Patrick Power

DESCRIPTION: Patrick Power robs his father for a girl he is courting. She advises him to kill his father, which he does. Patrick is arrested, tried, convicted, and condemned. He repents, says farewell to his mother and warns against "Satan's cursed art."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1951 (Guigné-ForgottenSongsOfTheNewfoundlandOutports; MUNFLA/Leach)
LONG DESCRIPTION: Patrick Power courts "a young woman who lived near us ... I often robbed my father to then spend it on my dear." She advises him to kill his father, which he does with a pitchfork while the Devil stands by him. His mother finds the pitchfork and Patrick is arrested, tried, convicted, and condemned. He repents, "an unworthy member of the faith of the holy church of Rome," blesses the priest and Ladies of Charity that attend him in his cell. He says farewell to his mother and warns "both young and old... beware of Satan's cursed art."
KEYWORDS: courting warning crime execution homicide prison punishment robbery trial death gallows-confession father lover mother clergy Devil
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
Oct 13, 1865 - Murder of Timothy Power
Apr 4, 1866 - Execution of Patrick Power
FOUND IN: Canada(Newf)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Guigné-ForgottenSongsOfTheNewfoundlandOutports, pp. 303-305, "Patrick Power" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #30112
RECORDINGS:
Patrick Power, "The Wexford Girl" (on MUNFLA/Leach)
Ned Williams, "Patrick Power" (on MUNFLA/Leach)
BROADSIDES:
NLScotland, Crawford.EB.3642, "The Lamentation of Patrick Power, Who Was Hanged for the Murder of His Father" ("You foolish wicked young men who have been led astray"), unknown (Dublin), 1866
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Patrick Power (Parker)" (subject)
NOTES [94 words]: Guigné-ForgottenSongsOfTheNewfoundlandOutports: "The lyrics of this song pertain to the execution of Patrick Power, age twenty-one, of Cromogue near Newtonberry, County Wexford, on April 4, 1866, for the murder of his father, Timothy Power, on October 13, 1865, by a pitchfork."
My guess is that MUNFLA/Leach recording attributed to "Patrick Power" has the singer's name wrong, confusing it with the name of the subject of the song. The site lists the singer among those from Cape Broyle but has no live link to the singer. The song was recorded in Cape Broyle. - BS
Last updated in version 5.1
File: Guig303

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