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Magherafelt May Fair

Kevin Mitchell sang The Magherafelt May Fair on his 1977 Topic album Free and Easy. John Moulden noted:

Until about 1920 in rural Ireland a girl’s status in the community, be she seventeen or seventy, was of no consequence until she married; she would not (and nor would a man in like case) be considered grown up or capable of administering her own affairs. Hence the anxiety and excitement produced by an event like a fair, a dance, a wake even, because for once in a while there would be unattached men around. Many a “nice wee bouncing girl” (what a picture that conjures up) went off full of hope that she might attract a husband. Parents would have preferred the security of the arranged match, made with property in mind, rather than connubial bliss. (See The Oul’ Grey Man.) The children, reckless perhaps or mindful of the other song which enjoins: “Marry for love and work for riches” would not have seen it that way.

Kevin has here joined words and air from different sources; the words from Anne Brolly of Dungiven and air from Brian Toner of Bellaghy.

Helen Diamond sang The Magherafelt May Fair on her eponymous 2018 album Helen Diamond. She noted:

I learned this song from a singing mentor, Vincent Doherty. I sang along with Vincent on some tracks on his CD The High Walls of Derry, and he generously taught me this song at the time. Vincent has had a big influence on my development as a singer and I hope that I can do justice to his version here

Lyrics

Helen Diamond sang The Magherafelt May Fair

I am a nice wee bouncing girl, my age it is scarce sixteen.
And when I’m dressed all in my best, sure I look like any queen,
Like maidens gay who are on their way, and about to sell their ware,
On the first of May I made my way to Magherafelt May Fair.

My mother cautioned me going out, “Do not stay tong in town,
For if you do your father and I, on you we will frown,
Be sure to shun bad company and all young men beware,
Though nice you be don’t make too free at the Magherafelt May Fair.”

“O mother do not worry and set your mind at rest,
For I must leave the house someday as the wild swan leaves the nest,
I’ve dressed me in my nice blue frock and I’ve combed my bonnie brown hair,
For there’ll be many’s a boy from Toome to Moy at the Magherafelt May Fair.”

Well I bade them both good morning and hoisted up my sail,
Still hoping to return that day with a smooth and pleasant gale,
But oh to my misfortune when I arrived there,
There were maidens ten fornenst the men at the Magherafelt May Fair.

Still I stayed around til evening still hoping to make a sale,
And as the bad came to the worse sure my courage ne’er did fail,
But when night came on all hope had gone and homewards I did repair,
At a wake or a dance to take my chance, and forget the hiring fair.