> Folk Music > Songs > The Winter It Is Past

The Winter It Is Past / Curragh of Kildare

[ Roud 583 ; Master title: The Winter It Is Past ; G/D 6:1104 ; Ballad Index DTcurrki ; Bodleian Roud 583 ; GlosTrad Roud 583 ; Wiltshire 170 ; DT CURRKILD , CURRKIL2 ; Mudcat 11870 , 64045 ; trad.]

Lucy E. Broadwood, J.A. Fuller Maitland: English County Songs Frank Purslow: The Foggy Dew

The Johnstons released Curragh of Kildare in 1967 on a single and in 1968 on the same-named EP Curragh of Kildare, both on Pye Records.

Finbar and Eddie Furey sang Curragh of Kildare in 1968 on their eponymous Transatlantic album Finbar and Eddie Furey. This track was included in 2006 on the Castle anthology of British and Irish Folk 1955-1978, Anthems in Eden.

Christy Moore sang Curragh of Kildare in 1969 on his first album, Mercury Record›s Paddy on the Road, and in 1983 on his WEA album The Time Has Come. Moore noted in his book from 2000, One Voice: My Life in Song:

Many have claimed both authorship and discovery of this beautiful Scottish ballad. Truth is it was probably written by Robbie Burns. In 1962 I discovered it in the Joyce collection. I brought it round to Dónal Lunny and we worked in a chorus gleaned from the third and fourth line of verse three. If memory serves me, I gave the song to Mick Moloney […] He subsequently recorded with The Johnstons and that wonderful version established the song in the national repertoire.

[…] I gleaned a number of songs from [P.W. Joyce’s collection of Irish music and songs]—among them this jewel. This was back in 1962 and Dónal Lunny and I worked it up into what it has become. Various ballad and folk bands have subsequently taken it to a million ears—one noted Irish singer even claimed to have written it, but Rabbie will ne’er be denied. Burns ’twas and Burns ’twill be.

P.S. I’ve just discovered that there is some doubt about Robbie Burns’ authorship here. I can neither confirm nor deny at this time.

Moira Kerr sang Curragh of Kildare in 1971 on her Beltona album Shadows of My Childhood. She noted:

[…] Then back to the tradition of folk music for The Curragh of Kildare with beautiful lyrics like—“The rose upon the briar and the waters running clear giving joy to the linnet and the bee. There little hearts are blessed but mine can know no rest since my true love is far away from me.”

Beautiful words indeed.

The Ripley Wayfarers sang Curragh of Kildare in 1972 on their Traditional Sound album Five Wells. They noted:

A fine traditional Irish song—a great favourite in our club.

Tim Radford sang The Winter It Is Past in 1975 on the Forest Tracks album Folk Songs From Dorset of songs collected in 1905-07 by the Hammond Brothers.

Spriguns of Tolgus sang Curragh of Kildare on their 1975 album Jack With a Feather.

Jean Redpath sang The Winter It Is Past in 1976 on her Philo album The Songs of Robert Burns Volume 1. Serge and Esther Hovey noted:

A popular song, The Lovesick Maid, telling of a highwayman named Johnson, who was hanged for robbery in 1750, was thus transformed. The poet was probably attracted by the simple, appealing melody; it was in his favourite tune book: Oswald’s Caledonian Pocket Companion. Burns remodelled this broadside ballad, omitting all mention of Johnson, the highwayman.

Isla St Clair sang The Curragh of Kildare in 1981 on her BBC television series soundtrack The Song and the Story.

John O’Connor played Curragh of Kildare in 1984 on the Dambuster album Buttons & Bows.

Archie Fisher sang The Winter It Is Past on his 1986 album with Garnet Rogers, Off the Map. He also recorded it in the 1970s for an album for Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy’s Blackbird label which never saw the light of day. This recording was finally released in 2008 on the “Missing Master” bonus CD of his album Windward Away.

Billy Ross sang The Winter It Is Past in 1996 on the Linn anthology The Complete Songs of Robert Burns Volume 1.

Benji Kirkpatrick sang The Curragh of Kildare in 1998 on his WildGoose album Dance in the Shadow. He noted:

Eighteenth-century lyrics, with one of a number of accompanying airs. Collected by, amongst other, Petrie and Joyce. Probably Irish, possibly Scottish.

George Deacon sang The Winter It Is Past in 2002 on his CD of song written and collected by John Clare, Dream Not of Love.

Eddi Reader sang The Winter It Is Past on her 2003 CD The Songs of Robert Burns.

Susan McKeown sang The Winter It Is Past on her 2004 CD Sweet Liberty.

Vic Gammon sang The Winter It Is Past at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife in May 2007. This recording was released in the following year on the festival anthology Nick-Knack on the Waa (Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Volume 4). The album’s booklet commented:

A song that is still popular in Ireland and has also been collected from tradition in Newfoundland. The song certainly dates back to the mid 1700s and was quite common on 19^th century broadsheets usually under the title Cold Winter. The song was known to Robert Burns (1759-1796) who published his own version in The Scots Musical Museum in 1788. The races on the plain of Kildare were a great gathering-place for people from all over Ireland. Vic got the song from the Lucy Broadwood Manuscript, the source being A.J. Hipkins of London.

Mike ‘Mungo’ O’Connor sang Curragh of Kildare in 2011 on Ron Kavana and Friends’ album 40 Favourite Folk Songs.

Lyrics

Christy Moore sings Curragh of Kildare

The winter it has passed, and the summer’s come at last,
The small birds are singing in the trees;
And their little hearts are glad, ah, but mine is very sad,
Since my true love is far away from me.

Chorus (after each verse):
And straight I will repair to the Curragh of Kildare,
For it’s there I’ll finds tidings of my dear.

The rose upon the briar by the water’s running clear
Brings joy to the linnet and the bee.
And their little hearts are blest, but mine can know no rest
Since my true love is far away from me

A livery I’ll wear and I’ll comb back my hair,
And in velvet so green I will appear.
And straight I will repair to the Curragh of Kildare,
For it’s there I’ll find tidings of my dear.

All you who are in love, aye, and cannot it remove,
I pity the pain that you endure.
For experience lets me know that your hearts are filled with woe,
It’s a woe that no mortal can cure.

Jean Redpath sings The Winter It Is Past

The winter it is past, and the summer’s come at last,
And the small birds sing on ev’ry tree;
The hearts of these are glad, but mine is very sad.
For my Lover has parted from me.

The rose upon the briar, by the waters running clear,
May have charms for the linnet or the bee;
Their little loves are blest and their little hearts at rest,
But my Lover is parted from me.

My love is like the sun, in the firmament does run.
For ever constant and true;
But his is like the moon that wanders up and down,
And every month it is new.

All you that are in love and cannot it remove,
I pity the pains you endure:
For experience makes me know that your hearts are full of woe,
A woe that no mortal can cure.

Billy Ross sings The Winter It Is Past

The winter it is past, and the simmer’s come at last,
And the small birds sing on ev’ry tree:
The hearts of these are glad, but mine is very sad,
For my lover has parted from me.

The rose upon the briar, by the waters running clear
May have charms for the linnet or the bee:
Their little loves are blest, and their little hearts at rest,
But my lover is parted from me.

My love is like the sun, in the firmament does run,
Forever is constant and true;
But his is like the moon that wanders up and down,
And every month it is new.

All you that are in love and cannot it remove,
I pity the pains you endure;
For experience makes me know that your hearts are full of woe,
A woe that no mortal can cure.

Vic Gammon sings The Winter It Is Past

Now the winter’s gone and past, pleasant summer’s come at last,
And the small birds sing on every green tree;
Oh it’s many’s the heart is glad, oh but my poor heart is sad,
Since my true love’s gone absent from me.

Oh I would not think it strange the whole wide world for to range,
In the hope all for to find my heart’s delight;
Though here in Cupid’s chains oh I am obliged to remain,
And in sorrow for to spend my whole life.

I will dress myself in black, put a fringe around my neck,
And gold rings on every finger I shall wear;
Then it’s straight way I’ll repair to the County of Kildare,
And some tidings I’ll have of my dear.

For my love is like the sun in the pleasant month of June,
That do always prove constant and true;
But ’tis hers is like the moon that do wander up and down,
And in every new month it is new.

All you that are in love and cannot it remove,
Well I pity the pain that you endure;
For experience makes me know that your heart is full of woe,
It’s a woe that no mortal can bear.