"Magherafelt May Fair" - traditional Irish

Thread: "Magherafelt May Fair" - traditional Irish

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  1. xadai said:

    Default "Magherafelt May Fair" - traditional Irish

    Hello,

    I would very much like to find lyrics for "Magherafelt May Fair," a traditional Irish tune I heard many years ago and really liked.

    I have googled for it, as well as checked many, many Irish lyrics sites and can't seem to find anything complete.

    The closest I have come is an excerpt from a speech by Seamus Heaney, in which he quotes parts of the song, shown below. If you know the lyrics in their entirety, or know where I can definitely find them, please let me know. Like I said, I've checked all the well-known Irish lyrics and could not turn this one up, so I'd really like to know if anybody has a link straight to lyrics for this specific song.

    Thanks!

    Here are Heaney's excerpts....

    The beginning of the song:

    I am a bouncing fair young girl,
    my age is scarce sixteen,
    and when I'm dressed all in my best
    I look like any queen;
    bright, young, at play, who wants a way
    to go and sell her wares,
    on the twelfth of May I made my way
    to Magherafelt May Fair.

    My mother's caution unto me
    was not stay late in town,
    for if you do, my father and I
    both on you we will frown.
    Be wise and shun bad company
    and of young men do beware --
    how smart you be, don't make too free
    in Magherafelt May Fair.


    And the ending:

    So I bade them all good evening
    and there I hoisted sail,
    Let the best betide my countryside,
    my fortune never fail.
    Then night coming on, all hopes being gone,
    I think I will try elsewhere,
    at a dance or a wake my chance I'll take
    and leave Magherafelt May Fair.

    Again, any help you can provide would be great!
     
  2. xadai said:

    Default Quick Update

    I found out that the song appears on albums by Kevin Mitchell and by the group Dordan. However, searching on these artist names still did not turn up the lyrics to this song. Does anyone happen to have liner notes for these albums, which might list the lyrics?