We got this song from Songs of the County Down by Jackie Boyce. He recorded Frances Rogers singing a version of this song in his kitchen following his daughter’s christening in 1986. We really like the poetry of the words.
MELODY
HARMONY
MELODY & HARMONY
Choir singing (16th January 2017)
WORDS
One evening fair to take the air I chanced to go a straying O
As o’er the dales the clammy gales, with gentle breath displaying O
With a lassie gay I took my way, and left my occupation O
With beating heart for to escort, onto her destination O
Sol from the west the valleys dressed, the fragrant roof so pretty O
And lingering scenes as if the beams, were to adorn my Kittie O
In cheery mood we took the road, along to Slieveniskey O
Where nimble lambs around their dams, were sporting gay and frisky O
In scattered state my sheep did bleat, depart from one another O
And fearing they might further stray, we tied their legs together O
And this being done we then went on, our journey smooth and canny O
’Til time passed by ’til we drew nigh, to a place called Legannany O
The hawthorn gay beguiled the way, the hare and rabbit sportin’ O
The feather train sang o’er the plain, some pair were sweetly courtin’ O
While these I viewed I understood, and thought of nature’s charms O
That maid more fair than all was there, the maiden in me arms O
But bless my lot I envied not, the king his wide dominions O
For time alas ne’er moved so fast, as when on pleasures pinions O
Like the sea-bird brave a-breast the wave, o’er Gargan’s top came peeping O
Pale Luna’s lamp that guides the tramp, when all the world is sleeping O
So off I went, my footsteps bent towards old Slievenamoney O
And with a sigh bid her goodbye, my love in Legananny O
And coming home sure all alone, and wrapped in meditation O
I thus did say fair maidens gay, were young men’s ruination O
My feet being sore, I moaned the more ’til fit was I to shank it O
And Kittie she would laugh at me, snug wrapped up in her blanket O
To make me worse the clouds did burst, the hail fell helter-skelter O
And every thump it made me jump, and yet could find no shelter O
At last I spied by the wayside a closely spreading thorn O
Where I sat down to shun the wet, intending to stop ’til morning O
Not long I stayed beneath the shade ’til I fell o’er a-dozing O
And with the spring the muse took wing, and started the composing O
My thought included man’s careers, since Adam fell in Eden O
And how that Eve could still appear so wily and misleading O
Scared at the thought then up I got, and homeward bound pursuing O
Hard, hard I swore that never more, would I go back a-wooing O
Arranged by Brona McVittie