Boyle Traditional Singers' Circle - Ciorcal Ámhránaíochta Traidisiúnta Mhainistir na Búille

3rd Saturday of every month. Next session: 21st March 2020. CANCELLED




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Fáilte - Welcome
to the Boyle Singers' circle - Ciorcal Amhránaíochta Mhainistir na Búille

Traditional unaccompanied singing, in English and Irish.

Dodd’s Crescent Bar (back room), The Crescent, Boyle, Co. Roscommon, Ireland.
The third Saturday of every month, all year around, 9.30pm onwards.

All singers and listeners welcome.


17 July 2010 : Who are you, my pretty fair maid

39 songs by my reckoning. Back later with a little more info.
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Back again - but isn't the summer flying in!

Well, Cyril McDermott from Ballyroddy, Elphin was back for a visit, and sang the Bantry Girl's Lament and Frankie Simon's song about the Windmill in Elphin. Cyril was one of those who worked towards restoring the windmill there. A regular visitor from Elphin, Paddy gave us Red-Haired Mary and the Rose of Allendale. George was accused of being a crazy-mixed up kid when he sang "I am my own Grand Pa".

We welcomed Jim Bainbridge and his wife, Francie, to the club. He kicked off with a 1920s song which goes: "It’s really high time that something was done to alter the way that the country is run...". (Well, we all second that.) Actually, it's a song about the duty on whisky, which was increased in England, on 19 April, 1920, so the price went up from ten and a tanner to 12 and a tanner a bottle.

Eugene traced our own country's woes back further - still linked to politics tho':
You brave young sons of Erin's Isle, I hope you will attend awhile
'Tis the wrongs of dear old Ireland I am going to relate
'Twas black and cursed was the day
When our parliament was taken away
And all of our griefs and sufferings commences from that day...

Breege's song about the drowning on Lough Arrow in 1874 held our attention and Helen's own love song, beside Lough Key (scraps of the verse: "we loved the first with such a thirst" ..."beside Lough Cé" ... "on Easter Day she passed my way".

A taster of more of the songs:
Raglan Road ,
Hot Asphalt,

Bold Grenadier:
As I was a walking one morning in May,
I spied a young couple, so fond they did stray,
One was a young maid so sweet and so fair,
And the other was a soldier and a bold Grenadier...

And then the surprise ending:
They kissed so sweet and comforting – last line... and she pushed him in.
Ahah! - never heard that bit before.
More maidens' revenge followed with Martinmas Time.

Moving along: My love came to Dublin; To plough and sow, reap and mow; Johnny Morissey and the Russian Sailor; Ceaití and the Sean duine dóite (not in the same song); 'Twas duly that it came to pass, I met ma bonnie fisher lass; Green grow the rushes, Oh; Annie; The Summer time is blooming; Who are you my pretty fair maid?

If you think you have a song or recitation to contribute to our store, or you'd just like to come and listen - see you next session - August (canyoubelieveit) 21, 2010 in Dodd's.

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