Hiring Fair, The

DESCRIPTION: On the way to Strabane, or Antrim, singer meets a maid on the way to the hiring fair. He offers his umbrella to keep her from the rain. They stop for drinks and miss the fair. They spend the night, marry next day, and have been happy since.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1952 (IRTunneyFamily01); c.1845 (broadside, NLScotland L.C.1270(018))
KEYWORDS: courting marriage drink work travel
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (3 citations):
McBride-FlowerOfDunaffHillAndMoreTradSongsInnishowen 39, "The Hiring Fair" (1 text, 1 tune)
Morton-FolksongsSungInUlster 24, "The Hiring Fair" (1 text, 1 tune)
Morton/Maguire-ComeDayGoDayGodSendSunday 14, pp. 34-35,106,162, "The Strabane Hiring Fair" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #2516
RECORDINGS:
Michael Gallagher, "The Hiring Time" (on IRTunneyFamily01)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Feeing Time (I)" (plot)
NOTES [64 words]: This follows the same general story line as "The Maid of Lismore" but ends happily. - BS
The similarity to "The Feeing Time (I)" is even greater; it's esentially the same plot, and there are some common lyrics as well. They maybe the same song; Roud lumps them. But it clearly falls into Scottish and Irish families, so -- with some hesitation -- I've allowed them to stay separate. - RBW
Last updated in version 5.2
File: RcHiriFa

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