Songs from County Kerry

In winter's gloom and dreary blast I must retract my flight,
Through mountain roads, through snow and frost, all alone in the dark of night.
Thought or news, no time to lose, I cannot long delay --
I must be there each morning fair, by the dawning of the day.

In drearer hours than e'er have passed I must have tramped my way,
Where the screaming owl and the scampering fox stray lurking for their prey.
More lonely than the wild wood lark that in the forest stray,
I must be there each morning fair, by the dawning of the day.

How low diffused in morning dew spreads o'er each silent lawn,
Birds in trees by the murmuring breeze aroused by morning's dawn.
The rising sun through the winding groves sends forth his beams of light,
Through shady bowers to awake the flowers that slumber there all night.

Oh sweet Dereen, oh lovely vale, oh noblest seat on earth,
Green be thy fields and the sparkling flowers and the vale that gave thee birth.
The silvery streams from the mountains glide to meet the briney sea --
'Twould cheer your heart when night depart by the dawning of the day.

When going to Mass last Sunday, my true love passed me by;
I knew her love were altered by the roll she gave her eye.
Yes, I knew her mind was altered to some lad of high degree --
O charming, lovely Molly, your looks have wounded me.

Whenever you meet a pretty girl with that dark and roguish eye,
Just kiss her and embrace her, and tell her the reason why.
Yes, kiss her and embrace her and steal her heart away --
For a cowardly-hearted soldier, he never gained the day.

It's down in yonder valley I'll meet my love bye and bye;
And it's down in yonder valley I'll gaze into her eye.
And it's down in yonder valley I'll meet my love tonight --
Sure I'll hold her in my arms, to the course of my heart's delight.

You feeling-hearted Christians I hope you will draw near,
Till I sing for you a verse or two which will cause your hearts to tear;
Concerning our dear clergyman, whose loss we do deplore,
By heretics was murdered not far from Dromore.

When they got him on the road, and far away from home,
Those cruel-hearted villains our priest they did surround;
Alas they took him treacherous, gave him no time to pray,
And with a billhook sharp and keen they took his life away.

And when they did him murder, to crown that awful sin,
It was to a limestone quarry they threw his body in.
For fear of being arrested those villains made away,
But the Lord will hold them guilty in the great accounting day.

It was early next morning, two men were passing by;
The blood being sprinkled on the road they happened for to spy.
They traced it to the quarry where they did him behold;
And the body of His Reverence was lying stiff and cold.

And to the chapel he was brought, High Mass for him was said;
Upon his breast was laid the cross and the chalice at his head.
The altar it was draped in black, his loss for to deplore --
May the Lord have mercy on his soul, we'll never see him more.

To see his grand procession your heart would give a sigh;
To hear his tender parents for him did loudly cry.
The widows and the orphans with dismal hearts did say:
May the Lord have mercy on the soul of Father Hanratty.

From the Dingle Bay he sailed away
All in the month of May
His true love she stood waving
While waiting on the quay
His true love she stood waving
So bitterly she cried
Said "He's gone and God be with him
He's my roving Dingle boy."

Then the sails were hoist and the flag was flown
And the ship began to move
Just as the anchor it was clear
She cried these words I prove:
"A maid, a maid, I'll always stay
Until the day I die,
For there is no other one for me
But my roving Dingle boy."

Now he'd gone away past six months clear
When a letter he sent home
Enquiring all about his friends
And the girl he left alone
He sent her home the passage paid
To comfort all her joy
And she's now in Philadelphia
With her roving Dingle boy.

Come all you maids and maidens fair
The warning take mine here
Never slight your own true love
When he is on the sea
Be sure to him, prove constant
And he's bound to crown your joy
And carry you towards the city
Like my roving Dingle boy.

The summer is coming and the grass is green,
And the leaves are budding on every tree;
The ships are sailing upon the sea,
And I'll soon have tidings of my own Johneen.

The night was stormy and dark and cold,
When I lost my darling, my true love bold;
I'll range the valleys and the mountains high,
And I'll never marry until I die.

O Johnny, Johnny I love you well,
I love you better than tongue can tell;
I love my friends and relations too,
But I'd leave them all, love, and go with you.

If you're a tinker's daughter as I took you for to be,
Will you ride up to Kilgarvan, making buckets there for me?

Refrain
  With my gumshilla an' a goushilla an' me gashilla like a Leary-O,
  With my goushilla an' me gumshilla, wallop it out my hero.

Before we went to Kenmare we hadn't this nor that;
But now the fair is over we've a piebald and a flat.

(Refrain)

I soldered in the stable and I soldered in the hall;
The children in the kitchen threw away my tools and all.

(Refrain)

Sure I can make a bucket or I can make a pint;
I can do a job of tinker's work the darkest hours of night.

(Refrain)

I'll pull out my pony and I'll try to make a swap;
I'll catch a tinker's daughter and I'll catch her on the hop.

(Refrain)

Refrain
  Kitty I am in love with you, Kitty I am asthore;
  Kitty I am in love with you whether you like it or no.

I was on top of Mount Brandon, and she in the valley below;
I took off my shoes and my stockings, to follow my Kitty-eye-O.

(Refrain)

I have a foot for a stocking, and I have a leg for a shoe;
I have a kiss for the ladies, and maybe some other thing too.

(Refrain)

I have a pan and a keeler, and a churn as white as the snow;
O Kitty my dear, will you marry me; love, with your dove will you go?

(Refrain)