"Ceann dubh dileas," or the "Beloved Dark Head." Original in Hardiman, i. p. 262. Dr. Hyde gives an additional verse in his Love-Songs. Burns claimed the air for Scotland, and Corri published it under the name of "Oran Gaoil," but it is undoubtedly Irish.
"Ringleted Youth of my Love." From Dr. Hyde's Love-Songs of Connacht (T. Fisher Unwin, 1893), p. 40.
"I shall not die for you." Original, ibid.. p. 138.
"Donall Oge." This pathetic song and the one following it, "The Grief of a Girl's Heart," seem to be portions of one long song, to the original nucleus of which quatrains have been added from time to time. Six stanzas were published by Dr. Hyde in his Love-Songs (pp. 4-6) under the title, "If I were to go West"; it would seem that his "Breed Astore" (p. 76) may also be a portion of the same poem. Mr. P. H. Pearse, who published several other stanzas under the title of "Donall Oge," or "Young Donall," in the Irish Review of August 1911, tells us that he wrote it down from the words of Denis Dorgan of Carrignavar, Co. Cork. The Irish will be found printed in his and Mr. Tadhg O'Donoghue's An t-Aithriseóir (Gaelic League, 1902), p. 7. In all these versions there are some stanzas alike and some different to the others. We have printed nearly the whole of them here under the two titles of "Donall Oge" and "The Grief of a Girl's Heart." Both are full of the most heartrending expression of loss and loneliness. Lady Gregory, in her Poets and Dreamers, published a literal translation of the latter poem.
"Death the Comrade." Original in Dr. Hyde's Religious Songs, ii. pp. 288-90.
"Muirneen of the Fair Hair." Original in Dr. Hyde's Love-Songs, pp. 10-12. Cf. another Munster version on p. 16, and one given by Hardiman, i. p. 354.
"The Red Man's Wife." A popular theme on which there are many variations. We give two, the originals of both being taken from Dr. Hyde's Love-Songs, pp. 92 and 94. The first is a Galway version, the second from Co. Meath. The latter was first printed in the Oban Times. Yet another version is given in Dr. Hyde's edition of Raftery's Poems, p. 210.
"My Grief on the Sea." Original in Dr. Hyde's Love-Songs. It was taken down by him from an old woman named Biddy Cusruaidh or Crummy, living in the midst of a bog in Co. Roscommon.
"Oró Mhór, a Mhóirín." Original in Petrie's Ancient Music of Ireland, p. 120. It was obtained by him from Teigue MacMahon, a peasant of Co. Clare. Mr. P. J. McCall's poem was printed in his Pulse of the Bards (Gill & Son, 1904), p. 50.