School: San Leonard, Ballycullane
- Location:
- Saintleonards, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Mary B. Dunphy
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On this page
- "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-oneOne 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 aroundHe 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'NeillMy 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 ordainedTo 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)- Collector
- Mary B. Dunphy
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Teacher
- Informant
- Mr Henry Murphy
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 55
- Address
- Saintleonards, Co. Wexford