School: Taobh Breac (roll number 15227)
- Location:
- Tievebrack, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Donnchadh E. Mac Congáile
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1098, Page 205
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- XML “Charley Harper's Old Cow”
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On this page
- "Charley Harper's Old Cow" by Francis Kelly, Meenlougher known locally as "Francey, the fiddler" The original version was composed by Jack Catherson, Pollyarnon Castlederg, Co Tyrone.
I
Come all you good people and listen to me,
I'll sing you a song of a comical spree
Concerning an old cow, as I hear them say.
By drinking strong whiskey her head went astray.
II
She was known to the neighbours that lived round about
And the name she went under was a “drunken old tout”
That spent all her money in brandy and beer
And fought with all cows that came far and near.
III
From the first of September to the first of October
There wasn’t a market this cow came home sober
She was aye drunk on Friday, and Saturday sick
And only gave milk about twice a week
Till she joined the good Temperance for a month or two
And lived with her neighbours as a cow ought to do.
IV
She went down to Strabane without any control
And to her misfortune, she got the Black Hole
As she went down the road to herself, she did say
Oh! boys! we'll keep steady, we’ll booze none today.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Donnachadh E. Mac Congáile
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Múinteoir
- Informant
- Francey the Fiddler
- Other names
- Francey the Fiddler
- Francis Kelly
- Gender
- Male
