In the days I went a courting, I was never tired of sporting
To the alehouse and the playhouse and many's the house besides,
So I told me brother Seamus I'd go off and go right famous
And before I'd return again I'd roam the whole world wide.

Chorus:
So goodbye, Muirsheen Durkin, I'm sick and tired of working,
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be poor.
For as sure as me name is Carney I'll be off to California,
Where instead of digging praties I'll be digging lumps of gold.

I've courted girls in Blarney, in Kanturk, and in Killarney
In Passage, and in Queenstown--that is, the Cobh of Cork.
But goodbye to all this pleasure, for I'm going to take me leisure
And the next time that you hear from me will be a letter from New York.

Chorus

Goodbye to all the boys at home, I'm sailing far across the foam
To try to make me fortune in far America,
For there's silver there aplenty for the poor man and the gentry
And when I do come back again I never more will stray.

Chorus

# Posted on May 8th 2008 by ceolachan

"Muirsheen Durkin" & a stepping it

As well as this melody having lyrics to it the title is also the name given to a step dance that was danced to the tune of the same name... A handful of lovely steps, I only came across it in the North but never had it together enough to write the steps down... Does anyone else out there remember anything about it?

This is a melody/song that exists, or existed, in both a straight and a swung form, more or less... I've also heard it straight and with repeats ~ AB, ABB, AABB...

# Posted on May 8th 2008 by ceolachan

Muirsheen Durkin song

Surely the second line of the chorus goes "...no longer I'll be TOLD." ?
Well, it rhymes that way, anyway.

# Posted on May 11th 2008 by Guernsey Pete

Fool's Gold ~ Choruses

CHORUS:
Goodbye Muirsheen Durkin sure I'm sick and tired of workin'
No more I'll dig the praties and no longer I'll be fooled
As sure's me name is Carney I'll be off to California
Where instead of diggin' praties I'll be diggin' lumps of gold

CHORUS:
So goodbye, Muirsheen Durkin, I'm sick and tired of working,
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be fool.
For as sure as me name is Carney I'll be off to California,
Where instead of diggin' praties I'll be diggin' lumps of gold.

And here's something just to irritate the hell out of yeez!!!
http://www.mojairlandia.pl/muzyka/lyrics/muirshen.htm

Don't go blaming me, I tried to warn yuh!!! After all, anyone could see the .pl at the end of the home address... What were you expecting? 8-)

# Posted on May 11th 2008 by ceolachan

"Muirsheen Durkin" ~ played in the keys of D, G, A & d Major

In the original submission I had also included a take once through in G, with other possibilities, but alas it is no more... What survives is twice through in D...

# Posted on May 11th 2008 by ceolachan

Reel version - Pretty Girls of Mayo

If you play this melody in reel time, it is "The Pretty Girls of Mayo."

# Posted on May 12th 2008 by blarneystar

"The Pretty Girls Of Mayo"

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on September 7th 2003 by lazyhound.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1954

Nice one blarneystar, I love the connection...

# Posted on May 14th 2008 by ceolachan

Screwing around with steps ~

I realized, after thinking on it and checking my notes, that what was danced was a lark, taking steps from the following and trying to do them and sing at the same time, with more swing in interpretation, since we were also trying the two tunes together in a set. Daft, I know... :-/

"Maggie Pickens" / "An Chearc Ar Fad Is An TAnraith"
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on May 20th 2004 by hetty.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/3041

# Posted on May 14th 2008 by ceolachan