The Galway Shawl

traditional

In Oranmore in the County Galway
One pleasant evening in the month of May
I spied a damsel she was young and handsome
Her beauty fairly took my breath away.

She wore no diamonds or costly jewels,
No paint no powder, no none at all;
She wore a bonnet with a ribbon on it,
And around her shoulders was the Galway shawl.

As we kept on walking, she kept on talking,
Till her father’s cottage came into view.
Said she "Come in, sir, and meet my father,
And for to please him play "The Foggy Dew."

I played "The Blackbird" and "The Stack of Barley,"
"Rodney’s Glory" and "The Foggy Dew."
She sang each note like an Irish linnet,
And the tears flowed in her eyes of blue.

'Twas early, early, all in the morning,
I hit the road for old Donegal.
Said she, "Goodbye, sir," as she cried and kissed me,
And my heart remained with the Galway shawl.

* * *

In honour of St. Patrick's Day, I'm just posting my favourite among the new songs I learned last night. At our celebration there was enough singing and dancing to make people hoarse and lame. I loved every minute! I just wished I could have kept going all night . . .