FolkWorld #54: Songs That Made History

The Road to Clady

The related article has been withdrawn by the author.

Craobh Rua @ FolkWorld:
FW#2, #13, #15, #41, #50, #53

www.craobhrua.com

 Listen to The Road to Clady from:
    Craobh Rua, Patricia Daly, Dizzy Spell

 Watch The Road to Clady from:
    Ildanach, Ruth Keggin, Deirdre Starr, 
    Adam McNaughtan

THE ROAD TO CLADY

I am a country servant serving in Collon
In a place they call New Hamilton,
   a grand old-fashioned town
‘Twas early in the morning at the hour of three
When I set off for Clady, the old grey mare and me

In the corner of the street, a bus I chanced to pass
And in the corner of the bus I spied a country lass
Says I, My pretty fair maid, come along with me
I’m going the road to Clady, the old grey mare and me

   Cheeks as red as roses, eyes a bonny blue
   Dancing, dancing pierce me through and through
   She fairly won my fancy, stole away my heart
   Jogging along to Clady on the sour milk cart

I asked her up beside me and on the cart she sat
I slipped an arm around her waist
   and soon began to chat
The birds in the bushes sweetly they did sing
The blackbirds and the thrushes
   how they made a forest ring

Well you’ve heard of lords and ladies
   making love in shady bowers
And how they woo awhile
   among the roses and the flowers
I'll never forget that morning. Cupid shot his dart
Jogging along to Clady on the sour milk cart

Craobh Rua (pronounced Crave Roo-Ah) translates from Irish to 'Red Branch' and is a name that is well known in Celtic history from the stories of the Red Branch Knights of Ulster.

Hailing from Belfast they perform Irish traditional music with their distinctive northern style. Their music has delighted audiences and earned them wide acclaim and recognition. Craobh Rua are now regarded around the world as one of the finest ambassadors of Irish traditional music. The band’s musicians bring their own individual experience to the group and fuse their talents to bring life to a wide array of instruments including the banjo, mandolin, fiddle, uilleann pipes, tin whistle, guitar and vocals. They take a refreshing, unpretentious but uncommonly skilled run at some of the greatest music in the world.

Craobh Rua: I'd understand you if i knew what you meant

Craobh Rua has released six albums to date and appeared on a number of compilation albums. Their latest release, I’d Understand You If I Knew What You Meant, has been critically acclaimed and spent most of 2015 near the tops of the traditional music album charts.

Photo Credits: (1)-(3) Craobh Rua (unknown/website).

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