> Folk Music > Songs > Dobbin’s Flowery Vale
Dobbin’s Flowery Vale / Erin’s Flowery Vale
[
Roud 999
; Laws O29
; Henry H95
; Ballad Index LO29
; DT ERINVALE
; Mudcat 5577
; trad.]
Gale Huntington, Lani Herrmann, John Moulden: Sam Henry’s Songs of the People P.W. Joyce: Ancient Irish Music Robin Morton: Folksongs Sung in Ulster Seán O Boyle: The Irish Song Tradition Colm O Lochlainn: Irish Street Ballads
Sarah Makem sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale to Peter Kennedy and Sean O’Boyle in 1952. She also sang it to Paul Carter and Sean O’Boyle in 1967. Both recordings were included in 2011 on her Musical Traditions anthology As I Roved Out. Rod Stradling noted:
Roud has 14 instances of this song, most from the north of Ireland, with three from Canada—and there was a Dublin broadside printing. Sam Henry notes that it was “written by McGowan, shoemaker, of Chapel Lane, Armagh”—though he doesn’t say when.
Seán O’Boyle recorded it from Robert Cinnamond, of Ballinderry, Co Antrim, and Seamus Ennis recorded it from Bob McCreesh, in Co Armagh. Paddy Tunney sang it on The Flowery Vale (Topic 12TS289), but none of these are available on CD. Kevin Mitchell sings it on Have a Drop Mair (MTCD315-6).
Paddy Tunney sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale on his 1975 Topic album The Flowery Vale. Cathal Ó Baoill noted:
A version of this song can be found in P.W. Joyce’s Ancient Irish Music (1873). However, Paddy has verses that do not occur there, or indeed in the versions one generally hears in Armagh where the song originated.
Paddy tells us about the reasons for the young man’s leaving, and about the jealousy of the girl, all of which is generally left out of the song. This version, I am sure, will be of interest to many like myself who have been singing the incomplete song for years. The “Flowery Vale” was the property of a rich landowner in Armagh City and it was generally referred to as Dobbin’s Folly. Dobbin is still remembered by the street called after him but his Folly, or Flowery Vale, has long since disappeared under the Kilooney Housing Estate. The tune is in the Lah mode.
Geordie Hanna sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale on his 1978 album Geordie Hanna Sings.
Bert Jansch sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale in 1990 on his Run River album The Ornament Tree.
Kevin Mitchell sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale on his and Ellen Mitchell’s 2001 Musical Tradition double CD Have a Drop Mair. He noted:
I first heard this song at a singing session at a Provincial Fleadh Cheoil in the late 1960s.
Maggie Boyle sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale in 2008 on Sketch’s eponymous album Sketch.
Roisín White sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale in 2009 on her Veteran CD With Thanks – Le Buíochas. Roisín White, John Moulden and John Howson noted:
Dobbin’s Flowery Vale, or Dobbin’s Folly, was an area beside the Ballinahone River in Armagh City, gifted in the late 18th century by Colonel Leonard Dobbin for the use of the city’s inhabitants. In Sam Henry’s Songs of the People, the author of this song is named as McGowan, a shoemaker of Chapel Lane, Armagh, though another suggested author is hedge school poet James Garland of Lurgan, who died in 1842. Sam Henry comments: “the place, beautifully wooded, was a haunt of lovers on summer evenings”, and “the young couple referred to in the song married and settled in the city of their nativity and carried on business in College Street”. A copy of the song is in the Madden Broadside Collection (Cambridge University Library) and was published by an unnamed printer in Dublin. Several singers have been recorded singing this song including: Sarah Makem, Co. Armagh (1952), Bob McCreesh, Co. Armagh (1954), Robert Cinnamond, Co. Antrim (1955) and Paddy Tunney, Co.Fermanagh (1976).
Roisín White: I heard this from my long-time friend Sarah Anne O’Neill of Co. Tyrone. She has given me much of her time, memories, lore, songs and laughter since we met in 1976. She was awarded TG4 (Irish language television channel) “Singer of the Year 2009”. Highly deserved! Many a good session we had in her home and at Fleadhanna Ceoil. I’d like to dedicate this song, and Pat O’Donnell, to Sarah Anne and her family.
Damien O’Kane sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale in 2010 on his Pure album Summer Hill. He noted:
A song from Armagh, Dobbins Flowery Vale was a beautiful place and a hideaway for lovers on many a summer’s evening.
Len Graham from Newry, Northern Ireland sang Dobbin’s Flowery Vale at the e Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife in May 2011. This recording was included in the following year on the festival anthology The Little Ball of Yarn (Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Volume 8). Pete Shepheard noted:
Dobbin’s Flowery Vale belongs to a extensive family of folk songs where the narrator while out walking observes two lovers talking. The flowery vale of the song is an area of parkland beside the Ballinahone River in Armagh given to the city by Leonard Dobbin, High Sherriff and MP for the city in the 1830s. Len learned the song from Geordie Hanna and his sister Sarah Anne O’Neill from Derrytresk, Co Tyrone, who in turn learned it from their father. Len sings their air but has altered the words in places from other sources.
Len has also recorded the song on [Over the Hills and Far Away] Cranagh CMCD4453.
Lyrics
Sarah Makem sings Dobbin’s Flowery Vale
One morning fair as Phoebe’s bright
Her radiant smiles displayed
When Flora in her verdant garb
The fragrant plains arrayed.
As I did rove throughout each grove
No care did me assail
When a pair I spied by a river side
In Dobbin’s flowery vale.
As I sat down them to behold
Beneath a spreading tree
The limpid streams that gently rolled
Conveyed these words to me.
“Farewell, sweet maid,” the youth he said,
“For now I must set sail
I’ll bid adieu to Armagh youth
And Dobbin’s flowery vale.”
“Forbear those thoughts and cruel words
That wound a bleeding heart,
For it is not true that we’re met here
Alas so soon to part.
Must I alone here sigh and moan
To none my grief reveal
And here lament my cause to vent
In Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.”
“There’s many a youth has left his home
To steer for freedom’s shore,
Be laid beneath a silent tomb
Where the foaming billows roar.
Take my advice, do not forsake
Or leave me to bewail,
But still remain with your fond dame
In Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.”
“Unwilling I am to part with you
No longer can I stay
For love and freedom cries pursue
Those words I must obey.
In foreign isles where freedom smiles
All by the earth concealed,
I will come home no more to roam
From Dobbin’s flowery vale.”
Kevin Mitchell sings Dobbin’s Flowery Vale
One morning fair as Phoebus bright
Her radiant smile displayed,
As Flora in her verdant garb
The fragant hills arrayed,
As I did rove throughout each grove
No care did me assail,
’Til a pair I spied by a riverside
In Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.
As I sat down them to behold
Beneath a spreading tree,
The limpid streams that nearby flowed
Conveyed these words to me:
“Farewell, sweet maid”, the youth he said,
“For now I must set sail.
I will bid adieu to Armagh and you,
And Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.”
“Forbear the thought, and word likewise,
That wounds a bleeding heart,
For it’s true we both have met here now
And soon, alas, must part.
Must I alone here sigh and moan,
To none the cause reveal,
But here lament my cause to vent
In Dobbin’s Flowery Vale?”
“Unwilling I am to part with you,
No longer can I stay,
For love and freedom cries pursue,
These words I must obey.
In foreign isles where freedom’s smiles
Are by the earth concealed,
I will come home, no more to roam,
From Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.”
It’s youthful love together drew
Both in a fond embrace,
While tears like rosy drops of dew
Did trickle down her face.
She tried in vain him to detain
But alas to no avail,
For he bade adieu and aie withdrew
From Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.
Damien O’Kane sings Dobbin’s Flowery Vale
One morning fair as Phoebus bright his radiant smiles displayed
While Flora in her verdant garb the fragrant plains arrayed,
As I did rove throughout each grove no care did me assail
When a pair I spied on a riverside, on Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.
As I sat down them to behold beneath a spreading tree
For the limpid streams that gently rolled conveyed these words to me.
“Farewell, sweet maid,”" for the youth he said, “For now I must set sail,
And I’ll bid adieu to Armagh, you and Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.”
“Forbear those thoughts and cruel words that wound a bleeding heart
For is it true that we’re met here, alas so soon to part?
Must I alone here sigh and moan to none my grief reveal,
But here lament my cause to vent in Dobbin’s Flowery Vale?
“There’s many a youth has left his home to steer for freedom’s shore,
Being laid beneath the silent tomb where the foaming billows roar.
Take my advice, do not forsake or leave me to bewail
But still remain with your fond dame in Dobbin’s Flowery Vale”
“Unwilling I am to part with you, no longer can I stay,
For love and freedom cries pursue, those words I must obey.
In foreign isles where freedom smiles or by the earth concealed,
I will come home, no more to roam from Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.
“Do not reflect that you’re alone, nor yet am I untrue,
For if ere I chance for now to roam, my thoughts will be on you.
There’s not a flower in shady bower on verdant hill or dale
But will remind me of the maid in Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.”
For it’s mutual love together drew, both with a kind embrace,
While tears like rosy drops of dew did trickle down her face.
She strove in vain him to detain, but while she did bewail
And he bid adieu and I withdrew from Dobbin’s Flowery Vale.
Len Graham sings Dobbin’s Flowery Vale
As I roved out one evening fair in the pleasant month of June,
The trees they were all in fragrant shade, the flowers all in their bloom;
Down by yon grove as I did roam, no curse did me assail,
When a pair I espied by a riverside in Dobbin’s flowery vale.
I sat me down for to rest a while beneath yon spreading tree,
And the gentle breeze blew softly by conveyed these words to me;
“Adieu sweet maid," the youth he said, “For soon I must set sail,
Aye, and bid adieu to Armagh and you, aye and Dobbin’s flowery vale.
“O cease to grieve that you’re alone or think my love untrue,
For wheresoever I chance to go my thoughts are all of you;
There’s not a flower in yonder bower in meadow hill or dale,
That will me remind of the maid behind in Dobbin’s flowery vale.”
’Twas mutual love together true, aye, and fondly they did embrace,
And the tears like drops of morning dew rolled down each other’s face;
She tried in vain him to detain but while she did bewail,
He bid adieu, aye, and I withdrew from Dobbin’s flowery vale.