Sung by Kara O'Brien on the 7th of September 2024 at Kilmurry House, Thomastown, Co.Kilkenny.
Inspired by the singing of Patricia Flynn.
Roud#3475, Henry H775.
Photo Credit: ©Colm Keating 2023.
Field recorded by Gavin Byrne.

Field Recordings

Bonny Portmore

Bonny Portmore (Kara O'Brien)

Ten Minutes Too Late (Cáit Ní Shúilleabháin)

Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake (Cáit Ní Shúilleabháin)

The Price of the Pig written by Tim Lyons (Cáit Ní Shúilleabháin)

In the year twenty-nine, when the weather was fine
Oh, I straight took me way to the sweet fair of Trim
For to sell a swine it was my design
She was plump fat and fair and complete in each limb
The swine was as mild as a lamb or a child
You could whip her all over the globe with a twig.
And the truth for to tell I sold her right well
Three-ten was the price that I got for my pig.
With me toor-an-i-ahdee-dee, toor-an-i-ah-dee-dee,
toor-an-i-ah-dee-dee, fon-dee-dee-i.

Clapped the cash to me thigh and a glass to me eye,
To the streets I did fly like a sporting young buck,
When a sporting young dame that belonged to the game,
Oh, she up to me came to be sure for good luck,
She gave me the wink to go in for a drink,
She inveigled me then to dance Phoebe’s
It was at the wheel round that she slipped her hand down,
And she left me quite scarce of the price of me pig
With me toor-an-i-ah-dee-dee-etc.

Like a man in despair when I missed me share
I went tearing me hair seeking her up and down
Each corner and lane. But it was all in vain
Sure a sprig of the damsel could never be found
To Navan next day I straight took my way,
For I heard people say of a fair being in Trim
Oh, but when I went there I was loaded with care
You might think that I just had my walk, oh, in vain.
Oh the first to roll in was Tatter Jack Flynn,
We danced a few steps of a nice double jig
Thinking bye and bye that I’d cast me eye
Oh the jade that robbed me of the price of my pig
With me toor-an-i-ah-dee-dee-etc.

Oh, be Tara, be Screen, be the bog of Armeen,
Be Paddy McGee, be the high hill of Howth,
Be the church, be the bells, be Paddy McKells’
To swear any more do you know that I’m loth.
If the Lord of Mayo he but heard of me woe
Well I’m sure he would come in a chaise or a gig
And search Ireland round till that jade would be found
And he’d clap her in pound for the price of me pig
With me toor-an-i-ah-dee-dee-etc.

Ah, well, now since its so sure its homewards I’ll go,
My shuttle I’ll throw, and from drink I’ll refrain,
I’ll stick to me loom while youth’s in its bloom
And I’ll never be caught by a trup in a game.
Let me turn what I will, I surely will all kill
And I’ll have the best action of Salvary’s will
And for her transaction I’ll have satisfaction
I’ll tramp her jade bones for the price of me pig
With me toor-an-i-ahdee-dee, toor-an-i-ah-dee-dee,
toor-an-i-ah-dee-dee, fon-dee-dee-i.

Bonny Portmore (Kara O'Brien)

Irish Traditional Singing

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