Three Flowers, The

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  • Teideal (Title): Three Flowers, The.
  • Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 844004.
  • Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
  • Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): 9742.
  • Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
  • Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
  • Cnuasach (Collection): Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.
  • Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): English.
  • Catagóir (Category): song.
  • Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney.
  • Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): Susan Auerbach.
  • Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 1982.
  • Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): University of Washington, United States of America.
  • Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): private.
  • Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
  • Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.

One night when walking down the lane as night was drawing nigh
I met a colleen with three flowers, and she more fair than I
‘St. Patrick bless you, dear,’ said I, ‘or would you kindly tell
The place where you did find these flowers, I seem to know quite well.’

She took and kissed the first flower once, and gently said to me
This flower comes from the Wicklow hills, dew-wet and fair, said she
I call it Michael Dwyer, the fairest flower of all
And I’ll keep it fresh beside my breast though all the world should fall.

She took and kissed the next flower twice, and sweetly said to me
‘This flower comes from the Antrim hills outside Belfast,’ said she
‘The name I call it is Wolfe Tone, the bravest flower of all
And I’ll keep it fresh beside my breast though all the world should fall.’

Then she took and kissed the next flower thrice, and softly said to me
‘This flower I found in Thomas Street [in Dublin’s fair city
I call it Robert Emmet, the youngest flower of all
And I’ll keep it fresh beside my breast though all the world should fall.’

‘So Emmet, Tone and Dwyer I’ll keep, for I do love them all
And I’ll keep them fresh beside my breast though all the world should fall.’]

Notes

This recording is cut off at the end, but the remainder – indicated in square brackets – has been supplied from a file of texts kept by the Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, United States of America.