Lyr Req: The Plains of Kildare (Andy Irvine)

Subject: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From:
Date: 23 Dec 98 - 10:28 PM

anyone who knows the lyrics? song played by Paul Brandy and Andy Irvine on the album Celtic graces.

Subject: RE: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From: Bruce O.
Date: 23 Dec 98 - 11:52 PM

Possibly "The Curragh of Kildare/ The Irish Lovers/ The Love Sick Maid". There's a very incomplete version in DT.

Subject: RE: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From: Bev lawton
Date: 24 Dec 98 - 11:58 AM

I have this on cassette : It has no title just Andy Irvine & Paul BRADY but it also has Donal Lunny & Kevin Burke accompanying on the album

Mulligan CLUN 008 released 1976 Distributed by : C.M Distribution,2-4 High Street, Starbeck, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK, HG2 7HY Telephone [phone] Fax. [phone] The title is "Plains of Kildare" Andy on Vocals,Bouzouki & mandolin Donal on Bouzouki Kevin on fiddle Paul on Guitar & backing vocals. I have the lyrics written down somewhere - when I find them I'll post them. Killer track by the way !

Subject: RE: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 24 Dec 98 - 02:40 PM

This was the "masterpiece" on what was a shatteringly great album. My recollection is that Frank Harte did the notes and he said he had passed the words to Irvine who had then gone off in search of more and had returned with an epic.

I had the pleasure of hearing them do this live.

Sorry to tell you that I live in a small NYC apartment and that the disc is in storage. I sing the song but another version. You probably know that Bill Monroe apapted it as "Molly & Tenbrooks" in a classic bluegrass recording. There is a slightly different text to the tune of "The Bold Tennant Farmer" in the book, "A Bonnie Bunch of Roses." You should try to get a copy of the album; it is simply one of the great ones! I'm sure it is still be available through the Folk Legacy website.

All the best.

Subject: RE: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 24 Dec 98 - 02:49 PM

Correction: I'm sure it is still available through the Green Linnet website.

Subject: Lyr Add: SKEW BALL
From: Bruce O.
Date: 24 Dec 98 - 04:13 PM

Is this what you are looking for?

From 'The Vocal Library', London, 1818. The last verse is obviously a bit corrupt.

SKEW BALL

Come, gentlemen sportsmen, I pray, listen all,
I will sing you a song in praise of Skew Ball;
And how he came over, you shall understand,
It was squire Mervin, the pearl of this land.
And of his late action, as you've heard before,
He was lately challang'd by one Sir Ralph Gore,
For five hundred pounds, on the plains of Kildare,
To run with Miss Sportly, that famous grey mare.

Skew Ball then hearing the wager was laid,
Unto his kind master said - Don't be afraid;
For if on my side you thousands lay would,
I would rig on your castle a fine mass of gold!
The day being come, and the cattle walk'd forth,
The people came flocking from East, South and North,
For to view all the sports, as I do declare,
And venture their money all on the grey mare.

Squire Mervin then smiling, on to them did day,
Come, gentlemen, all that have money to lay;
And you that have hundreds I will lay you all,
For I'll venture thousands on famous Skew Ball.
Squire Mervin then smiling, unto them did say,
Come, gentlemen sportsmen. to morrow's the day,
Spurs, horses, and saddles and bridals prepare,
For you must away to the plains of Kildare.

The day being come, and the cattle walk'd out,
Squire Mervin order'd his rider to mount,
And all the spectators to clear the way,
The time being come not one moment delay.
The cattle being mounted away they did fly,
Skew Ball like an arrow pass'd Miss Sportly by;
The people went up to see them go round,
They said in their hearts they ne'er touch'd the ground.

But as they were running in the midst of the sport
Squire Mervin to his rider began his discourse; [Squire Mervin-> Skewball
O! loving kind rider, come tell unto me,
How far at the moment Miss Sportly's from me,
O! loving kind master, you bear a great style, [master->Skew Ball
The grey mare's behind you a long English mile,
If the saddle maintains me, I'll warrant you there,
You n'er shall be beat on the plains of Kildare.
But as they were running by the distant chair,
The gentlemen cry'd out - Skew Ball never fear,
Altho' in this country thou wasn't ne'er seen before,
Thou hast beaten Miss Sportly, and broke Sir Ralph Gore.

["Skewball", Laws, Q22. Two versions in DT. Song is Irish, but the only Irish traditional version with tune that I've seen is in Hugh Shields' 'Old Dublin Songs', 1988, where the text is closely related to that here. In other versions Miss Sportly becomes Miss Portly or Miss Grizzel.]

Subject: RE: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From: Bruce O.
Date: 24 Dec 98 - 04:33 PM

I had forgotten that I had put this version of the song among the Irish ones on my website in the Scarce Songs file. There's a note there on a possible early tune, "Money makes the mare to go".

Subject: Lyr Add: STEWBALL AND THE MONAGHAN GREY MARE
From:
Date: 25 Dec 98 - 06:01 AM

Here is the version you are looking fore.

New words and music: Andy Irvine

Come all you bold sportsmen and listen to my story
It's about noble Stewball that gallant racing pony
Arthur Marble was the man that first brought Stewball here
For to run with Miss Griesel on the Plains of Kildare.

O the fame of his actions we've heard of before
But now he is challenged by young Mrs. Gore
For to run with Miss Griesel that handsome grey mare
For ten thousand gold guineas on the Plains of Kildare.

And the cattle they were brought out with saddle whip and bridle
And the gentlemen did shout at the sight of the gallant riders
And in viewing the cattle just as they came there
O they all laid their money on the Monaghan grey mare.

And the order it was given and away they did fly
Stewball like an arrow the grey mare passed by
And if you had've been there for to see them going round
You'd've thought to your heart their feet ne'er touched the ground.

And when at last they came to half way round the course
Stewball and his rider began to discourse
Says Stewball to the rider "Can you tell to me
How far is that grey mare this moment from me."

Says the rider to Stewball "You run in great style
You're ahead of the grey mare almost half a mile
And if you keep your running I vow and I swear
That you never will be beaten by the Monaghan grey mare."

The last winning post, Stewball passed it quite handy
Horse and rider both called for sherry wine and brandy
And they drank up a health to the noble grey mare
For she emptied their pockets on the Plains of Kildare.

Jens Nielsen, DK

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 25-Aug-02.

Subject: RE: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From: Bruce O.
Date: 29 Dec 98 - 02:57 PM

I find I've got another early copy, "Scew Ball" in Holloway and Black's 'Later English Broadside Ballads', #109, with many minor variations from that above. It looks like I was wrong in saying the last verse was a bit corrupted. It just strains one's credulity a bit to have Squire Mervin/ Merwin/Mirwin talking to Skew Ball's rider while the latter is in the middle of the race. But who says songs have to be logical?

Subject: RE: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From: Barry Finn
Date: 29 Dec 98 - 04:00 PM

Another conversation between horse & rider.

Half way round the track up spoke the noble rider
"I fear we must pull back she's going like a tiger".

Up spoke the noble horse, "ride on my noble master, We're half way round the track & now we'll see who's faster"

Barry

Subject: RE: lyrics of the plains of kildare
From: Barry Finn
Date: 29 Dec 98 - 04:32 PM

Also see Skewball in the D.T. Barry

Subject: Lyr/chord Req: The Plains of Kildare (Andy Irvine)
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 10:52 PM

Anyone know the basic chords for the andy irvine version of the plains of kildare?

Subject: Chords Add: PLAINS OF KILDARE (Andy Irvine)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 08:29 AM

Come (Em)all you bold sportsmen and (D)listen to my sto(Em)ry
It's about noble Stewball that (D)gallant racing po(Em)ny
Arthur Marble was the man that first (G)brought Stewball (D)here
For to (D)run with Miss (D)Griesel on the Plains of Kil(Em)dare.

from the A. Irvine songbook Aiming for the heart

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Plains of Kildare (Andy Irvine)
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 04:15 PM

The Plains of Kildare is my favorite Irish folk song, and I've been looking for the guitar chords for quite a while. Wolfgang's post above is PERFECT! Thank you!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Plains of Kildare (Andy Irvine)
From: GUEST,Tom Engelhardt
Date: 06 Mar 11 - 06:16 AM

I too wish to thank Wolfgang.....thanks much

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Plains of Kildare (Andy Irvine)
From: AmyLove
Date: 10 Apr 17 - 10:44 PM

From here:

The Plains of Kildare | Andy Irvine Lyrics

"Stewball and the Monaghan Grey Mare" was first recorded by Irvine on the 1976 album: Andy Irvine/Paul Brady, under the title of "The Plains of Kildare". At the time, Irvine wrote this version to new music, based on earlier versions from Eddie Butcher and A.L. Lloyd, while also using additional sources supplied by Frank Harte.

The following background notes were written by Frank Harte for the liner notes of "Andy Irvine and Paul Brady" in 1975.
"The first time I heard this song sung was in America where Cisco Houston sang about "Stewball"
"I rode him in England, I rode him in Spain
I never did lose boys, I always did gain."
There is also another version which found its way into the American negro tradition and was widely sung in the southern work camps.
The next time I heard the song, it was sung to me by Bert Lloyd, who called the horse "Skewbald." In is version, Skewbald was owned by Arthur Marvel and ran against a grey mare called Miss Griselda. "on the Sporting plains of Kildare." In 1964 Eddie Butcher of Magilligan, Co. Derry sang for me another version of Stewball, who this time was challenged by "young Mrs. Gore" to run against Miss Griesel. I in turn passed the song on to Andy and the version which you hear now is the outcome.
The facts are that sometime around 1790 a race took place on the Curragh of Kildare between a skewbald horse owned by Sir Arthur Marvel and "Miss Portly," a grey mare owned by Sir Ralph Gore. The race seemed to take the balladmakers' fancy and must have been widely sung — an early printed version appeared in an American song book dated 1829.
The song as sung here is a combination of Bert Lloyd's version and Eddie Butcher's version, but I think, for the future, it can only properly be called Andy Irvine's version."
-Frank Harte, 1975

The song is in the Roud Folk Song Index, #456.

Also known as "Stewball and the Monaghan Grey Mare".

Stewball?

The horse was foaled in 1741 and originally owned by Francis, 2nd Earl of Godolphin, and later sold. His name has been recorded as "Squball", "Sku-ball", or "Stewball". He won many races in England and was sent to Ireland. The Irish turf calendar states that he won six races worth £508 in 1752, when he was eleven years old, and was the top-earning runner of that year in Ireland. His most famous race took place on the plains of Kildare, Ireland, which is generally the subject of the song of the same name. The early ballad about the event has Skewball belonging to an Arthur Marvell or Mervin. Based on the horse's name, Skewball was likely a skewbald horse.

History

There are two major different versions of the sporting ballad, generally titled either "Skewball" or "Stewball"; the latter is more popular in America. There are multiple variations within the two major divisions. Versions date at least as far back as the 18th century, appearing on numerous broadsides. In both songs the title horse is the underdog in the race, up against a favored grey mare (usually called either "Griselda" or "Molly"), and although in most versions of Stewball the winning horse triumphs due to the stumbling of the lead horse, Skewball wins simply by being the faster horse in the end. Probably the most significant lyrical difference in the songs is the conversation Skewball has with his jockey, while Stewball behaves more like a typical horse and does not speak.

The oldest broadside identified with the ballad is dated 1784 and is held by the Harding Collection of the Bodleian Library of the University of Oxford. The song had spread to America by 1829 when it was published in a songbook in Hartford. American versions were sung and adapted by slaves in the Southern United States, and have Stewball racing in California, Texas, and Kentucky. British and Irish versions, when the setting is mentioned, usually place the race in Kildare, Ireland, leading some to believe that the song is actually Irish in origin.[2] The grey mare was owned by Sir Ralph Gore, whose family had gained a great deal of land in Ireland with the Protestant Cromwellian invasion (starting in 1650), which probably accounts for the delight in Skewball's win "breaking Sir Gore" in the final lines of this Irish-based broadside.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Plains of Kildare (Andy Irvine)
From: leeneia
Date: 11 Apr 17 - 01:25 PM

Thanks for the versions. They're interesting.

The references to cattle in the oldest versions had me baffled, but my dictionary tells me that long ago 'cattle' referred to any live animals raised for a purpose - including cows, sheep, goats, and horses. Here the cattle are horses.

According to my unabridged dictionary, skewbald animal has a coat of white mixed with another color. 'Skewes' is a medieval word for clouds. My dictionary is no help when it comes to the -bald part.

A piebald horse has mixed colors, but in the middle ages, it meant black and white. The 'pie' syllable is another name for the magpie, a black and white bird. I believe a magpie also has blue or green feathers, but let's not get silly and posit blue or green horses.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Plains of Kildare (Andy Irvine)
From: GUEST,CullenAbroad
Date: 11 Apr 17 - 05:25 PM

https://andyirvinelyrics.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/the-plains-of-kildare/