From the recording The Vow, An Irish Wedding Celebration
7. The Palatine's Daughter 2:37
I was reminded of the song from my youth by famed musician and poet Tommy Makem, with whom Seamus (Connolly) and I had the pleasure of working with on his CD of poetry "Ancient Pulsing."
According to noted Irish scholar Donal O'Sullivan, about 30 German families reached Dublin in 1711, transplanted there by the English Government after the War of the Spanish Succession. Being known as the Palatines, they settled mostly in North Kerry and Limerick. While many left for America around 1770, others, like the Palatine's daughter, though of another faith, intermarried with the Irish.
Lyrics
As I roved out of an evening through
the groves of Ballyseedy*
Whom should I meet on a cool retreat
but an Irish Palatine's daughter?
She asked my name and station O!
or where was my dwelling arbour?
Or would I come along with her
to see her own dear father?
I said I was a rakish lad,
In Currans** I was in sarvice
If you forsake the Mass and sacraments
you'll get me and my portion,
As I have done in person and
my forefathers before me.
You'll get gold and silver O!
and land without tax or charges,
And a letter from Mister Oliver
my father's unfit for sarvice,
And a pretty lass to wed with you,
if you choose a Palatine's daughter."
I courteously saluted her
And twice I kissed my darling:
"And if I go home along with you
shall I get you as my partner?"
She said, "A thousand welcomes O!
and be not the least alarmed,
You'll have my mother's blessing and
best wishes of my father,
You'll get stock and property,
and we'll be happy ever after."
And now my song is ended and
my pen is out of order,
She brought this handsome young man
in presence of her father.
They agreed and soon got married O!
and then he became master,
He got his landed property,
his haggard and his barn,
And then he made a Catholic
Of the Irish Palatine's daughter
*Ballyseedy- an area located south-east of Tralee in County Kerry.
**Currans were a family located located half-way between Castleisland and Farranfore.
INGHEAN AN PHAILITÍNIGH (THE PALATINE'S DAUGHTER)
Ó! Lá breá aoibhinn maragaidh
's mé a gabhail thrí Bhail O Síoda,
Cé casfai ins a' tslí orm ach
inghean a' Phailitinigh?
O! d'fhiosaruigh sí fios m'ainime,
"nó goide an baile ó go mbionn tú?
A' dtiocfá féin abhaile liom
seal i dtigh mo mhuinntre?"
'Sé dubhart, "Is buachaill greanta mé
do chomhnuíonn i gCoirínibh."
"Má thráigeann tú an t-aifreann
do gheó tú mé le pósa,
Mar a dhein mo cháirde feinig is
a maireann eile beó aca.
Ghéo tú ór is airgead
is talamh gan aon chíos liom,
Agus litir ó Mhister Oliver
go bhfuil m'athair caithte, críonna,
Is cailin deas chun taistil leat ,
más meón leat Pailitíneach."
Do dhruideas-sa 'n-a h-aice síud
is do thugas dí cúpla póigín:
"Is má théim-se féin abhaile leat
an bhfagha mé tú le pósa?"
'Sé dubhairt sí, "Ná bíodh eagal ort,
tair lion is míle fáilte,
Is gheó tú le toil m'athar mé,
's gan dearmad mo mhaithrín,
Gheó tú stoc ar thalamh liom
is mairfimíd go sásta."
Is anois tá mo dhuainín croíchnuithe
's gan peann ná dubh im dhearnain,
Do thug sí an t-óigfhear barrfhionn lé
abhaile go dtí n-a máthair.
Do chríochnuíodar an maraga
is bhí sé annsan 'n-a mháistir,
Fuair sé tigh is talamh lé
'gus iothala chluthmhar shásta,
Is annsan do dhein sé Caitliceach
den ainnir mhilis mhánla.