A sassy little ditty with advice for unmarried women. Listen to a recording by The Dubliners here. Maids, When You're Young Never Wed an Old Man! An old man came courting me, hey ding dooram ay! An old man came courting me, me being young An old man came courting me, all for to marry … Continue reading MAIDS WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG, NEVER WED AN OLD MAN: An Irish Song
Irish Music
SHULE AROON: An Irish Song
This is an ancient song; it's been around since at least the 14th century, and is presented in the phonetic Irish, not the Gaelic, as was common in the 1880s, the time of the Donovan Family Saga. If it sounds familiar, that's because it was revived in the 1960s by Peter, Paul & Mary. Though … Continue reading SHULE AROON: An Irish Song
THE FOGGY DEW: Traditional Irish Song Lyrics
This is the traditional version of The Foggy Dew, which pre-dates the revolutionary song by at least a century. It was not uncommon for Irish folksingers and songwriters to borrow older tunes for new songs. A version of this ballad was recorded by the great John McCormack in 1913, and can be heard here. THE … Continue reading THE FOGGY DEW: Traditional Irish Song Lyrics
Irish Trivia: Irish Dancing
Ever wonder why Irish dancers keep their hands totally still at their sides when they dance? Many sources attribute this custom to the Traveling Dance Masters of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. For a fee, this Dance Master would teach Irish children jigs, reels and hornpipes. Accompanied by a fiddler and/or piper, the Dance Master … Continue reading Irish Trivia: Irish Dancing
MOLLY BAWN: An Irish Song
This is a traditional Irish song which I first learned as a child, listening to my grandmother's recordings of the great Irish tenor, John McCormack (find his version here). In the Donovan Family Saga, John Patrick Donovan sings it to his wife, Molly. Molly Bawn Refrain Oh, Molly bawn, why leave me pining All lonesome … Continue reading MOLLY BAWN: An Irish Song
THE STREETS OF LAREDO: A Cowboy Tune
This is the sad story of a cowboy who's gone wrong and is going to his grave, and the companions who still bear him in their hearts. The melody is from an old Irish song, The Unfortunate Rake (which, by the way, was also the inspiration for that New Orleans Blues standard, St James Infirmary.) … Continue reading THE STREETS OF LAREDO: A Cowboy Tune
LONDONDERRY AIR: An Irish Song
The Londonderry Air is known far and wide as the tune to Danny Boy (words and arrangement by Fred Weatherly). But the origins of the melody are shrouded in time and before 1915 (when Danny Boy was first recorded) The Londonderry Air was usually accompanied by these words: Londonderry Air Would God I were the … Continue reading LONDONDERRY AIR: An Irish Song
Irish Trivia: The Bagpipe
In this country, we most often associate the bagpipe with Celtic cultures, particularly the Irish and Scots, but it is an instrument played around the world. Finland, Romania, Spain, Italy, Belarus, Turkey, Iran, Algeria and India are just a few of the countries where bagpipes are a traditional folk instrument. The Irish bagpipe is called … Continue reading Irish Trivia: The Bagpipe
Gifford MacShane, Author 