School: San Leonard, Ballycullane

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1. Fr Tom O'Neill

   

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   "Fr. Tom O'Neill"
   as sung by Mrs Ellen Doyle of Ballyhackbeg (See page 14)

   "There was a widow in this town, she had three darling sons
   Their father died and left them when they were very young
   For a long time she endeavoured to maintain her darling sons
   The youngest one became a man at the age of twenty-one

   One night he discoursed his mother and those words to her did say
   The lot will fall on one of us all to go far away
   The place is too small to maintain us all and if you will agree
   I am fully bent with your consent a clergyman to be.

   She spoke unto his brothers and they soon did agree
   And sent him off to College a clergyman to be.
   He was not long in College until the Rev. Bishop Brown
   Came to see his Collegians and viewed them all around

   He spied this clever young fellow and on him he did call
   He was the first he did discourse and marked him above them all
   Saying you are a clever fellow come tell to me your name
   I'm from the Co. of Armagh they call me Tom O'Neill

   My mother she's a widow and very small means has she
   But she has done her whole endeavors to make a clergyman of me
   Since Tom O'Neill it is your name the Bishop he did say
   Study hard both night and day and I'll soon see you ordained

   To help your tender mother that done so well for thee
   I'll send you home a credit your country boys to see
   When this young man came home ordained his neighbours were glad to hear
   And all that knew him ran to meet him in twos and threes
   Likewise his own dear friends they came to welcome home the son
   You never saw such a welcome as was for this widow's son.
   There was a rich man in this town as rich as duke or knight
   He had one only daughter she was a beauty bright
   She says unto her father "This young man I'll go see,
   Before he went to College he was at school along with me.
   She was brought into the parlour where she drank both ale and wine
   She said "You are a clever young man I would have you to resign
   What made you be a clergyman don't you know you are astray
   For clergymen must rise by night and travel by the day
   Take some noble lady that her fortune may be grand
   You will have your man to wait on you and be a gentleman
   Take myself now as I stand my fortune it is great
   I have a thousand pounds a year and at death a whole estate"
   He says "my honoured lady you need not explain your mind
   For if you had ten times more I never would resign
   For it is in this holy station I mean to lead my life
   So now my dear say no more I will never wed a wife
   Six months after that her secrets they know
   She swore before the magistrate that he did her boguile
   Six months before that she was to him with a child

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
         1. entertainments and recreational activities (~5,933)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary B. Dunphy

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Informant

   Mr Henry Murphy

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   55

   Address

   Saintleonards, Co. Wexford