Al O'Donnell - Matt Hyland

'Matt Hyland', performed by Al O'Donnell, from the album 'Al O'Donnell' released in 1972.

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Lyrics:

There was a lord, lived in this town,
Who had a lovely handsome daughter,
She was courted by a fair young man,
Who was the servant to her father,
But when her parents came to know,
They swore they'd send him from the island,
The maid she knew her heart would break,
Had she to part with young Matt Hyland,

Straight way unto her love she goes,
Into his room him to awaken,
Saying "arise my love and go away,
This very night you will be taken,
I overheard my father say,
In spite of me he would transport you,
So arise my love and go away,
You know right well I do adore you",

"Oh, must I go", he said to her,
"Oh, must I go without my wages,
Without a penny in my purse,
Just like some poor forlorn stranger?",
"Here's fifty guineas in bright gold,
And that's far more than father owes you,
So take it now, and go away,
I wish to God I'd gone before you",

They both sat down upon the bed,
Just for the side of one half hour,
And not a word did either speak,
But down their cheeks the tears did shower,
She laid her head upon his breast,
As round his neck her arms entwined them,
"Not a duke nor lord nor an earl I'll wed,
I'll wait for you my own Matt Hyland",

The lord discoursed with his daughter fair,
One night alone in her bedchamber,
Saying "I'll give you leave to bring him back,
Since there's no one you style above him",
She wrote a letter then in haste,
For him her heart was still repining,
She's brought him back, to the church they went,
And made a lord of young Matt Hyland.

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All credit goes to Al O'Donnell. I only put the music and images together for promotion, so Youtube can enjoy this great artist.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• folk music
• al o'donnell
• ireland
• irish
• guitar
• matt hyland
• o'donnell
• folk revival
• singer
• ballad
• martin carthy
• carthy

[1972baileyboo]

have not heard this song for years, it is my my mums favourite song and it is her 60th this weekend so thankyou xxxxxxxx

[wrongwayup]

@1972baileyboo Good to hear that. :)

[gladdenlee]

AL! Please perform a concert in the metro Detroit Michigan USA area. The"Ark" in Ann Arbor is perfect!

[wrongwayup]

Try contacting him through Myspace, I saw he has a profile there. I doubt he reads this, or even knows I have put these videos up. :)

[padraigpurseal]

@wrongwayup

He still does the odd gig around Dublin since he retired from RTE a while back.

Nice chap very unassuming and really into his music before anything..

[wrongwayup]

@padraigpurseal Good to hear he is still doing some performances.

[ScheherazadeStorytel]

Takes me back to my student holidays in Ireland. I've guarded my Al O'Donnell LP carefully since then and recently transferred it to my IPod. Great voice and beautiful accompliment

[blahblahblah85]

make a come back cause I lov your songs!!!

[wrongwayup]

Thanks, you are right, it's an excellent song and performance. :)

I think Al is still performing, he even seems to have a myspace page (google it), so he might still perform on stage too.

[helentilston]

Thank you so very much for posting this song. Al O Donnell and Matt Hyland is one of the best songs of all times and Al does an awesome job. Where is Al. Would love to see him in concert.