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Wexford Lullaby

[ Roud - ; DT WEXLULL ; Mudcat 11778 ; John Renbourn]

The Wexford Lullaby is a lullaby with lyrics by John Renbourn set to the music of The Wexford Carol. The Voice Squad and Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill sang it on his 1998 Shanachie CD Traveller’s Prayer where he noted:

This old single-line melody and text for men’s voices from the singing tradition of Enniscorthy in Southern Ireland, harmonised in four parts and titled, The Wexford Carol, has found a place in the Oxford Book of Carols. The melody, re-harmonised and with a new text, is the basis for this arrangement.

Janet Rossell sang the Wexford Lullaby in 2008 on her Harbourtown album Love Songs and Fighting Talk.

Jackie Oates sang the Wexford Lullaby in 2013 on her ECC album Lullabies.

O’Hooley & Tidow sang the Wexford Lullaby in 2017 on their No Masters album WinterFolk Vol. 1.

Siobhan Miller sang The Wexford Lullaby on her 2019 Winter EP At This Time of Year.

The Furrow Collective sang The Wexford Lullaby, on their 2022 Christmas EP The Longest Night.

Lyrics

Siobhan Miller sings The Wexford Lullaby

Lullay, lullay, my tiny child,
Too soon you’ll know the world so wild,
Yes all too soon, you will be grown,
And I’ll bide here, alone, alone.

The rushing billows you shall ride,
And the light of the North Star will be your guide,
But yet awhile, I’ll have you stay,
Lullay my tiny child, lullay.

For you shall run in meadows green,
And sport with otters all in the stream,
And you shall chase the dapple deer,
And swim with salmon in the waters clear.

To pluck the small birds from the sky,
On the tail of the South Wind you shall fly,
And take the high hills for your home,
Blood of my blood, bone of my bone.

The moon must sleep beyond the tree,
So weep sweet maid of Galilee,
The sun must rise before the cross,
To dry your tears and share your loss.

The darkest hour of the starless night
Must bow to the power of the Eastern light,
That heals the Earth and makes us whole,
Heart of my heart, soul of my soul.

And when at last your course is run,
Joy of my joy, my little son,
Beneath the sky you’ll stand alone,
Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone.

Yes, you shall stand on the coal black sands,
To cross over the waters of the Western Lands,
But now I have you at my breast,
𝄆 Lullay my sweet one, gently rest. 𝄇