Shannon Side, The

DESCRIPTION: "'Twas in the month of April... I met a comely damsel Upon the Shannon side." He tries to seduce her, and fails; he throws her down against her will. He departs; six months later, pregnant, she begs him to marry; he says he is pledged to another
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1908 (Greig/Duncan7)
KEYWORDS: courting sex rape pregnancy betrayal rejection
FOUND IN: Britain(England(Lond,South),Scotland) Ireland
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "SHANNON SIDE, THE"
Greig/Duncan7 1409, "Shannon Side" (4 texts, 2 tunes)
Ord-BothySongsAndBallads, pp. 200-202, "The Shannon Side" (1 text)
Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO Wt 467, "Shannon Side" (1 text)
Roud #1453
RECORDINGS:
Mary Delaney, "Peter Thunderbolt" (on IRTravellers01)
Phoebe Smith, "Captain Thunderball" (on Voice10)
BROADSIDES:
Murray, Mu23-y4:028, "Shannon Side," unknown, 19C
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Reynardine" [Laws P15] (plot, lyrics)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Captain Thunderbolt
NOTES [85 words]: This not only shares much of the plot of "Reynardine," the lyrics also overlap to a degree. I have to think there has been some sort of cross-fertilization. Still, they are clearly distinct songs. - RBW
In Broadside Murray Mu23-y4:028, [the Mary Delaney recording,] and Phoebe Smith's version on Voice10... the man gives his name as Captain, or Peter, Thunderbolt... "that's when my baby is born as that may be the same." I assume it is an integral part of the ballad when the text is well enough remembered. - BS
Last updated in version 6.8
File: Ord202

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