“Grandfather Bryan”

Description

Grandfather Bryan dies on St Patrick's day. The singer lists the worthless items he inherits: cloth-leather britches, broomstick with the head of a rake, blanket of cloth patches, a key with no lock .... "I'm fixed in grand style for the winter."

Notes

The first verse of O'Conor has lines close to first verse lines of Opie-Oxford2 155, "My father died a month ago" (" ... died ... And left me all his riches ... And a pair of leather breeches"); the themes are identical (earliest date in Opie-Oxford2 is 1894). - BS

A similar item occurs in Montgomerie-ScottishNR 172, "(My father died a month ago)." - RBW

Cross references

Broadsides

  • Bodleian, 2806 c.15(113), "My Grandfather Brian", unknown, n.d.; also Harding B 19(41), "My Grandfather Brian"

References

  1. O'Conor, p. 121, "Grandfather Brian" (1 text)
  2. Peacock, pp. 55-56, "Grandfather Bryan" (1 text, 1 tune)
  3. Roud #8248
  4. BI, Pea055

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1901 (O'Conor)
Found in: Canada(Newf)