Íoslódáil (PDF) - Comhaltas Archive

TREOIR
The Lament
of Hugh Reynolds
As the song indicates Hugh Reynolds was a Cavan man who was tried and hanged
for the abduction of 'one Catherine McCabe' (the execution took place in March
1826). It would seem that he was most sadly betrayed. Catherine McCabe
apparently, conspired to elope wth him, but when after some time they were, at her
parent's instigation, arrested, she was prevailed upon to give evidence against him
and swear that she had been abducted. It is interesting to note the way in which
the word 'dear' is used in the recurring phrase 'She's the dear Maid to me'. It is used
to denote 'costly' rather than the conventional 'dearly loved'; and this is appropriate
enough because as the song tells the ill-starred elopment (or abduction) is to cost
the unfortunate Hugh Reynolds his life.
The author is not known (to our knowledge) but obviously he/she was a song
writer of the time, probably from Cavan or an adjoining county. The song is
sometimes called 'She's the dear maid to me'.
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My name it is Hugh Reyno lds, come of honest pare nts, Near
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Catheri ne Mac Cabe My life has been betrayed, she's the
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dear maid to me The country was bewailing my doleful situ ati on But
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parents were deceitful Although I loved her faithful , she's the dear maid to me.
My name it is Hugh Reynolds, I come of honest parents,
Near Cavan I was born, as you may plainly see
For the loving of a maid, one Catherine McCabe
My life has been betrayed, she's the dear maid to me
The country was bewaiiling my doleful situation
But still I'd expectation this maid would set me free
But, oh, she proved ungrateful, her parents were deceitful
Although I loved her faithful, she's the dear maid to me.
Adieu my loving father, and you my tender mother,
Farewell my dearest brother, who has suffered sore for me,
By irons I'm surrounded, in grief I lie confounded,
By perjury unbounded, she's the dear maid to me.
Now I must say farewell, to the lawboard I must go
There to take my last goodbye of my frineds and country
May the angels shining bright receive my soul this night
And bear it into Heaven with the Blessed Trinity.
Young men and tender maidens, throughout this Irish nation
Who hear my lamentation, I hope you'll pray for me
The truth I do unfold, that my precious blood she sold
In the grave I must lie cold, she's the dear maid to me
For now my glass is run, my last hour it has come
And I must die for love, and the height of chivalry
Sure I thought it was no harm to embrace her in my arms
Or take her from her parents, she's the dear maid to me .
.:20