Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo

Subject: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: weerover
Date: 11 Aug 03 - 07:29 AM

I have this song on a CD and cannot quite make out all the words. Can anyone fill in the gaps in the version below? Also can anyone say what particular conflict is the setting?

THE GLENS OF SWEET MAYO

As I roved out one evening down by the riverside
I overheard a maid complain she'd never be a bride
That she'd never be a bride as her etars began to flow
Concerning her love Willie on the glens of sweet Mayo

"'Twas late last night I heard the news, oh it nearly broke my heart
When the [ ? ] boy came from the hills and he said , "Now you must part
Depart from your love Willie whom you loved long, long, long, long ago
He lies wounded, oh deadly wounded on the glens of sweet Mayo"

"Never mind your own true love but walk away with me
For riches I have plenty and married we can be
What is the use of mourning when the one you love lies so low
And the past and the future are in his eyes on the glens of sweet Mayo"

"If I had all the money, oh Germany does own
If I had all the glittering jewels the Queen has on her throne
If I had all those gallant ships that are anchored here below
I'd rather a kiss from my own last love on the glens of sweet Mayo

"There's one request I would ask of you, oh grant it if you please
'Twas never so much I'd ask of you, 'twill set my heart at ease
Have pity upon a helpless girl who knows not where to go
Will you come, will you search for my own last love on the glens of sweet Mayo?"

We both [   ?   ] off together [   ?   ?   ?   ] find
Three days, three nights we searched for him in the cold and piercing wind
Until we came to that cruel spot where her tears began to flow
'Twas there we found her own last love on the glens of sweet Mayo

'Twas sad the sight I witnessed over him she stood
And as she gazed on his poor face now covered [   ?   ?   ?   ]
'Twas then she spied those terrible wounds that caused his blood to flow
And it makes the heather still run red on the glens of sweet Mayo

She's knelt down to dig a grave to lay her love to rest
And on it she'll plant an evergreen to grow on her own love's breast
And she's knelt down to kiss those lips that were now as cold as the snow
May the heavenly light shine down on us tonight on the glens of sweet Mayo


wr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 06:59 AM

Refresh - anyone?

wr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 08:03 AM

Good lord! Do you suppose this is "The Glens of Sweet Yaro" taking a weird twist in hearing? I suppose it would make a good commercial for my favorite condiment for artichokes, brocoli, or lobster.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From:
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 08:09 AM

There seems to be a listing for Glens of Sweet Mayo, but I've not located any lyrics which are online. Might have to do some research in some books.

Where's Masato or Joe?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Aug 03 - 08:34 AM

Roud lists one example of a song by this title: Glens of Sweet Mayo (an archive recording made in Wexford) and, under the same heading (No. 5334), Joe Heaney's Widow from Mayo. The former I don't know; the latter is about an old lady seeing her daughter off at a railway station. The first few lines we have here are borrowed from elsewhere and start off quite a number of different songs, which doesn't make locating it any easier.

It looks rather generic, really, but it's possible that the singer from whom it came may have had a particular incident in mind. What was this CD, and did it say anything about a source?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 13 Aug 03 - 01:39 AM

The CD is one I got from some participants in a session in a Westport (Mayo) pub: it appears to have been produced locally on a limited, non-commercial basis, although the artistic quality is excellent. The singer of the song in question is Tony Small.

wr.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: Cruiser
Date: 13 Aug 03 - 02:05 PM

Is there a song clip or MIDI available?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 02:13 AM

Don't know how to post sound clip or MIDI, but will have a go at an abc when I get time: the tune is very similar in places to both "The Galtee Mountain Boy" and "The Boys of Barr na Sraide", though it's not quite the same as either.

wr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: weerover
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 02:52 PM

...and for those who hadn't spotted the obvious, "etars" in v1 line3 should read "tears".

wr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST,Joy
Date: 28 Aug 03 - 11:40 PM

I have sung this song for over 20 years. Learned it from a friend and from a book of Irish Street songs. "Ballads from the Jails and Streets of Ireland." Compiled and edited by Martin Shannon - 1966 Dublin. The composer is not credited but the melody is named as "Felons of Our Land" As a studied guess it may have been written by Lady Gregory. My version is a more complete one and differs slightly in some of the verses that you list. The conflict is stated in the song, as I sing it, as being the 1916 uprising. The "Black and Tan Reign" (which followed this uprising) is also mentioned. The timing of the pilgramage to the dead lover is vague and the whole song is full of older archetypes and images -- to my way of looking at it anyway. I was rather hoping it had been forgotten except for a few of us. I could send the lyrics from the book if you wish. Joy in Australia.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: weerover
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 07:27 AM

Joy - yes, I would very much like to have your more complete version. Didn't reply earlier as I haven't been near a PC for two weeks, spending time in, among other places, the glens of sweet Mayo.

wr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST,Joy
Date: 11 Sep 03 - 08:35 AM

How great. Did you find an evergreen and blood-stained heather? I'll get my copy together and post the lyrics. I came across an apparently older song called "The Widow of Mayo" which may have inspired the "Glens of Sweet Mayo". Also there is a version of it on-line sung by Vin Garbutt. I found it by typing his name and the song name into Google. It's a bit shorter than mine but essentially the same. Anyway I'll be back soon Joy

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GLENS OF SWEET MAYO
From: GUEST,Joy
Date: 11 Sep 03 - 09:28 AM

Here goes: THE GLENS OF SWEET MAYO

One sunny summer's morning as I rambled from my home
Down by the banks of a silver stream I carelessly did roam
I overheard a fair maid sigh as the tears from her eyes did flow
For the loss of her own true Irish love in the Glens of sweet Mayo.

My true-love was a rebel bold he loved sweet liberty
In bloody ninteen-sixteen he fought for Ireland free
It was in the Black and Tan reign he never feared the foe
It was State guns that shot my love in the Glens of sweet Mayo.

Had I but his rifle now I'd fight for liberty
Upon the spot where he was shot I'd fight the enemy
Until a bullet should pierce my heart and cause my blood to flow
I'd die beside my own true-love in the Glens of sweet Mayo.

Had I but the riches bright old England proudly owns
Oh! had I all the glittering gold a king holds on his throne
Or had I all those stately ships, that are anchored there below
I would rather have my soldier boy in the Glens of Sweet Mayo.

Forget about your soldier boy and come away with me
We'll both go off together and it's happy we will be
Where is the use of mourning now for one that's lying low
With worms a-creeping 'round his head in the Glens of Sweet Mayo

There is one request I'd ask of you, and grant it to me please
It is not much I'll ask of you, but will set my mind at ease
Take pity on a fair young maid who knows not where to go
And come with her to find her love in the Glens of sweet Mayo.

We started off together then her true-love for to find
For three long days and weary nights against the rain and wind
Until we came to that silent spot that all true lovers know
We found him dying on the grass in the Glens of sweet Mayo.

'Twas a cruel sight that pierced my heart as over him she stood
And when she gazed upon that face all covered with his heart's blood
When she saw those cruel wounds from which the blood did flow
Ah! it made the heather around look red in the Glens of sweet Mayo

She then commenced to dig his grave and lay him down to rest
Then she planted an evergreen to flourish at his breast
She then bent down to kiss his lips which were as white as snow
Saying "Goodbye, farewell my own true-love in the Glens of sweet Mayo."

             Quite Gothic really!! Cheers Joy

---

The version I posted comes from "Ballads from the Jails and Streets of Ireland" ed. Martin Shannon Pub. Red Hand Books, Dublin, 1966. No info. given except that the tune is "Felons of our Land".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST,Joy
Date: 11 Sep 03 - 07:56 PM

By the way the Irish surrounding the Widow of Mayo seem to have come up with the steam engine way before we Cornish did. The song has the afore-mentioned widow seeing her daughter off at a train station before the building of the railway. Both of these songs -- "Widow of and Glens of Sweet -- Mayo - play strange and wonderful games with Time. Joy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: mayomick
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 06:07 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST,where can i get cd with this song
Date: 22 Nov 10 - 09:24 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 11 - 05:37 AM

Vin Garbutt sings this on 1972 debut LP, Valley Of Tees, with the complete lyrics. Unfortunately the album has never been released on CD as Vin has battled the record label Trailer who originally put it out but I'm sure he'll have rerecorded it at some point in his long career!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST,kizzy
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 08:16 AM

could any1 tell me if this actual song made it to cd or if anyone knows the name of the singer plzz

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: MartinRyan
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 08:46 AM

I'm not sure I've heard this sung - though bits of it are familiar.

In Verse 2, I suspect the last line should read "It was Stater guns that shot my love..". "Stater" is shorthand for "Free Stater" i.e. those who fought on the Government side in the Civil War which followed the end of the Irish War of Independence. The sequence of Easter Rising, War of Independence, CIvil War in the three lines then makes sense.

Regards

p.s. I'll see what I can find out about the song's origins.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: MartinRyan
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 08:50 AM

I'm referring to the second of the versions in the thread, of course. ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: MartinRyan
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 09:18 AM

Aha! The first Roud-indexed version mentioned earlier in the thread by the late Malcolm Douglas was collected by none other than Mudcat's own Jim Carroll. I'll drop him a PM...

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 09:49 AM

"I'll drop him a PM..."
Faster than a speeding bullet....!!!
We recorded about half a dozen verses of it from a somewhat intoxicated Traveller during an "atmosphere gathering" session (in the back of a speeding car).
Have to admit I don't remember it (I wasn't particularly sober (happy days) that night either) but I'll look it up later and see if I can't add anything to what's already been written - will be happy to supply a copy if it's of any use.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: MartinRyan
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 11:20 AM

I see there's a related thread HERE . Maybe they should be merged?

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: Joybell
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 03:24 PM

I was "Guest Joy" way back on this thread. Nearly 10 years ago just before I joined Mudcat.
I've recorded this song. Years ago. Many friends have copies but True-Love and I are live performers and our CDs haven't made much of a mark.
Anyone who would like a copy I'd be happy to send one as a swap or something.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 14 - 08:11 AM

Hello,

I've been trying to find a correct melody to go with the words above for some time. I stumbled across this video today with a singer called John Connolly singing it. I think John comes from Mayo himself,but I'm not completely sure.

The melody he uses is the one I was familiar with.

I thought I'd sent the link in case people are still looking for a nice melody to put to the words above.

Here's the link..

Click here

All the best,

Liam
---------Link added. Mudelf----------------

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Glens of Sweet Mayo
From: rich-joy
Date: 07 Jul 18 - 12:55 AM

Joybell - are you still with us?!

I have finally got around to putting up the version of this song by my late husband, Paul Lawler, from 1979-81 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWSYX3qgEno

After hearing the Vin Garbutt version you mentioned, I'd say that was my Paul's source ..... Certainly unlike the jaunty examples now found on the net as "The Hills of Sweet Mayo"!

Cheers from Maleny!
R-J