> Martin Carthy > Songs > Matt Hyland

Matt Hyland

[ Roud 2880 / Song Subject MAS207 ; Ballad Index DTmatthy ; DT MATTHYL , MATTHYL2 ; Mudcat 98210 ; trad.]

Henry Hudson collected Matt Hyland in October/November 1841 from Paddy Conneely, a blind piper and singer in Galway.

Martin Carthy sang Matt Hyland on his 1968 album with Dave Swarbrick, But Two Came By. This track was also included in 1971 on their compilation album Selections, in 1974 on the Mooncrest anthology Rave On, and in 2018 on his Topic anthology An Introduction to Martin Carthy. Martin Carthy noted on the original album:

Matt Hyland is an Irish song which I first heard three or four years ago from a Scots girl singer Christine Stewart who had learned it from an Irish singer Al O’Donnell. Since that time I tried to find the words, but without success, until a singer at the Prestwick club in Scotland gave me the words at a ceilidh. In return I can’t even remember his name for which I am sorry, but thank him very much anyway.

Archie Fisher sang Matt Highland in 1968 on his eponymous Transatlantic album, Archie Fisher.

Cathal McConnell sang Matt Hyland in 1970 on his and Robin Morton’s album of traditional Irish songs and music, An Irish Jubilee. John Moulden noted:

The story of Matt Hyland—a girl in love with her social inferior, to her parents’ vast displeasure—is a common one, sometimes ending with the young man’s murder, sometimes with his exile, but not often as romantically as here. The song has a well documented early history: there are broadsheets in the British Museum, the National Library of Ireland and the University Library, Cambridge, while it is given in a manuscript in the National Library of Ireland, “Songs and Ballads in use in the Province of Ulster 1845”, [collected] by [John] Hume. It’s also known in the USA (as Young Martiland) and in Canada, though as far as I know by only one version (Carrie Grover, A Heritage of Song, Norwood (reprint), 1973). Despite its having been so widespread it seems to have survived only in Fermanagh and all the versions now sung seem to stem from the same source as Cathal’s, who got it from Tommy McDermott of Lisnaskea in Fermanagh, a former All-Ireland ballad singing champion.

Al O’Donnell recorded Matt Hyland in 1972 for his eponymous Trailer album, Al O’Donnell. He noted:

The age old problem of loving beneath one’s station here surprisingly resolves to a happy conclusion.

Frank Harte sang Matt Hyland in 1973 on his Topic album Through Dublin City. A 1967 recording of him was included in 2016 on his posthumous album When Adam Was in Paradise. He noted on the first album:

I got this song from Tommy McCabe of Swans Cross, Co. Monaghan, at a Flead Ceoil in Clones. It is generally accepted that the song originates from somewhere around Donegal but Tommy, who is in his seventies, told me he got it from his grandfather who brought it from Wexford. It’s a song I really enjoy singing on account of its romantic story and its exceptionally beautiful air.

Jean Redpath sang Matt Hyland in 1973 on her Folk-Legacy album Frae My Ain Countrie. She noted:

In Robin Morton’s book, Folksongs Sung in Ulster, he tells us that this song “became increasingly popular during recent years since Tommy McDermott, from County Fermanagh, sang it in a ballad competition the year he won the All-Ireland Championship. In fact, it seems to be sung traditionally only in S.W. Ulster.”

Thanks to Ken[neth] Goldstein, I found another version, Young Matt Ilan, from Maine, in Carrie Grover’s book A Heritage of Songs. As far as she could recall, her father had learned it from a New Brunswick singer.

I like to sing this song, although the rather mercenary trait of the hero always jars a little.

It’s also thanks to Ken and Rochelle that these notes were ever written. Without their hospitality, their book-filled basement, and themselves, I suspect I’d never have set foot in Philadelphia again after the first traumatic visit.

Liz Jefferies (born in 1916 in Neamstown, Co.Wexford) sang Matt Highland to Barry and Chris Morgan in their own home in Bristol in September 1976. This recording was included in 1998 on the Topic anthology of ballads of true and false lovers, Tonight I’ll Make You My Bride (The Voice of the People Series Volume 6).

Peggy MacDonagh of Co. Fermanagh sang Matt Hyland to Keith Summers in between 1977 and 1983. This recording was included in 2014 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs from around Lough Erne’s shore, I Pray You Pay Attention. Rod Stradling noted in the accompanying booklet:

The Roud index has only 10 references for this ballad. It was collected from Sandy McConnell in Bellanaleek, Co Fermanagh by Robin Morton published in Folksongs Sung in Ulster (Cork: Mercier, 1970). It was also collected from Andy Cash (from Wexford) in London by Jim Carroll/Pat Mackenzie in 1973. But it can also be heard, sung by Liz Jefferies on [Tonight I’ll Make You My Bride].

Johnny Collins sang Matt Hyland in a 1982 recording made by Brian Horsefall. It was included in 2018 on Fellside’s final anthology comprising the label’s lifespan, Destination.

Jack Beck sang Matt Hyland in 1989 on his Greentrax album O Lassie, Lassie. He noted:

From the singing of Al O’Donnell, although I think the first person I heard it from was Archie Fisher.

Andy M. Stewart sang Matt Hyland in 1997 on his Green Linnet album Donegal Rain. He noted:

This old song has a very beautiful melody and lovely lyrics and, I believe, originates from the North of Ireland, although it was in the far North of Scotland where first I heard it many years ago.

Gordon Bok sang Young Mathyland in 2003 on the Folk-Legacy CD of traditional Irish-American songs from the Flanders Ballad Collection, Irish Songs From Old New England.

Kate Rusby sang Matt Hyland in 2001 on her CD Little Lights.

Janet Russell sang Matt Hyland in 2008 on her Harbourtown CD Love Songs and Fighting Talk. She noted:

I heard Al O’Donnell singing this in the early 80’s, and it has been a favourite ever since. My version poses the hypothesis that this might have been a song of “sexual mismatch” (as some might have seen it) rather than “social mismatch”.

Mick West sang Matt Highland in 2009 on his Greentrax CD Sark o’ Snaw. The album’s booklet noted:

Poor Matt. Threatened with transportation, this incident was obviously before 1853! As far as can be gathered, the song was apparently collected in c.1845 by John and Abraham Hume in Kilwarlin, Co. Down, from an un-named singer. Latterly, the earliest recording is by Liz Jefferies, in 1976 in Bristol and appeared in Topic’s The Voice of the People issue. Liz Jefferies was born in 1916, and a founder member of the local Comhaltas, re-affirming the song’s Irish roots.

As the collector Mike Yates observed, the strange thing is that the song appears in the mid-19^th century, lies dormant for 120 years or so, and then suddenly been learned by hundreds, possibly thousands, of singers in the mid-1970s.

Mick recalls how “I came across the song through my friend Alan McFadyen. Alan gave me the first two verses written on the back of an envelope where it remained in an old songbook for the last 30 years until now.”

Aaaah … how often has this kind of thing happened? But how many of us have kept the envelope? There is now a suspicion that Mick is from Paisley, where the seagulls bring bread for the locals.

Nuala Kennedy sang Matt Hyland in 2012 on her Compass CD Noble Stranger. She noted:

A traditional song I first heard from the singing of Cathal McConnell on an album called An Irish Jubilee he made with Robin Morton in 1970. The sleeve notes for that album were written by John Moulden, who has been very helpful with these notes as well. John commented that, “The line about ‘O must I go away, he said, O must I go without my wages?’ causes modern audiences some trouble, thinking him a bit niggardly. However, since the term of hire for a farm or house servant was six months, the hired man would see money only at the beginning of the term (a small amount to close the contract) and at its end. Would a modern worker like to forfeit half a year’s pay?”

Phil Tyler and Sarah Hill sang Matt Hyland on their 2022 album What We Thought Was a Lake Was a Field of Flax. They discuss the song in the Februar 2023 Tradfolk article Matt Hyland – Phil Tyler & Sarah Hill.

Lyrics

Martin Carthy sings Matt Hyland

There was a lord lived in this town
Who had a handsome lovely daughter
She was courted by a fair young man
Who was a servant to her father
But when her parents came to know
They swore they’d send him from the island
The maid she knew her heart would break
And she to part with young Matt Hyland

Straightway unto her love she goes
Into his room him to awaken
Saying, Arise my love and go away
This very night you will be taken
I overheard my father say
In spite of me he would transport you
So arise my love and go away
This very night you will be taken

O must I go, he says to her
O must I go without my wages
Without a penny in my purse
Just like some poor forlorn stranger
Here’s fifty guineas in bright gold
And that’s far more than father owes you
So take it now and go away
I wish to God I’d gone before you

They both sat down upon the bed
Just for the side of half one hour
And not a word did either speak
But down their cheeks the tears did shower
She laid her head upon his breast
As round his neck her arms entwined
Not a duke nor lord nor earl I’ll wed
I’ll wait for you my own Matt Hyland

The lord discussed with his daughter fair
One night alone in her bedchamber
Saying, I give you leave to bring him back
Since there’s no-one your style above him
She wrote a letter then in haste
For him her heart was still repining
She brought him back to the church they went
And made a lord of young Matt Hyland

Jean Redpath sings Matt Hyland

There lived a lord within this land
Who had a fair and lovely daughter.
She was courted by a nice young man
Who was a servant to her father.
But when her parents came to know
They swore they’d drive him from the island;
But this maid she knew that her heart would break
If she should part from young Matt Hyland.

Straightway into his room she goes,
Into his room him to awaken,
Saying, “Arise and go, my own true love,
This very night you will be taken.
For I have heard my father say
In spite of me he will transport you.
So, arise and go, my own true love,
I wish to God I’d gone before you.”

“Ah, must I go?” the young man said,
“Ah, must I go without my wages,
With ne’er a penny in my purse
Just like some poor forlorn stranger?”
“Here’s fifty guineas in bright gold,
And that’s far more than father owes you,
So, arise and go, my own true love,
I wish to God I’d gone before you.”

They both sat down upon the bed,
Just side by side for one half hour;
And ne’er a word did either say,
Yet down their cheeks the tears did shower.
She’s laid her head all on his breast,
Round his waist her arms entwined.
“No lord or duke or earl I’ll wed;
I’ll wait for you, my young Matt Hyland.”

The lord discussed with his daughter dear,
One night alone in her bed chamber,
Saying, “I’ll give you leave to bring him back,
Since there are none you style above him.”
She wrote a letter then in haste;
Still for him her heart entwined.
She’s brought him back, to the church they went;
She’s made a lord of young Matt Hyland.

Liz Jefferies sings Matt Highland

There was a lord lived in the town,
He had one handsome, comely daughter,
Who fell in love with a fair young man,
He being a servant to her father,
But when her parents came to know,
They swore they’d banish him from the island,
But the maid she knew her heart was true,
For she loved no one but young Matt Highland.

So straightaway to her love she went
Into his room for to awake him,
Saying, “Arise, my love, and go away.
This very night you will be taken.
I overheard my parents say
In spite of me they would transport you.
So arise, my love, and go away.
I wish to God I’d gone before you.”

They both sat down upon the bed
Just for the size of one half-hour,
And not a word did either speak,
But down her cheeks the tears did shower.
She laid her head upon his breast
And around his neck her arms she did twine them,
Saying, “No lord or duke will I e’er wed,
But I’ll wait for you, my own Matt Highland.”

The lord discussed with his daughter fair
One night alone in her bedchamber,
Saying, “I’ll give you leave to bring him back,
Since there’s no one can win your favour.”
She wrote away to him in haste,
For him her heart it was truly pining.
She brought him to the church; they wed
And she made a lord of young Matt Highland.

Peggy MacDonagh sings Matt Hyland

There was a lord lived in this town
Who had a handsome lovely daughter.
She was courted by an apprentice boy
Who was a servant to her father.
But when her parents came to know
They swore they’d make him leave this island.
This lady knew her heart would break
If parting with her own Matt Hyland.

The lord discoursed his dear wife fair
One night alone in her bedchamber
Saying, “Matt Hyland I will send afar;
I’m afraid our daughter stands in danger.”
This lady gay in ambush lay
In grief oppressed was truly pining
Saying, “My father I will him deceive
I will protect my own Matt Hyland.”

O straightway unto her love she went,
And ordered him for to awaken
Saying, “Rise my dear and go your way
This very night you will be taken.
Last night I heard my father say
In spite of it he would transport you
So arise my dear and go your way
I wish to God I’d gone before you.”

“How am I to go away?” he said
“How am I to go without my wages.
Without a penny in my purse
Just like some poor unfortunate stranger?”
“Here’s fifty shillings in bright gold
And that’s far more than my father owes you
So take it now and go your way
I wish to God I was with you.”

The lord discoursed with his dear wife fair
One night alone in her bedchamber
Saying, “I will give her leave to bring him back
Since there is none she’ll crown above him.”
She wrote a letter then in haste
Saying for him her heart was truly pining.
So she brought him back to the church they went
And she made a lord of young Matt Hyland.

Jack Beck sings Matt Hyland

There was a lord lived in the town
Who had a fair and lovely daughter;
She was courted by a fair young man
Who was a servant to her father.
But when her parents came to know,
They swore they’d send him from the island.
The maid she knew her heart would break
Had she to part from young Matt Hyland.

Straight way unto her love she goes,
Into his room him to awaken,
Saying, “Arise, my love and go away,
This very night you will be taken.
I overheard my father say,
In spite of me he would transport you.
So arise my love and go away,
You know right well I do adore you.”

“O must I go?” he says to her,
“O must I go without my wages?
Without a penny in my purse,
Just like some poor wayfaring stranger.”
“Here’s fifty guineas in bright gold
And that’s far more than father owes you.
So take it now and go away,
I wish to God I’d gone before you.”

They both sat down upon the bed
Just for this side of half one hour,
And not a word did either speak
But down their cheeks the tears did shower.
She laid her head upon his breast
And round his neck her arms entwined them.
“Not a duke nor lord nor earl I’ll wed,
I’ll wait for you, my own Matt Hyland.”

The lord discussed with his daughter fair,
One night alone in her bed chamber,
Saying, “I give you leave to bring him back,
Since there’s no one you style above him.”
She wrote a letter then in haste,
But in her heart was still repining;
She brought him back, to the church they went
And made a lord of young Matt Hyland.

Andy M. Stewart sings Matt Hyland

There was a lord lived in this town
Who had a fair and lovely daughter,
And she was courted by a fine young man
Who was a servant to her father.
But when her parents they came to know
They swore they’d send him from the island.
This young girl knew that her heart would break
Were she to part from young Matt Hyland.

This lord conversed with his lady fair
One night alone in their bed chamber,
Saying, “I must send Matt Hyland afar
For I fear our child, she stands in danger.”
This lady gay in ambush lay,
For him her heart was sad repining,
“My Father, I will him deceive,
Won’t I protect my own Matt Hyland?”

Straightway off to her love she went
And ordered him for to awaken,
Saying, “Arise and go your way, my love,
For I fear this night you shall be taken.
Last night I heard my father say
In spite of fate he would transport you.
So arise and go your way, my love,
Though you know I always have adored you.”

“O must I go away,” he said,
“O must I leave without my wages,
Without a penny in my purse,
Just like some poor forsaken stranger?”
“Here’s twenty guineas in bright gold
And that’s far more than my father owes you.
But arise and go away, my love,
Though I wish to God I had gone before you.”

They both sat down upon a bank
Just for the space of one half-hour,
And not a word did either speak
Though down their cheeks the tears did pour.
She laid her head upon his breast,
Around his neck her arms entwined him.
“No lord nor duke nor earl I’ll wed
But I’ll wait for you, my own Matt Hyland.”

This lord surveyed his daughter’s plight
One night alone as she lay crying,
Saying, “I’ll give you leave to bring him back
Since there’s no one else you style above him.”
She wrote a letter with great haste,
For him her heart was sad repining.
She brought him back and to church they went
And she made a lord of young Matt Hyland.

She brought him back and to the church they went
And she’s made a lord of young Matt Hyland.

Acknowledgements

Transcribed from the singing of Martin Carthy by Garry Gillard.