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Lakes of Cold Flynn
The Lakes of Coolfin / Lakes of Cold Flynn / The Lakes of Shilin / Loughinsholin / Willie Lennox
[
Roud 189
/ Song Subject MAS286
; Master title: The Lakes of Coolfin
; Laws Q33
; G/D 2:228
; Henry H176
; Ballad Index LQ33
; VWML COL/3/49A
, HAM/3/12/3
; Bodleian
Roud 189
; GlosTrad
Roud 189
; Wiltshire
614
; Folkinfo 230
; DT LKCOLFIN
, LKCOLFI2
; Mudcat 66512
; trad.]
Gale Huntington, Lani Herrmann, John Moulden: Sam Henry’s Songs of the People Maud Karpeles: Cecil Sharp’s Collection of English Folk Songs Dáibhí Ó Cróinín: The Songs of Elizabeth Cronin Frank Purlow: The Wanton Seed Steve Roud, Eddie Upton, Malcolm Taylor: Still Growing Steve Roud, Julia Bishop: The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs
This Irish ballad tells the story of a young man going swimming in a lake and drowning. It is also known as Willie Lennox and Willie Leonard; and the lake is variously named Col Fin, Col Flynn, Cold Finn, Cool Flynn, Coolfin, Coephin, Coulfin, and Shilin. The named lake is no longer on the map. It may have been an expansion of the River Bann, which is mentioned in Willie Lennox.
Charlie Scamp sang Young Leonard to Peter Kennedy and Maud Karpeles at Chartham Hatch, near Canterbury, Kent, on 15 January 1954. This recording was included in 2012 on the Topic anthology of Southern English gypsy traditional singers, I’m a Romany Ray (The Voice of the People Volume 22). Shirley Collins noted:
“This is a true story about a sergeant and his mate. It happened at Blackpool. If it is a fine morning and a-bathing we’ll go.” In the case of both the ballads in this collection, Charlie Scamp insisted that they were true stories, and he even knew where they happened. Was this because the song then became more precious to him?
Charlie Scamp was Phoebe Smith’s cousin, and it was he who first told Peter about Phoebe’s singing. Charlie’s father George Scamp was also renowned within his community as a singer. Phoebe said of him: “He could sing any style, like a lady or a gentleman. He was a great traveller all round England—he travelled just with his own family in a wagon.”
Scan Tester sang The Lakes of Coalflin on 27 May 1960 at The Royal Oak, Milton Street. This recording by Brian Matthews was included in 2001 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs from country pubs, Just Another Saturday Night: Sussex 1960. A second recording made by Frank Purslow and Ken Stubbs on 26 October 1960 in Copthorne, Sussex, was included in 1998 on the Topic anthology of tragic ballads, O’er His Grave the Grass Grew Green (The Voice of the People Series, Vol 3). A further recording from 1965 was released in 1990 on his Topic anthology I Never Played to Many Posh Dances. Rod Stradling noted in the Musical Traditions album’s booklet:
Otherwise known as the Lakes of Cold Finn, Coolfinn, Col Fin, Shallin, Colephin—or Willie Lennard—this ballad is extremely widely distributed throughout the English-speaking world (except Australia), given that it has only 72 Roud entries. Some scholars, including Phillips Barry, MacEdward Leach and G Malcolm Laws have tried to suggest that Willie was lured to his death by a water-woman who lived in the lake, thus linking the song with ballads such as Clerk Colville or Lady Alice (Child 42 and 85). Today, there is little support for such supposition and, as Tom Munnelly so poetically put it, “we must now let our Irish Clerk Colville sink, like Willie, beneath the waves”. (Tom Munnelly, The Mount Callan Garland, Dublin, 1994. p.105).
Although there are several areas in Ireland with similar names, it is probable that our story was originally set either at Loughinsholin, near Garvagh, in Co Derry, or Lough Sillin, Co Cavan. At one time the clan living around the latter were the O’Flynns. The name of the song means ‘the lake(s) of the island of the O’Flynns’. PW Joyce collected it from Peggy Cudmore in Limerick in 1854 and printed it in 1873—it also appered in a number of other Irish and English broadsides shortly afterwards, which is possibly the reason it is so widespread.
Given that it appeared in print during the lifetimes of many of the singers who knew it, the variety of titles the song has attracted—particularly since the published Lakes of Cool Finn would be so obvious a choice—is quite astonishing. Some of the more interesting ones are Royal Comrade (Amy Birch following widespread Traveller tradition there), Johnny Bathin’ (from Donegal), Billy Henry (Scotland), The Cruel Lake of Woolfrinn (New York) … and the almost inevitable Twas Early One Morning. For some reason, the song has remained popular to this day with Gypsies and other travellers.
George ‘Pop’ Maynard sang William Lennard on 18 May 1960 at The Cherry Tree, Copthorne. This recording by Brian Matthews was included in 2000 on Maynard’s Musical Traditions anthology Down the Cherry Tree and, like Scan Tester’s version, in 2001 on Just Another Saturday Night: Sussex 1960 on which Rod Stradling noted:
Like Harry Cox, Pop Maynard is a singer who rarely uses obvious melodic or rhythmic ploys to keep the listener’s attention throughout a long song, yet succeeds in doing so magnificently. His subtle approach to telling a story works extremely well with this ballad and, together with its fine melody, makes it one of my favourite tracks. So caught up was I that it must have been the third or forth hearing before I became conscious of all the three-line verses!
Oddly, Peter Kennedy recorded this twice from Pop in 1955 and ’56, yet did not use the title the singer obviously knew it by—listen to the spoken line at end of the song.
Mary Reynolds of Mohill, Co. Leitrim sang The Lakes of Shillin to Séamus Ennis in December 1954. This BBC recording 22028 was included on the anthology album Fair Game and Foul (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 7; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1970). The album’s booklet noted:
In the tragedy of Willie Leonard we have a song of a different type than anything heard earlier on this record. Actually, it is a lament in the style of the Gaelic ‘col mor’ or ‘big song’ which was frequently composed to commemorate the tragic death of a Scots or an Irish hero. Generally, such songs are not in narrative-dramatic form. Indeed, there is no drama here, only the account of the death of the young man, the premonatory dreams of his sister, and a description of his funeral. Due to the Anglicization of the name of the lake where Willie was drowned, the song has appeared under a great variety of titles: The Loch of Shallin, The Lakes Cold Finn and so forth. The original name of the lake was ‘Loughinshollin’ or the ‘Loch of the Island of O’lynns’, a powerful sept who, from the very early times, held extensive territory on the East side of the River Bann in Ireland.
Cathie Stewart sang The Lakes o’ Shillin in a recording by Bill Leader in his home in Camden Town, London, in 1964 or 1965. This was published in 1965 on the Topic LP The Stewarts of Blair. Hamish Henderson noted:
Irish songs have enjoyed tremendous popularity in Scots bothies and farm kitchens. Most of them were probably brought over by harvesters and itinerant labourers, though Greig thought that some at least may have been learned by Scots soldiers from Irish comrades-in-arms at camp-fire ceilidhs during the Napoleonic wars. This is undoubtedly an Irish song in origin—in P.W. Joyce’s collection it is called The Lakes of Coolfin but it has been popular in Aberdeenshire for many years. Cathy learnt it from a North-Easter, Alec Stewart of Buckie. There is a version in Folk-Song of the North-East (article CXIV), and it was in the repertoire of the late John Strachan of Fyvie.
Nic Jones sang The Lakes of Shilin in a live recording from the Thetford Folk Club, Green Dragon in probably 1970 on the privately issued album The Mole Catcher. He recorded The Lakes of Shilin in 1978 for his fourth solo LP, From the Devil to a Stranger. As this album isn’t available any longer, in 2006 Nic Jones published a CD of live performances from the late 1970s, Game Set Match, which also includes this song. He also sang it in two BBC Radio 1 John Peel sessions; one was recorded 27 November 1972 and broadcast 12 December 1972, the other was recorded 15 October 1975 and broadcast 12 November 1975.
Oak sang The Lakes of Cool Flynn in 1971 on their album Welcome to the Fair, crediting Scan Tester as their source in their album’s sleeve notes.
Tim Lyons sang The Lakes of Coolfin on his 1972 Trailer album The Green Linnet. He noted:
The Irish collector P.W. Joyce felt that this song must have been based on fact, but no one has yet been able to identify either Willie Leonard or the lake where he met his sad end. I learned the words from a song book years ago, the air I got from my mother-in-law Molly Sheeran from Wexford.
George Ling sang The Lakes of Coolfinn in a recording made by Keith Summers in 1974-75. It was released in 1977 on The Ling Family’s Topic album Singing Traditions of a Suffolk Family and in 2006 on the Veteran CD of traditional songs and tunes from Suffolk, Good Hearted Fellows.
George Dunn sang a fragment of Young Leonard to Roy Palmer on 29 October 1973. This recording was included in 2002 on his Musical Traditions anthology Chainmaker. Roy Palmer and Rod Stradling commented in the booklet:
Otherwise known as the Lakes of Cold Finn, Coolfinn, Col Fin, Cold Stream, Shallin, Colephin—or Willie Lennard—this ballad is extremely widely distributed throughout the English-speaking world (except Australia), despite having only 72 Roud entries. Some scholars, including Phillips Barry, MacEdward Leach and G. Malcolm Laws have tried to suggest that Willie was lured to his death by a water-woman who lived in the lake, thus linking the song with ballads such as Clerk Colville or Lady Alice (Child 42 and 85). Today, there is little support for such supposition and, as Tom Munnelly so poetically put it, “we must now let our Irish Clerk Colville sink, like Willie, beneath the waves” (Tom Munnelly, The Mount Callan Garland, Dublin, 1994. p.105).
Although there are several areas in Ireland with similar names, it is probable that our story was originally set either at Loughinsholin, near Garvagh, in Co Derry, or Lough Sillin, Co Cavan. At one time the clan living around the latter were the O’Flynns. The name of the song means “the lake(s) of the island of the O’Flynns”. P.W. Joyce collected it from Peggy Cudmore in Limerick in 1854 and printed it in 1873—it also appeared in a number of other Irish and English broadsides shortly afterwards, which is possibly the reason it is so widespread.
Given that it appeared in print during the lifetimes of many of the singers who knew it, the variety of titles the song has attracted—particularly since the published Lakes of Cool Finn would be so obvious a choice—is quite astonishing. Some of the more interesting are Royal Comrade (Amy Birch following widespread Traveller tradition there), Johnny Bathin’ (from Donegal), Billy Henry (Scotland), The Cruel Lake of Woolfrinn (New York) … and the almost inevitable ’Twas Early One Morning. For some reason, the song has remained popular to this day with Gypsies and other travellers.
Mary Ann Haynes sang Poor Leonard in a recording made by Mike Yates in 1972-75 that was released in 1975 on the Topic anthology of traditional songs from Sussex, Sussex Harvest, and in 2003 on the Musical Traditions anthology of gypsy songs and music from South-East England, Here’s Luck to a Man.
Cyril Phillips sang The Lakes of Coolfin, on 11 May 1974 at the Lewes Arms, Mount Place, Lewes, Sussex. This recording made by Karl Dallas was released in the following year on the Transatlantic album of songs and stories in a Sussex pub, The Brave Ploughboy.
Dave Burland sang The Lakes of Shilin on his 1975 album Songs and Buttered Haycocks.
John Shiels and Robin Dawson sang The Lakes of Cool Finn in 1976 on a BBC Radio Carlisle recording that was included in the same year on the album The Best of BBC Radio Carlisle’s Folk Workshop.
Amy Birch sang this ballad as Royal Comrade in a 1976 recording on the 1979 Topic anthology Devon Tradition. It was also included in 1998 on the Topic anthology My Father’s the King of the Gypsies (The Voice of the People, Vol. 11).
Bob Davenport sang The Lakes of Coolfin on his and the Rakes’ Topic album 1977 in, er, 1977.
Sinéad Caher sang The Lake of Coolfin in 1978 on her Mulligan album Flower of Magherally. Cathal O Boyle noted:
A very simple song, this, of the bereavement of the young maiden whose lover has drowned. Not only is this a salutary warning to swimmers in the Lake of Coolfin, but the introduction of the dream gives the simple story a mystical quality.
Tom Lenihan sang The Lakes of Coolfin on his 1978 Topic album of songs traditional in West Clare, Paddy’s Panacea. Tom Munnelly noted:
A simple story of the drowning of a young man and its effect on those who were closest to him. A thicket of fanciful undergrowth has sprung up, with theories suggesting, for instance, that Willie was abducted by water fairies, and as much ink as would fill the lake has been expended in speculating oil its location. Surely all this is peripheral, for drowning songs abound in Ireland in both languages and do we really need a grid reference when this simple tragedy transcends any geographical boundaries?
From Mrs Haren, a neighbour and an aunt of the great piper Willie Clancy, Tom learned this song.
Len Graham sang Loughinsholin in 1979 on his and Joe Holmes album on the Topic label, After Dawning. He noted:
I have been unable to establish the date of the drowning in this song. I pieced it together from three sources: John Morgan, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, Colm Lyn, Clady, Co. Derry, and Herbie Cunningham, Mullagh, Co. Derry. One version brought the ‘Orange and Purple’ into the funeral ceremony, whilst another introduced the ‘Green’. I sing the impartial Co. Antrim ‘White’ version.
The lough of Loughinsholin is in the townland of Annagh, in the parish of Dessertmartin, in the county of Derry, in the barony of Loughinsholin, in the province of Ulster. So says Pat Bradley and he should know, as he owns the lough!
The ‘island of soft boggy ground”, mentioned in the song is a crannóg (from crann, a tree). Crannógs are common throughout Ireland and were built on timber piles as fortified island dwellings. There is little evidence today of the crannóg in Loughinsholin and the only remnant is the ‘soft boggy ground’ in the middle of the lough.
The name Loughinsholin is said to mean Lough-inch-O’Ehloinn—the lough and island of the O’Lynn’s. The song is also widely known as The Lakes of Coalfinn.
Nick Dow sang The Lake of Coolphin in 1980 on his album A Branch of May. He noted:
An Irish version of a well known ballad dealing with a bathing tragedy. The song probably has its roots in an ancient tale in which the young man is lured to his death by a water sprite.
Patsy Flynn sang Willie Leonard to Keith Summers, Jenny Hicks and Willie Clerkin in Willie Clerkin’s cottage near Magheraveely on 4 August 1980. This recording was included in 2004 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs from around Lough Erne’s shore from the Keith Summers collection, The Hardy Sons of Dan.
John Jones sang Lakes of Cool Flynn in 1980 on the Oyster Ceilidh Band’s Dingle’s album Jack’s Alive, in 1988 on The Oyster Band’s Cooking Vinyl album Wide Blue Yonder, and in 2008 on Oysterband’s CD The Oxford Girl and Other Stories.
Martin Carthy and John Kirkpatrick sang this ballad as Lakes of Cold Flynn live at Folk City, New York on 27 October 1983, again crediting Scan Tester as their source. This recording was included in 2001 on the anthology The Carthy Chronicles,
Sara Grey sang Lakes of Champlain in 1990 on her Harbourtown album Promises to Keep. She noted:
Laws Q33. A version of the song can also be found in Phillips Barry’s Bulletin of the Folksong Society of the Northeast where he mentions the song in reference to The Lakes of Coolfin for which he gives two tunes, one of which was collected from the singing of Mrs E.M. Sullivan of Springfield Vermont. There is in existence a manuscript copy of the song belonging to W. Haley of Cuttingsville, Vermont which she received as a young girl from Etta Safford whose family remembered the story as a true local event rather than an earlier happening in Ireland. My version here is a combination of the Sullivan tune and the Safford words. I recall that often as a young girl my parents would warn me of the strange happenings in Lake Champlain and tell me never to swim there.
Will Duke and Dan Quinn sang The Lakes of Coalflin in 1996 on their CD Wild Boys. The Mighty Quinns—Dan and Matt Quinn— sang it as Young Leonard in 2008 on their CD Thicker Than Water. Matt Quinn returned to The Lakes of Coalflin in 2017 on his CD The Brighton Line. He noted:
Irish in origin, this is one of the many versions found in Sussex. Scan Tester sang this for collectors on at least three different occasions.
Tony Rose sang The Lakes of Shilin on his 1999 CD Bare Bones with very similar verses.
Niamh Parsons sang Lakes of Coolfin in 2000 on her Green Linnet album In My Prime. She noted:
When I was a child of about 10 years of age my parents used to bring Anne and myself down to the Old Shieling Hotel beside our house to hear ballads. My attention was captured by Brian Byrne and the Emmet Spiceland. They sang great songs. Brian recorded this on his solo album in 1972. This is the version that’s been in my head all those years. There are many other versions but these are the words that Brian sang.
Chris Coe sang Young Leonard in 2001 on her Backshift CD A Wiser Fool. She noted:
Generally accepted as an Irish story, this version is based on a fragment sung by George Dunn of Quarry Bank, West Midlands. Is this just a story of head-strong youth, or are powerful forces of destiny and/or taboo at work here?
Sheila Stewart sang Lakes o’ Shillin at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife in May 2005. This recording was included a year later on the festival anthology For Friendship and for Harmony (Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Volume 2). Peter Shepheard noted:
The song is very likely based on a real incident and is said to be from around 1800 in the Enniskillen area. There are many versions from Ireland, Scotland and North America and the name of the drowned man and the lake vary greatly. The song was printed on broadside with the name of the lake as Colfin and Shelin. This was a favourite song of Sheila’s sister Cathy.
Stanley Robertson sang The Lake o Shaleen in a c.2005 recording that was included in 2009 on his posthumous Elphinstone Institute anthology The Gollege Boy. He commented:
Oh, this is one o ma favourites. Ma father aye thought it wis aboot, ken, young laddies haein a bet. And they aa had been workin taegither and they bade in the mither’s hoose. She’d been the one that had the contract for keepin the workers. And this day they ging oot, their day aff, and they’d a bet. Because in my version the wumman actually mentions it, cause she has the premonition. And it aa comes to pass. But it’s an unusual tune. I think it’s Irish, cause if it wis Scottish, it wid say [loch] See, the mother suspects foul play somewhere. And if he’d been pushed intil this deep lake afore he wis ready, and the shock o the water could hae drownt him. And he wis maybe just tryin to get to the little island, but he couldna get it. And that’s why his mother’s sayin that. It maks an affa difference to the song.
And Thomas A. McKean added:
Stanley’s version of Willie Leonard gives us the background for the accident unlike most versions twice the length. Both the hero’s name and that of the lake change from version to version, though the latter is usually some variation of Shilin or Coolfin. The song is very popular in Traveller tradition, and is known particularly from the singing of Cathie Stewart, who featured many songs of Irish origin in her repertoire (see The Stewarts of Blair Topic 12T138/ Ossian OSS CD 96).
Martin Simpson sang The Lakes of Champlain in 2007 on his Topic album Prodigal Son. He noted:
Lakes of Champlain is a New England version of the Irish Lakes of Coolfinn, which is often sung in England as The Lakes of Shilinn. The Sussex traditional singer and anglo-concertina player, Scan Tester, has a last verse for this song, which I think is very beautiful;
God bless his dear mother she has reason to mourn
God bless his dear sweetheart she has reasons to mourn
For every each other morning he did her salute
With pink and white roses and fresh garden fruitScan’s version, this time titled The Lakes of Coalflin, can be heard on the CD O’er His Grave the Grass Grew Green. Nic Jones and Dave Burland both sang versions of the song and the New England version can be heard on Margaret MacArthur’s Make the Wildwood Ring CD on Front Hall Records.
Mary Humphreys and Anahata sang Lakes of Cold Fen in 2009 on their WildGoose CD Cold Fen. Mary Humphreys noted:
The tune was collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in Bassingbourn from agricultural labourer John Harman (spelt Harmon in the MS) on 30 July 1907. The song is well-known throughout the UK and Ireland and the name of the lake varies with the locality. Our friend Jim Causley has recorded one from his home in Devon. I have put a standard set of words to the tune which is, I believe, unique to Cambridgeshire.
Jackie Oates sang Young Leonard on her 2009 CD Hyperboreans.
Jim Causley sang Royal Comrade in 2011 on his WildGoose CD of songs from Devon, Dumnonia.
James Findlay sang Lakes of Shilin in 2011 on his Fellside CD Sport and Play. He noted:
A jolly Irish drowning ballad! I first heard this song from my dad, however this is a hybrid version of variations by Nic Jones, Tony Rose and the tune for the hymn Lord of All Hopefulness. It is a widespread song on both sides of the Atlantic and has a wide spread of titles with the lakes being of Shallin, Cold Finn, Coolfinn, Colephin and Woolfrinn while other titles have been Royal Comrade, Willie Leonard, Billy Henry, and even Johnny Bathin.
Andy Turner sang The Lakes of Coolfin as the 29 June 2013 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week, crediting Scan Tester via Bob Davenport.
Ollie King sang Lakes of Cold Fen in 2014 on his RootBeat CD Gambit. He noted:
It’s very rare for me to be able to sing songs collected in my home county of Cambridgeshire, but this is one such song. The tune was collected from Mr John Harman of Bassingbourn in 1907 by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Vaughan Williams often holidayed In the South Cambridgeshire countryside in the early part of [the] 20th century, and collected a number of tunes from slngers all around the county. I got this song, a variant of the Lakes of Shallin, from Mary Humphrey’s wonderful book Folksongs Collected in Cambridgeshire. Warning: this song may contain traces of fair maidens and death.
Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar sang Royal Comrade in 2014 on their Fellside CD The Call. Greg Russell noted:
A story which has many songs, and slight variations, dedicated to it: The Lakes of Cool Fin, The Lakes of Shallin, Willie Leonard et al. This version I heard from good friend, Jim Causley. There is both an established and rapidly growing music scene in and around Exeter providing folk clubs, festivals and singarounds. I’ve tried to attend as many and as often as possible in the last two years of living in the area and this is one of the increasing number of traditional songs that I picked up from that scene. Thanks Jim.
Nick Hart sang The Lakes of Cold Finn in 2019 on his CD Nick Hart Sings Nine English Folk Songs. He noted:
I found the words for this one whilst researching songs for a project in Essex schools organised by the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). They were collected from a Mr John Burton of Clacton-on-Sea in I952 [VWML COL/3/49A] and I’ve coupled them with a melody from Geoff Ling of Blaxhall, Suffolk. My mother grew up in Clacton and I visited my grandparents there many times as a child. Once a thriving seaside resort, the town swelled in size with the arrival of many working class Londoners in the 1950s and 60s and the Victorian town centre is now surrounded by an expansive warren of suburban streets and cul-de-sacs. It seems strange to me that a song as old as this one should have been collected so recently from somewhere like Clacton, but there you go.
Aaron Jones sang Willie Lennox in 2022 on the Damian KcKee, Gudrun Walther and Aaron Jones album High Doh. His lyrics are very similar to those in Sam Henry’s Songs of the People.
Painted Sky (George and Holly Brandon) sang The Lakes of Colfinn on their 2024 album From the Blue.
Brian Peters sang The Lake of Colephin on his 2025 album Tasks. He noted:
This song probably originated in a 19th century broadside titled The Lakes of Cold Finn or Willie Leonard, printed frequently in London and Manchester and also in Ireland and the USA. My version comes from the Hammond brothers’ collection, taken down from George Hatherill in Bath in 1906 [VWML HAM/3/12/3] .
Lyrics
Mary Reynolds sings The Lakes of Shillin
It was early one morning Willie Leonard arose
And straight to his comrades’ bed-chamber he goes,
Saying: “Arise, rise royal comrades, and let nobody know,
For it is a fine morning and a-bathing we’ll go.”
They walked and they talked till they came to a lane,
And the first man they met there was the keeper of game;
He advised them to turn back and not venture in,
For there’s deep and false waters on the lakes of Shellin.
Young Willie stripped naked and he swam the lake round,
He swam foreign islands but not for dry ground –
Saying, “Comrades, royal comrades, I am now getting weak –”
And these were the last words Willie Leonard did speak.
It was early that morning his sister arose
And straight to her mother’s bed-chamber she goes,
Saying: “Mother, dear mother, I had a sad dream
That Young Willie was floating on a watery Main.”
It was early that morning his mother went there
With a-ringing her fingers and a-tearing her hair,
Saying: “Where was he drowned, was nobody there
That would venture their life for my one only boy?”
It was early that evening his Uncle went there,
He rode round the lake, like a man in despair;
Saying: “Where was he drowned or did he fall in?
My cursed life for ever on the lakes of Shellin.”
The day of the funeral it was a sad sight,
Four-and-twenty young men and they all dressed in white,
They bore him on their shoulders and they laid him to rest,
Saying: “Farewell to you Willie”, and they all walked away.
Charlie Scamp sings Young Leonard
Early one morning young Leonard did rose.
Straightaway to his comrade, straightaway did he go.
Saying, “Row, row, row, comrade, let nobody know.
If it is a fine morning and a-bathing we’ll go.”
They both walked together till they come to the lake.
The first man they met was some keeper of game.
He revised [advised] them with sorrow for to turn back again,
For it’s deep in false water and the watery main.
When they got there young Leonard unstripped.
He tried his lap round him; nine times he swum round.
Nine times round the island, nine times round the brim,
Saying, “Row, row, row, comrade, don’t you venture here,
For it’s deep in false water and the watery main.”
Early next morning Leonard’s sister did rose.
Straightaway to her mother, straightaway did she go,
Saying, “Oh, dearest mother, I’ve had a sad dream,
That my brother is drownded on the watery main.”
“Where was he drownded, or did he fell in?
Was there anyone for to venture,” cries my own darling son.
Girls come to his funeral—you will see a grand sight.
You’ll see four and twenty Irish girls dressed all in milk white.
For to take him and bury him, lay his body in cold clay.
For they took him to St. Joseph’s, laid his body in cold clay,
Bid adieu to young Leonard, and they all marched away.
Scan Tester sings The Lakes of Coalflin
(It was early one morning young William arose,
Straight away to his comrades’ bedchamber did go,
Saying, “Comrades dear comrades, don’t let anyone know
For it is a fine morning and a-bathing we’ll go.”)
As they went along it was down a long lane
But who should they meet but a keeper of game,
Saying, “I would advise you to return home again
For there’s death in false waters in the lakes of Coldflynn.”
Young William stepped in and he swam the lakes round,
He swam round the island but not the right ground,
Saying, “Comrade dear Comrade, do not adventure in
Or your doom is to die in a watery stream.”
(It was early that morning his sister she arose,
Straight away to her mother’s bedchambers did go,
Saying, “Mother dear mother, I’ve had a strange dream:
Young William lies floating in a watery stream.”)
It was early that morning his mother she was there
She rowed around the island like one in despair,
Crying, “Where was he drownded or did he fall in?
For there’s death in false waters in the lakes of Coldflynn.”
God help his poor mother, she has reasons to mourn,
Likewise his dear sweetheart, she has reasons to mourn.
For every each other morning he did her salute
With the pink and red roses and the fine garden fruit.
At the day of his funeral it will be a good sight,
There’ll be four-and-twenty Irish girls and they’ll all dress in white.
They’ll carry him along and lay him in cold clay
Saying, “Adieu to young William” and they’ll all march away.
George ‘Pop’ Maynard sings William Lennard
(’Twas early) one morning young Willie arose
Straight way to his comrade he immediately goes
Saying, comrade, royal comrade, let nobody know
For this is a fine morning and a-bathing we’ll go.
As they were a-walking all down the long lane
The first that they met was a keeper of game
Said he to young Willie, “I pray you turn back wi’ me
For there’s deep and false water on the lakes of Colefinn.”
Young Willie he [strippèd] and he swam the lake round
’Til he came to an island but not on right ground.
Then he said to his comrade, “I am now going weak.”
And these were the last words young Willie did speak.
Oh the very next morning his Polly came there,
Saying, “Mother, oh Mother, I’ve had a sad dream
That young Willie’s a-floating on the lakes of Colefinn.”
Now the very next morning his mother came,
Saying, “Murder, oh murder—is there anyone close by
That would venture their life for my own darling boy?”
Now the very next morning his uncle came there
Saying, “Where was he drownded, or did he fall in?
For there’s deep and false waters on the lakes of Colefinn.”
And as for his sweetheart, she’s cause to complain
For it was every Sunday morning she did him salute
With pinks and red roses and fine garden fruit.
Now the day of his funeral there was a grand sight,
There was four-and-twenty Irish girls all dressed in milk-white
They carried him on their shoulders, laid his body in cold clay
Saying, “Adieu to young Willie”, and they all walked away.
They carried him on their shoulders, laid his body in cold clay
Saying, “Adieu to young Lennard”, and they all walked away.
Spoken: That’s William Lennard.
Nic Jones sings The Lakes of Shilin
Well it’s early one morning Billy Henry arose
Straight to his comrade’s bed-chamber he goes
Saying, “Rise, loving comrade, let nobody know,
To the dark and chilly waters a-bathing we’ll go.”
So Billy he stripped and then he went in
And he swam the dark waters all round and around
Saying, “Oh my loving comrade, oh don’t you go in
For I see there is a coffin in the Lakes of Shilin.”
But the other one, he stripped and then he went in
And he swam the dark waters all round and around
Saying “Oh my loving Billy, why did you go in
To the dark and chilly waters in the Lakes of Shilin.”
Now there was an old woman who lived there close by
She went to Billy’s parents and she made this reply:
“Your son he went a-bathing as I’ve heard him say
And now your Billy Henry he’s as cold as the clay.”
Down came his mother like one in despair,
She’s a-wringing of her hands and a-tearing of her hair,
Saying, “Oh my Billy Henry why did you go in
To the dark and chilly waters in the Lakes of Shilin?”
So down came his father like one in despair,
He’s a-wringing of his hands and a-tearing of his hair,
Saying, “I brought up a family of fine-bodied men,
And the best of them’s drowned in the Lakes of Shilin.”
So it’s down came his sweetheart like one in despair,
She’s a-wringing of her hands and a-tearing of her hair,
Saying, “It’s six months and better till my wedding day
And now me Billy Henry he’s as cold as the clay.
So we’ll go around to Martin’s, to Martin’s by the shore.
We’ll hire us a small boat as we’ve done before
And we’ll search the dark waters all around and all round
Till we see that Billy Henry’s fair body is found.”
So they went around to Martin’s, to Martin’s by the shore
And they hired them a small boat as they’d done before.
And they searched the dark waters all around and all round
Till they saw that Billy Henry’s fair body was found.
For to see Billy’s funeral was such a fine sight:
There was six handsome young men all dressed up in white,
There was six pretty maidens all dressed up in green,
Just to show that he’d been drowned in the Lakes of Shilin.
George Ling sings The Lakes of Coolfin
It was early one morning young William arose
And away to his comrade’s bedchamber did go,
Saying, “Arise, oh my comrade and let no-one know,
For it’s a bright summer morning and a-bathing we’ll go.”
To the Lakes of Coolfin the companions then came
And the first one they met was a keeper of game.
“Oh, return, Billy Leonard, return once again,
There is deep and false waters in the Lakes of Coolfin.”
Young William plunged in and he swam the lake round
And he swam to an island of soft mossy ground,
Saying, “Comrade, oh, comrade, don’t you venture in,
There is deep and false waters in the Lakes of Coolfin.”
Then early next morning, his mother came there.
She was rubbing her hands and tearing her hair.
Saying, “Where was he drownded, where did he fall in,
In the deep and false waters in the Lakes of Coolfin.”
Patsy Flynn sings Willie Leonard
It was early one morning, Willie Leonard arose
And unto his comrade’s bedchamber he goes.
Saying, “Comrade, loyal comrade, let nobody know.
It’s a fine summers morning and a bathing we’ll go.”
To the lake of Coolfinn these two comrades they came
When who should they meet but the keeper of game.
“Turn back Willie Leonard, do not venture in;
There are deep and dark waters in the lakes of Coolfinn.”
But Willie he jumped in and he swam the lake round;
He soon reached an island, it was soft boggy ground.
Crying, “Comrade, loyal comrade, do not follow in.
There are deep and dark waters in the lakes of Coolfinn.”
It was not long after willie’s sister awoke,
And unto her mother so sadly she spoke.
“I had a sad dream about Willie last night.
He came to my room in a shroud of snow white.”
Her mother arose and she went to the lake,
She called her son’s name and she wept for his sake.
Saying,“Sad was the hour my Willie plunged in.
There are deep and dark waters in the lakes of Coolfinn.”
Now to see Willie’s funeral, it was a sad sight.
There were four and twenty young girls they were all dressed in white.
There were four and twenty young men all dressed in green
Just to show he was drowned in the lakes of Coolfinn.
Martin Carthy sings Lakes of Cold Flynn
It was early one morning young William arose,
Straightaway to his comrade’s bedchamber he goes;
Saying, “Comrade, dear comrade, don’t let anyone know,
It is a fine morning and a-bathing we’ll go.”
And as they were a-walking it was down a long lane,
And the first that they met with was a keeper of game.
“Oh William, dear William, do not adventure in,
For there’s death in false waters in the lakes of Cold Flynn.”
Young William stepped in and he swam the lake around;
He swam round the island but not the right ground.
“Oh William, dear William, do not adventure in,
For there’s death in false waters in the lakes of Cold Flynn.”
It was early that morning his sister arose,
Straightaway to her mother’s bedchamber she goes.
“Oh mother, dear mother, I have had a strange dream,
Young William lies floating in a watery stream.”
It was early that morning his mother she was there,
She rowed round the island like one in despair.
“Oh where was he drownded, where did he fall in?
For there’s death in false waters in the lakes of Cold Flynn.”
God bless his dear mother, she has reasons to mourn,
Likewise his dear sweetheart, she has reasons to mourn.
For every each other morning he did us salute
With the pink and white roses and the fresh garden fruit.
On the day of his funeral it’ll be a grand sight,
There’ll be four-and-twenty uncles and they’re all dressed in white.
They’ll carry him along and lay him in cold clay,
Saying adieu to young William and they’ll all march away.
Tony Rose sings The Lakes of Shilin
It was early one morning Billy Henry arose
Straight to his comrade’s bed-chamber he goes
“Arise, loving comrade, let nobody know,
To the dark and chilly waters a-bathing we’ll go.”
Oh Billy he stripped and then he went in
And he swam the dark waters all around and around
Crying, “Oh my loving comrade, oh don’t you go in
For I see there is a coffin of the Lakes of Shilin.”
But the other one, he stripped and then he went in
And he swam the dark waters all around and around
Crying, “Oh my loving Billy, why did you go in
To the dark and chilly waters of the Lakes of Shilin.”
Now there was an old woman that lived there close by
She came to Billy’s family and made this reply:
“Oh, your son he went a-bathing as I’ve heard him say,
But now your Billy Henry he’s as cold as the clay.”
And it’s down came his mother like one in despair,
All a-wringing of her hands and a-tearing of her hair,
Crying, “Oh my Billy Henry why did you go in
To the dark and chilly waters of the Lakes of Shilin?”
And it’s down came his father like one in despair,
All a-wringing of his hands and a-tearing of his hair,
“Oh, I brought up a family of fine-bodied men,
And the best of them’s lying in the Lakes of Shilin.”
And it’s down came his sweetheart like one in despair,
She was wringing of her hands and a-tearing of her hair,
“Oh, it’s six months and better till my wedding day
But now my Billy Henry he’s as cold as the clay.
So we’ll go around to Martin’s, to Martin’s by the shore.
And we’ll hire us a small boat as we’ve done before
And we’ll search the dark waters all around and around
Till we see that Billy Henry’s fair body is found.”
So they went around to Martin’s, to Martin’s by the shore
And they hired them a small boat as they’d done before.
And they searched the dark waters all around and around
Till they saw that Billy Henry’s fair body was found.
Oh, to see Billy’s funeral, it was such a fine sight:
There was six handsome young men dressed up in white,
There was six pretty maidens all dressed up in green,
Just to show he’d been drowned in the Lakes of Shilin.
Oh, six pretty maidens all dressed up in green,
Just to show he’d been drowned in the Lakes of Shilin.
Niamh Parsons sings Lakes of Coolfin
It was early one morning young Willie arose
And off to his comrade’s bedchamber he goes.
“Arise my dear comrade and let no one know,
’Tis a fine sunny morning and a bathing we’ll go.”
O Willie plunged and he swam the lake round,
He swam to an island it was soft marshy ground.
“O comrade, dear comrade, do not venture in,
There is deep and false water in the Lakes of Coolfin.”
It was early that morning Willie’s sister arose
And up to her mother’s bedchamber she goes,
“I dreamed a sad dream about Willie last night,
He was dressed in a shroud, in a shroud of snow white.”
It was early that morning Willie’s mother came in,
She was wringing her hands and tearing her hair.
“O woe is the hour young Willie plunged in
For there is deep and false water in the Lakes of Coolfin.”
And I saw a fair maid standing by the shore,
Her face it was pale she was weeping full sore.
In deep anguish she gazed where young Willie plunged in,
Ah there is deep and false water in the Lakes of Coolfin.
Sheila Stewart sings Lakes o’ Shillin
It been a fine summer’s morning when Willie Leonard arose,
And straight to his comrade’s bed window did go;
Saying, “Arise up Willie and let nobody know,
’Tis a fine summer’s morning and a-bathing we’ll go.”
So they walked and they talked till they came to a lake,
And the first man they met was a keeper of game;
Saying, “Go back fine fellows and do not venture in,
For ’tis deep and cold waters in the Lakes of Shillin.”
So he twice swum it over and he next swum it round,
He was swimming for an island but he never reached dry ground;
His uncle came running wi a rope in his hand,
As he gazed on his nephew as he stood on the strand;
Saying, “Uncle, dearest uncle, all your ropes are in vain,
For it’s twice I saw the bottom and I’m now going again.”
So early nest morning when his mother came there,
She was wringing her fingers and a-tearing her hair;
Saying, “Where was he drownded, or did he fall in,
Oh I curse my life forever on the lakes of Shillin.”
Stanley Robertson sings The Lake o Shaleen
It being a fine morning, Willie Leonard arose
Straight way to his comrade’s window he goes
Says, ’tis I, Willie Leonard, let nobody know
It being a fine morning tae the bathin we’ll go.
An doon came his mither, she was reivin her hair
Don’t go tae the water for the sake of a dare
For I dreamt last night and in the vision I seen
I seen a black coffin on the lake o Shaleen.
But they all went out walking till they came to a lake
An the first man they met was the keeper o the gate
Go back, my young fellows, do not venture in
It is deep and cold water in the lake o Shaleen.
But he swam it twice over and he swam it around
An he made for an island, but his feet touched no ground
His uncle came running with a rope in his hand
An he called to his nephew from off the dry land.
Oh, uncle, dear uncle, for your ropes are in vain
I have twice seen the bottom and I go down again
It’s tell my old mother, for this day we will rue
She gied me a warning an her words were so true.
So early next morning, his m ither came there
She wis twistin her fingers an tearin her hair
Oh, wis my Willie drownded, or wis he pushed in
My curse be forever on this Lake o Shaleen.
Aaron Jones sings Willie Lennox
It was early one morning Willie Lennox arose
And straight to his cousin’s bed chamber he goes,
Saying, “Arise, lovely cousin, and let no one know,
’Tis a fine summer’s morning, to the lakes let us go.”
As Willie and his cousin went down the long lane
They met Sergeant Henry and Colonel Ronayne
Says the colonel to the children, “Do not enter in
For there’s deep and false waters in Loughinsholin.”
But Willie, being stout-hearted, it’s in he did go,
And he swam to an island which was his overthrow.
He swam it twice over and was turning around
And in a few minutes Willie Lennox was drowned.
Small boats they were lowered, long lines were let down,
And in a few minutes Willie Lennox was found.
There was an old woman being there standing by,
She ran to his mother and this she did cry:
“Sad news I have for you which grieves my heart sore
For your own darling William, his name is no more.”
And as for Willie’s true love who mourns night and day
For the loss of her true love who lies cold in the clay,
For both morning and evening he did her salute
With the pink and yellow flowers and all garden fruit.
All gathered together and stood in a ring
While the Purple and Orange around them did hang.
They all whispered lowly and raised up their hands,
Saying, “Boys, while you’re living, beware of the Bann.”
Acknowledgements
Martin Carthy’s version was transcribed by Garry Gillard.