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I am a rambling hero, by love I am ensnared,
It's near the town of Bonny Glas there dwells a comely maid;
She's fairer than Diana bright, she's free from earthly pride,
She's a lovely maid, her dwelling place lies near the Slaney side.
For eight long years we courted till at length we did agree,
For to acquaint our parents and married we would be;
Till at length her cruel father to me he proved unkind,
Which makes me sail across the seas and leave my love behind.
Her golden hair in ringlets fair hung down her snowy neck,
The glances of her beauty would save a ship from wreck;
With her two big blooming sparkling eyes and teeth like the ivory white,
She'd make a man become her slave down by the Slaney side.
Farewell unto my parents, to my love I'll bid adieu,
On crossing o'er the ocean, all for the sake of you;
And if ever I do return again I will make you my bride,
I'll roll her in my arms down by the Slaney side.
Sung by Mrs. Bride Duggan [1900-1993] of Cape Broyle, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
A variant was sung by Peter Molloy of St. Shott's, NL, and published as The Tanyard Side in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
A third variant was collected in 1952 from Mrs. Phillip Foley of Tilting, NL, as The Slaney Side and in 1961 from Patrick W. Nash of Branch, NL, as The Tanyard Side by Kenneth Peacock and published in Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 2, pp.592-593, by the National Museum of Canada (1965) Crown Copyrights Reserved.
Note: The River Slaney diagonally divides Ireland's County Wexford in two.
From the Free Dictionary:
Tanyard - enclosure where the tannng of leather is carried on; a tannery.
