Play recording: Mrs Mc Grath (2)
view / hide recording details [+/-]
- Teideal (Title): Mrs Mc Grath (2).
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): none.
- Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
- Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): 678.
- Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
- Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
- Cnuasach (Collection): Geordie Mac Intyre.
- Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): English.
- Catagóir (Category): song.
- Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney, Geordie Mac Intyre.
- Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): Geordie McIntyre.
- Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): unavailable.
- Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Clydebank, Scotland.
- Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): private.
- Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
- Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.
‘Oh, Mrs Mc Grath’, the sergeant said,
‘Would you like to make a soldier out of your son Ted?
With a nice fur coat and a big cocked hat
Mrs Mc Grath, wouldn’t you like that?’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love beg the cracker-oh!
Now, Mrs Mc Grath lived on the seashore
For the space of seven long years or more
‘Til she saw a big ship sailing into the quay
‘It’s my son Ted, musha clear the way!’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love beg the cracker-oh!
‘Oh captain, dear, where have you been?
Have you been on the Mediterranean?
Or have you any tidings of my son Ted?
Is the poor boy living or is he dead?’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love beg the cracker-oh!
Out stepped Ted without any legs
In their place were two wooden pegs
She kissed him a dozen times or two
Saying, ‘Holy Moses! It isn’t you!’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love beg the cracker-oh!
‘Well then, were you drunk or were you blind
That you left your two fine legs behind?
Or was it walking across the sea
Where your two fine legs from the knees away?’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love dun the cracker-oh!
‘Oh, I wasn’t drunk and I wasn’t blind
When I left my two fine legs behind
But a cannonball on the first of May
Stole my two fine legs from the knees away.’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love dun / beg the cracker-oh!
‘Well Teddy me dear’ the widow cried
‘Your two fine legs were your mammy’s pride.
Them stumps of a tree won’t do at all
Why didn’t you run from the big cannonball?’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love dun /beg the cracker-oh!
‘Now foreign wars do I declare
Between Don John and the King of Spain
And be heaven, I’ll make them rue the day
They took the legs of a child of mine!’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love dun / beg the cracker-oh!
‘Then Ted if I had you back again
I’d never let you go and fight the King of Spain
For I’d rather me Ted as he used to be
Than the King of France and his whole navy!’
With me too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah
With the too-rye-ah, fol-the-deedle-dah
Too-rya oo-rye oo-rye ah.
Love beg the cracker-oh!