Come All Ye

Oh! a sailor courted a farmer’s daughter;
Who lived contagious to the Isle of Man.
With warbling melodies he did besought her
To marry him before she’s marry any other sort of a kind of man.

But the farmer’s daughter had great possessions,
A silver teapot and two pounds in gold;
And says she, “Would ye marry me, me boult salt water sea-sailor,
If I threw them into the ocean cold?”

“Oh,” says he, “I’d marry you, me hearts enchantment,
If you had nothing but your father’s curse!”
So she made up a bundle of all her grand possessions
And threw them into the water… that ends that verse.

But the sailor he could swim like a duckling,
So into the water he dived down deep below,
Got hold of the bundle and swam away chuckling.
To think of the times he’d be having when he landed down in Ballinasloe.

But the farmer’s daughter was kilt with the laughing,
To think of the bundle she’d made up out of stone..
Oh! a sailors courted a farmer’s daughter,
But now he’s wishing that he’d left the girl alone.

Prose, Poems & Parodies of Percy French, 1980, Helicon Limited, Dublin.

Tickets

Early Booking Special Offer

Each whole day €50. Students €10

  • Three / Four Lectures
  • Afternoon Recital
  • Tea / Coffee / Homemade Cakes

Tickets to the talks taking place in the theatre room in Castlecoote House must be booked in advance, seating is strictly limited per event and we expect these to be fully booked well in advance so please book early to avoid disappointment

Ticket Office:

  • +353 (0)90 666 3794

Don’t miss out, Festival tickets sell out quickly!

We are very sorry to say that we can’t do refunds as they play havoc with the ticketing system. If you can’t make it, we’d rather you gave your tickets to a friend who can.

The 15th Percy French Festival

French Awakenings

19th, 20th, 21st July 2023

At Castlecoote House

Honorary President of the Festival, the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins.

Informed Social & Cultural Discussion of Ireland Today.

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The Percy French Festival 2023 acknowledges the major support of Excel Industries, Dublin; Whyte’s; CastleAcre; C&F Quadrant Ltd; Davies Group; Hidden Ireland.

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