School: Taobh Breac (roll number 15227)

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1. McGowan's Bean Sí

   

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   1. In the battle of life with its woes and depressions,
   I withstood the cares and sorrows of the day,
   The agony of parting with friends and relations
   When they sailed in the ships to the lands far away
   But there is a sorrow deep down in my heart
   That always can bring a sad memory to me
   Of the day I was forced from my Noreen to part
   And I heard the sad wail of McGowan’s Bean Sidhe.

   2. By the little white cot at the end of the boreen
   The moon shed her silvery light o’er the lea;
   I stood by the gate and was talking to Noreen
   The night that I heard the McGowan’s Bean Sidhe

   3. With a laugh like the song of the lark in the morning
   My Noreen was blithe and as brisk as a bee,
   The auburn ringlets her white brow adorning,
   Her eyes spoke of love as she whispered to me.
   I was glad that she loved me, and proud I had won her
   And I was as happy, as happy could be
   Ah! little I knew of the call that was on her
   The night that I heard the McGowan’s Bean Sidhe

   4. And when they brought me the news the next morning
   My Noreen had gone to the angels above.
   ‘Twas then that I full understood the dread warning
   And sorely I wept o’er the loss of my love
   All night had I dreamed of the weeping and wailing
   Awake, I would wonder for whom it could be
   And whilst I’d been dreaming, grim death had been stealing
   In the blossom of life my sweet colleen from me.

   FINIS

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)
         1. banshees (~369)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Donnachadh E. Mac Congáile

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Informant

   James Mc Loughlin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Tievebrack, Co. Donegal