Molly Bawn Lowry- McGarry (Derry) 1926 Huntington
[From: Sam Henry's Songs of the People, p. 143 by Gale Huntington, Lani Herrmann; 1990. This is a compilation. I don not have the book and am not sure of the division of text. Their notes follow
R. Matteson 2016]
Molly Bawn Lowry [H114: 16 Jan 1926; Laws 036] : "The Shooting of His Dear," "Molly Bawn Aroo." Other titles:. "As Jimmie Went A-Hunting," "At the Setting of the Sun," "The Fowler," "Jimmy Ranvul" "(Young) Mollie(y) (Peggy) (Polly) Ban (Ba'n) (Bann) (Baum) (Bawn) (Bond) (Bonder) (Van) (Vaughan) (Whan)," "Moll(e)y Bann (Baun) La very. "
Molly Bawn Lowry - sung by Peggy McGarry from Ballycastle, Co Antrim additional text from Hugh Clarke from Co Derry. Dated Jan. 16, 1926.
I will tell you a story that happened of late,
About Molly Bawn Lowry, that beautiful maid,
She being going to her uncle's when a shower came on,
She went under a hawthorn the shower to shun.
With her apron pinned around her, I took her for a swan,
And oh and alas, it was my own Molly Bawn.
It's when he ran up and found she was dead,
A well full of tears for his true love he shed.
He ran home to his father with his gun in his hand,
Crying, 'Father, dear father, I have shot Molly Bawn.
His old father jumped up, his head being grey:
'Stay at home in your country, do not run away,
Stay at home in your country, let your trial come on,
For before you be condemned I will lose all my land.”
At the day of the trial Molly's ghost did appear,
Crying, 'Uncle, dear uncle, James Reynolds is clear.'
Now the girls of this country they are all glad for to hear
It's Molly Bawn Lowry the flower of Glenkeer,
For if all the young girls were placed in one row,
Molly Bawn she would appear as white as the snow.
Now come all you sharp shooters that handle a gun,
Beware of sharp shooting at the setting of the sun,
For it might happen with you as it happened with me,
For to shoot your own true love right under a tree.