One of Ireland’s most well-known songs is also a ghost song. If you’ve never listened through to the last verse, you might not know. Here’s Sinéad O’Connor with this classic in a stripped-down version.
Molly Malone
In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
For Halloween this year I have to post one of my favorite “ghost ballads.” You have to listen to the whole song to find the ghost, but it’s worth it. I first heard it off of Connie Dover back in the mid ’90s. Here’s it’s sung by Mary McPartlan.
A wealthy squire he lived in our town
And he was a man of high renown
He had one daughter, a beauty bright
And the name he called her was his Heart’s Delight
Many young man far to court her came
But none of them could her favour gain
Till there came one of the low degree
And above them all why she’d fancy he
But when her father he came to know
That his lovely daughter loved this young man so
Over fifty miles he sent her away
All to deprive her of her wedding day
We’re introducing a new occasional series this week titled Circles & Sessions where we’ll highlight gatherings of traditional singers far and wide.
This week we start with a Dublin session which is attracting all sorts of young people: the cleverly named The Night Before Larry Got Stretched. We contacted the founders to find out more about their scene.
Song of the Isles 