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The Bonny Irish Boy

[ Roud 565 ; Master title: The Bonny Irish Boy ; Laws P26 ; G/D 6:1080 ; Henry H168 ; Ballad Index LP26 ; trad.]

Shirley Collins sang The Bonny Irish Boy in 1959 on her first LP Sweet England. The album notes comment:

One of the many songs showing the recent influence of the Irish on Southern England. Shirley Collins says the learnt in from an Irish bus conductor. The words are from Kidson’s Traditional Tunes [1891] and the tune is traditional.

And Frank Kidson noted in his book:

The Bonny Irish Boy is from the singing of a Scotch girl. The words are also found on a ballad sheet. I have not thought it worth while to reprint the whole of the verses.

O.J. Abbott from Hull, Quebec, sang The Bonny Irish Boy in a field recording made by Edith Fowke that was included in 1961 on his Folkways album Irish and British Songs From the Ottawa Valley. Edith Fowke noted:

There are three different Irish songs about “the Bonny Irish Boy”, which tend to overlap, although they appear to be distinct songs. One begins: “I once loved a boy, a bonny, bonny boy, who would come and go at my request”; another, sometimes called The Bonny Labouring Boy, tells of a girl who complains that her parents will not let her wed her “bonny Irish boy” or her “bonny labouring boy”; and the third, Mr. Abbott’s, tells of a girl courted by a bonny Irish boy who leaves her to cross the ocean.

The second verse of Mr. Abbott’s is very similar to a verse in The Bonny Labouring Boy, and his third verse about the “other fair maid” resembles a verse in “I Once Loved a Boy”, but it is nevertheless a different story. While all three songs are fairly well known in England and Ireland, they are rare in North America. The version sung by Mr. Abbott has been reported only from Newfoundland, while The Bonny Labouring Boy has been found in Michigan.

Cecilia Costello sang My Bonny Irish Boy in 1967 to Pam Bishop and Charles Parker. This recording was included in 2000 on her Musical Traditions anthology Old Fashioned Songs. Rod Stradling commented in the accompanying booklet:

Roud has 102 instances of this song, but 47 of these are broadside printings, and so give no indication of where the song was found. Of the named places, rather surprisingly, most of them are in Scotland—with only 11 from Ireland and 3 from England. Of the 21 sound recordings, few appear to have been published, and none are available on CD.

John Maguire of Tonaydrumallard, Co Fermanagh, sang The Bonny Irish Boy in 1970 to Robin Morton. This recording was included in 1973 on his Leader album Come Day, Go Day, God Send Sunday.

Lyrics

Shirley Collins sings The Bonny Irish Boy

When first that I was courted by a bonny Irish boy
He called me his jewel, his heart’s delight and joy.
It was in Dublin City, that place of note and fame,
When first my bonny Irish boy a-courting to me came.

His cheeks like the roses, his hair it is light brown,
His locks in ringlets shining o’er his shoulders all hung down;
His teeth were white like ivory, his eyes as black as sloes,
He breaks the hearts of all the girls wherever that he goes.

Long time I kept his company in hopes to be his bride,
But now he’s gone and left me for to cross the raging tide.
I’m afraid some other fair girl my true love will enjoy
And leave me here lamenting for my bonny Irish boy.

O.H. Abbott sings The Bonny Irish Boy

Oh once that I was courted by a bonny Irish boy,
He calls me his jewel, his heart’s delight and joy.
In Dublin city where I did dwell, that place of noted fame,
There is where my bonny Irish boy a-courting to me came.

His cheeks were like a rosy red, his hair an auburn brown,
And over his broad shoulders his hair in ringlets down.
His teeth as white as ivory, his eyes as black as sloe,
He breaks the heart of all the girls, no matter where he goes.

Oh, once I kept his company, intending to be his bride,
But now he’s gone and left me to cross the raging tide,
And I’m afraid some other fair maid will my true love enjoy
While I lie low lamenting for my bonny Irish boy.

Now I’ll pack up my clothing and in search of him I’ll go;
I’ll roam through yonder eyrie and through yon frost and snow,
And when I’m sad and tired I’ll sit me down and cry
And think upon the joys I spent with my bonny Irish boy.

Cecilia Costello sings My Bonny Irish Boy

When first I was courted by a bonny Irish boy,
Called me his jewel, his heart’s delight and joy.
It was down in Dublin city, oh a town of great fame.
When first my bonny Irish boy a-courting to me came.

Oh, the green fields were ? and the meadows fresh and gay,
Where me and my bonny Irish boy we used to sport and play.
The birds they sweetly whistled and the lambs they did skip round.
Oh, the voice of my Irish boy is nowhere to be found.

Now a long time my love courted me and he promised me to wed.
In a short time after he broke the vows he’d said.
So, maidens, do not blame me, for I can not forebear,
For the love of that Irish boy I vow and do declare.

Now a long time my love courted me, and now he’s took his flight.
I’ll bundle up my clothing and I’ll follow him by night.
When I arrived in London, oh, fair London town,
Oh, I was told my love got married to a Lady of high renown.
Spoken: It drove her mad.

So now I’ll rattle off every chain on a bed of straw I’ll lay.
It is loudly I called out for my bonny Irish boy.
I am here in close confinement, with no hopes of liberty,
Until my bonny Irish boy returns safe home to me.