“The Bonny Young Irish Boy”

Description

The girl is sorely hurt when her Irish boy leaves her to cross the ocean. She follows him across the sea, only to learn that he has married another. She dies of a broken heart and asks to be buried in Ireland

Notes

In the Bodleian broadsides the singer has not died yet: "In rattling of my chains and on a bed of straw I lie." - BS

Cross references

• cf. "Cupid's Trepan (Cupid's Trappan, The Bonny Bird)" (tune)

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Harding B 20(178), "The Bonny Irish Boy" ("It's once I was courted by a bonny Irish boy"), J. Harkness (Preston), 1840-1866; also 2806 b.11(276), "Bonny Irish Boy"

Recordings

• O. J. Abbott, "The Bonny Irish Boy" (on Abbott1)
• John Maguire, "The Bonny Irish Boy" (on IRJMaguire01)

References

1. Laws P26, "The Bonny Young Irish Boy"
2. Greenleaf/Mansfield 95, "The Bonny Young Irish Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Peacock, pp. 562-563, "My Bonnie Irish Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. SHenry H168, pp. 399-400, "My Bonnie Irish Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Morton-Maguire 40, pp. 128-129,171, "The Bonny Irish Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. Ord, pp. 162-163, "My Bonnie Irish Boy" (1 text)
7. MacSeegTrav 64, "The Bonnie Irish Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
8. DT 506, YNGIRISH*
9. Roud #565
10. BI, LP26