Buried in Kilkenny- Mary Delaney (Tip) 1977 REC
[From: Musical Traditions Records 2003 "From Puck to Appleby" (MTCD325-6) Songs and stories from Jim Carroll's and Pat Mackenzie's recordings of Irish Travellers in England. Their notes follow,
R. Matteson 2018]
Jim Carroll: Mary Delaney sang it to us the first time we met her, saying "You probably won’t like this one, it’s too old."
Mary Delaney moved east right across London and even into various flats from time to time in order to give her children a better education. A lovely singer, mother of sixteen children and blind from birth, Mary has an enormous repertoire of outstanding songs and ballads that she has known since childhood, as well as a store of humorous yarns that gave us many hours of pleasure.
"Buried in Kilkenny" sung by Mary Delaney of Co. Tipperary in 1977. Listen: https://www.itma.ie/digital-library/sound/buried-in-kilkenny-delaney/
"What have you for your dinner now,
My own darling boy?
What have you for your dinner,
My comfort and my joy?"
"I had bread, beef and cold poison,
Mother, will you dress my bed soon,
I have a pain in my heart and
I long to lie down."
"What would you leave your mother now,
My own darling boy?
What would you leave your mother,
My comfort and my joy?"
"I leave her the keys of treasure,
Mother, will you dress my bed soon,
I have a pain in my heart and
I’d long to lie down."
"What will you leave your father now,
My own darling boy?
What will you leave your father,
My comfort and joy?"
"I'll leave him a coach and four horses,
Mother will you dress my bed soon,
For I have a pain in my heart and
I would long to lie down."
What will you leave your wife now,
What would you leave your wife now,
My comfort and joy?"
I’ll leave her the long rope for to hang her
Mother, will you dress my bed soon
I have a pain in my heart and
I would long to lie down."
"What will you leave your children,
Me own darling boy?
What will you leave your children,
My comfort my joy?"
"I’ll let them follow their mother,
Will you dress my bed soon,
I’ve a pain in my heart and
I would long to lie down."
"Then where will you now be buried now,
My own darling boy?
Where will you now be buried,
My comfort and joy?"
"I’ll be buried in Kilkenny
Where I’ll take a long night’s sleep,
With a stone to my head
And a scraith* to my feet."
[* scraith = scraw, sod of turf - Irish]