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Billy Reilley

[ Roud - ; Mudcat 46593 , 152349 ; Bonnie Shaljean]

Harp player and singer Bonnie Shaljean wrote Billy Reilley in 1979 and sang in with Packie Byrne on their 1981 Dingle’s album Roundtower. She noted:

The story of Billy Reilley takes place during the Flight of the Wild Geese, a period in 18^th-century Ireland when poverty and hard times caused many of the young men to leave their country and seek a new life in France.

Beryl Graeme sang Billy Reilley in 1999 on her CD of songs in the traditional manner, Moth to a Flame.

Jackie Oates sang Billy Reilley in 2008 on her CD The Violet Hour. She noted:.

Lovely Kath Parry sang this song at a session in Okehampton one Sunday in late October last year and it remains one of the most moving things that I’ve ever heard. It was written by Bonnie Shaliean in 1979, and appears on the 1983 Dingle’s LP Roundtower. by Packie Byrne and Bonnie Shaljean. The song refers to the flight of the wild geese.

Rosie Hood learned Billy Reilley from Jackie Oates’ album and recorded it as a bonus track for the Kickstarter supporters of her 2017 RootBeat CD, The Beautiful & the Actual.

Lyrics

Bonnie Shaljean sings Billy Reilley

Billy Reilley at thy rest
Your father calls you from the past
His voice is loud but you are blessed
With sleep and cannot hear him
He doesn’t talk much anymore, Billy Reilley

Long time ago you courted me
In the summer days when the world ran free
And love hung ripe on the rowan tree
You played your father’s pipes
And all my joys abounded, Billy Reilley

But time and other dreams took hold
The land grew ill and the sky turned cold
And all the things that make young men old
Must send the wild geese flying
You left me with your child, Billy Reilley

Your father raged and made me swear
I’d never tell you but I couldn’t bear
Unspoken names and whispering stares
And worst of all the nights
O curse the hour that I wrote you, Billy Reilley

You sailed for home with the next tide in
But the ship was lost and all men within
And now all Ireland’s grace can’t win you
From the sullen ocean
My heart lies dead at my feet, Billy Reilley

Your father curses the rolling sea
The stormy winds, fair France, and me
And I curse love and my own baby
And life is not the short thing
That they would have you believe, Billy Reilley

The pipes will sing you fast asleep
Where’er you lie in the ocean’s keep
Forgive me if I no longer weep
As year by year I stay here
Imprisoned by my sins, Billy Reilley
You’d never recognise me, Billy Reilley

Rosie Hood sings Billy Reilley

Billy Reilley, at thy rest,
Your father calls you from the past,
His voice is loud but you are blessed
With sleep and cannot hear him,
He doesn’t talk much anymore, Billy Reilley.

Long time ago you courted me,
In the summer days when the world ran free,
And love hung ripe on the rowan tree.
You played your father’s pipes
And all my joys abounded, Billy Reilley.

But time and other dreams took hold,
The land grew chill and the air ran cold,
And all the things that make young men old
Must send the wild geese flying.
You left me with your child, Billy Reilley.

Your father raged and made me swear
I’d never tell you, but I couldn’t bear
Unspoken names and whispering stares,
And worst of all the nights.
O curse the hour that I wrote you, Billy Reilley.

You sailed for home with the next tide in
But the ship was lost, and all men within.
And now all Ireland’s grace can’t win you
out from the briny ocean,
My heart lies dead at my feet, Billy Reilley.

Your father curses the rolling sea,
The stormy winds, fair France, and me.
And I curse love, and my own baby
Cause life is not the short thing
That they would have you believe, Billy Reilley.

The pipes will sing you fast asleep,
Where’er you lie in the ocean’s keep.
Forgive me if I no longer weep
As year by year I stay here
Imprisoned by my sins, Billy Reilley.
And You wouldn’t recognise me, Billy Reilley.