Erin’s Green Shore

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  • Teideal (Title): Erin’s Green Shore.
  • Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 863805.
  • Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
  • Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): 280.
  • Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): Q27.
  • 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): Fredric Lieberman.
  • Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): unavailable.
  • Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): New York, United States of America.
  • Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): party.
  • Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): Lisa Null.
  • Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.

One evening of late as I rambled by the edge of a clear purling stream
I dreamt that I saw a fair maiden, and I quickly fell into a dream.

‘It’s so long since I sang it…

I dreamt that I saw this fair maiden, her equal I ne’er saw before
As she sighed for the wrongs of her country, as she rambled round Erin’s green shore.

Notes

Joe sang this fragment in response to a question from Lisa Null, an American singer who had a career presenting American traditional songs in concerts and workshops during the 1970s and ’80s. Her own version of ‘Erin’s Green Shore’ precedes Joe’s on this recording, which was made during a gathering at Fredric Lieberman’s house following a day-long workshop. Joe tells Lisa that this was one of the songs that his father knew.