, softly sing their serenade,
Round that holy plot, that treasured spot, where O'Carolan's bones are laid.

On the road to Ballyfarnan, as you slowly wend your way,
You pass the house at Elderford, where O'Carolan used to stay,
Where the music of his noble harp once echoed loud and shrill
Round that little town, of high renown, at the foot of Stanton's hill.

As you journey on by Mulloughlas, you can visit Bridget's well
Where pilgrims came in days of yore, historian's can tell.
Where a pattern was held each year, with bands and banners gay,
And thousands came to join the fun, on each St. Patrick's day.

All you strangers who love scenery, come take a tip from me,
Come down to North Roscommon, those lovely sights to see,
You're sure of hospitality if ever you roam that way,
In the town of Ballyfarnan, at the foot of Stanton's Bray.


from

http://bobssongwords.blogspot.com/2009/12/ballad-of-ocarolan-country-learned-men.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of O'Carolan's Country
From: GUEST,anto
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 05:45 PM

HI,
I was at the book launch of "Alone by the Wild Wood", a collection of 19 songs from Roscommon with a CD of all the songs.The Ballad of the O'Carolan Country is in it and sung on the CD by Pauline Hanly.
If you e-mail [e-mail] or check out the website; dhalonproductions.ie you should be able to get it.It cost about 20 euro.
                            Anto

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ballad of O'Carolan's Country
From: masato sakurai
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 08:45 AM

Mentioned HERE. Josie McDermott composed it.

~Masato

Subject: Ballad of O'Carolan's Country
From: GUEST,Annraoi
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 05:30 PM

Anyone out there know of this song?
Annraoi