Song of Repentance

DESCRIPTION: A rake repents the "time sadly wasted" drinking, bragging, seducing, and versifying. He has wasted his money on musicians. His creditors would see him in jail. He is poor, growing old, and alone. He warns others not to follow his example.
AUTHOR: unknown, translated by "Frank O'Conor" (1903-1966)
EARLIEST DATE: 1965 (OLochlainn-MoreIrishStreetBallads)
KEYWORDS: age poverty courting drink music rake
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (1 citation):
OLochlainn-MoreIrishStreetBallads 82, "Song of Repentance" (1 text, 1 tune)
NOTES [95 words]: OLochlainn-MoreIrishStreetBallads: "My friend 'Frank O'Conor' (now Dr. Ml. O'Donovan) has given me leave to reprint his spirited translation of Eoghan Rua O'Sullivan's 'B'fhearr leigean doibh'." - BS
Frank O'Connor was an industrious translator of Irish poetry; Charles Sullivan's Ireland in Poetry includes ten of his renditions; the only author more heavily represented is Yeats. Much of his work was collected in Kings, Lords & Commons. He also wrote English short stories and some plays. He had quite a lively life, having been a member of the IRA in his youth. - RBW
File: OLcM082

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