School: Béal an Átha Móir (B.)

On this page

1. (no title)

   “An old cow bought by Philip Thaidhg McGovern, Crickeen, Tullyveela, Bawnboy, Co.Cavan about 60 or 70 yrs ago.”

   

   Share Share Post

   An old cow bought by Philip Thaidhg McGovern, Crickeen, Tullyveela, Bawnboy, Co.Cavan about 60 or 70 yrs ago. The poem or song was made by a neighbour of Philip, named Curran, from Leananariagh.
   Collected by B. Flood, Court Clerk, from Laurence Fee (66), Coragh, Ballinamore.
   N.B. Philip was a bit of a simpleton when I first got to know his about 1896. He called into my mother's house, six miles from his home, "for the loan of a 'stench" bottle to write a letter with". S. Ó. hE.

   Around this country a farmer does dwell
   If I told you his name you'd all know him well
   On a fine Summer morning he quickly did prepare
   To buy a milch cow, he went to Bawn fair.
   Singing Fol da, tiddy fol day
   Fol de rol, ol, de rol de rol day. Repeated twice.
   2
   When he went to the fair, sure he searched up and down
   To meet with the bargain throughout the whole town.
   But to his misfortune, which brought tears to his brow,
   He happened to pitch on a toothless old cow.
   Chorus
   3
   Then he says to the seller I cannot delay,
   My journey is far I must be going away,
   So come in here, if you're at leisure,
   The price of your cow I'll pay you with pleasure.
   Chorus
   4
   Such a shape of a cow was rare to be found.
   She had a big belly just trailing the ground.
   Her hips they were bare and her sides they were slack,
   She was drooped in the neck, and had a hump on her back.
   Chorus
   5
   The farmer was thinking the cow would not thrive
   Or over the Winter she would not survive.
   One day in the field to the cow he did say,
   !I'll send for the butcher and I'll soon end your day."
   Chorus
   6
   "Oh master: dear master: Oh spare me my life
   And don't end my days with the hatchet or knife
   If you feed me well with good petting and hay,
   I'll yield you good milk till you see my last day."
   Chorus
   7
   Suppose now provision it is scarce this year,
   That corn and potatoes will rate very dear,
   For my part of potatoes, I have no great share,
   And I fear for "petting" I'll have none to spare.
   Chorus.
   8
   "When I seek for mercy I have no use to complain
   Since age and infirmity left me so lame.
   When I was young they called me a rogue
   Bad luck to the first day I ever saw Conspóid."
   Chorus
   9
   "I'm feeding you now for a year and a half,
   And all I have for it is a little bull calf.
   So you may quit your preaching, there is no relief
   For all I have now is bare bones and lean beef."
   Chorus

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. poetry
         1. folk poetry (~9,504)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   B. Flood

   Gender

   Unknown

   Occupation

   Clerk

   Informant

   Laurence Fee

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   66

   Address

   Coragh, Co. Leitrim