Subject: Origins: Rory O'Moore / Rory O'More
From: Joe Offer
Here's the entry on this song from the Traditional Ballad Index:
Rory O'More
DESCRIPTION: "Young Rory O'More courted young Kathleen Bawn." He teases her. She says Mike loves her and dreams of hating Rory. Rory says "drames always go by contraries," After thrashing Dinny Grimes and Jim Duff he asks her to marry. They marry and retire to bed.AUTHOR: Samuel Lover (1797-1868)
EARLIEST DATE: before 1839 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 11(3313))
KEYWORDS: courting marriage fight dream
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (6 citations):
Greig/Duncan4 770, "Rory o' More" (1 text, 1 tune)
O'Conor-OldTimeSongsAndBalladOfIreland, p. 90, "Rory O'More" (1 text)
Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, #2030, p. 136, "Rory O'More" (2 references)
Winstock-SongsAndMusicOfTheRedcoats, pp. 217-218, "Rory O'More" (1 tune)
Heart-Songs, pp. 202-204, "Rory O'Moore" (1 text, 1 tune)
Hylands-Mammoth-Hibernian-Songster, pp. 49-50, "Rory O'More" (1 text)
Roud #6125
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 11(3313), "Rory O'More", J. Catnach (London), 1813-1838; also Firth b.27(136), Harding B 11(1513), Firth c.17(129) [only partly legible], Harding B 11(2596), Harding B 25(72), 2806 b.11(243), Harding B 16(233c), Harding B 11(3312), Firth b.34(212) View 2 of 2, 2806 c.16(297), Johnson Ballads 342, 2806 c.15(328), "Rory O'More"
SAME TUNE:
Too-Ril-Te-Too (The Robin and the Cat) (File: Lins293)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Rory O'Moore
NOTES [300 words]: Since O'Conor-OldTimeSongsAndBalladOfIreland omits the fourth(final) stanza broadside Bodleian Harding B 11(3313) was used for the Description.
Greig/Duncan4, like O'Conor, omits the broadside's fourth verse. Since, other than that, the text matches the broadside very closely, this may be an example of intentional self-censorship although that fourth verse is mild: they marry and go to bed. - BS
At least one source sub-titles this "Good Omens."
There was an Irish nationalist, Rory O'More, who was a leader of the 1641 rebellion (and a grandfather of Sarsfield, for whom see "After Aughrim's Great Disaster"). It doesn't appear he is connected with this song, though.
According to William H. A. Williams, 'Twas Only an Irishman's Dream, University of Illinois Press, 1996, p. 66, "By the 1830s the Irishman was becoming a familiar figure in the American theater. In that decade, however, the combined talents of two men in London helped move Paddy from the periphery to center stage on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1836 Samuel Lover's Rory O'More, a song turned into a play, was among the first comedies to have an Irish peasant character as the hero. The play's success was guaranteed by the superb acting of the man who created the title role, Tyrone Power."
On p. 67, Williams adds that Lover sought to transform the figure of the Irishman: "Lover replaced the old savage element of the stereotype with a childlike naivete. According to [Sally E.] Foster, Lover cleaned up the stage Irishman and made him fit for respectable middle-class entertainment. In doing so, he gave Paddy a new lease on life."
This Tyrone Power (full name: William Grattan Tyrone Power, born in Waterford in 1797; he was lost at sea on the President in 1841) was the great-grandfather of the Hollywood star. - RBW
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File: OCon090
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RORY O'MORE (Digital Tradition lyrics)
Young Rory O'More courted Kathleen Bawn
He was bold as a hawk and she soft as the dawn
He wished in his heart pretty Kathleen to please
And he thought the best way to do that was to tease.
"Now Rory be easy," sweet Kathleen would cry
Reproof on her lip but a smile in her eye
"With your tricks I don't know in troth what I'm about
Faith you've teased till I've put on my cloak inside out.
"O jewel," says Rory, " that same is the way
You've thrated my heart for this many a day
And tis plaz'd that I am and why not to be sure
For tis all for good luck." says bold Rory O'More.
"Indeed then," says Kathleen," don't think of the like
For I half gave a promise to soothering Mike
The ground that I walk on he loves I'll be bound."
"Faith," says Rory," I'd rather love you than the ground."
"Now Rory I'II cry if you don't let me go
Sure I drcam every night that I'm hating you so"
"Oh," says Rory," that same I'm delighted to hear
For dhrames always go by contrairies my dear."
"O jewel keep dhraming that same till you die
And bright morning will give dirty night the black lie
And tis plaz'd that I am and why not to be sure
Since tis all for good luck," says bold Rory O'More.
"Arrah Kathleen my darling you've teased me enough
Sure I've thrashed for your sake Dinny Grimes and Jim Duff
And I've made myself drinking your health quite a baste
So I think after that I may talk to the priest."
Then Rory the rogue stole his arm round her neck
So soft and so white without freckle or speck
And he looked in her eyes that were beaming with light
And he kissed her sweet lips don't you think he was right.
"Now Rory leave off sir you'll hug me no more
That's eight times today and you've kissed me before"
"Then here goes another," says he, " to make sure
For there's luck in odd numbers." says Rory O'More.
From the Grieg-Duncan Folk Song Collection
note: An Irish song, collected in Scotland
@courtship @love
filename[ RORYOMOR
TUNE FILE: RORYOMOR
CLICK TO PLAY
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