Teddy O'Neill lyrics
Dolores KeaneI dreamt all last night
Oh bad 'cess to my dreaming
I'd die if I thought t'would come surely to pass
I dreamt while the tears down my pillow were rolling
That Teddy was courting another fair lass.
And didn't a wake with a weeping and a wailing
The pain in my heart was too deep to conceal
My mother cried "Nora dear, what is your ailing?"
But all I could answer was Teddy O'Neill.
I see the old cabin beyond the wee boreen
I see the old crossroads where we used to dance
I ramble the lane where he called me his stoirin
And my girlish heart was so full of romance.
But now all is so dark and so dreary
All dark and all silent, no piper, no reel
Not even the sun through the casement shines cheery
Since I lost my darling love, Teddy O'Neill.
I remember the day when the big ship was sailing
And the time it had come for my love to depart
How I cried like a child; oh goodbye to you Teddy
With a tear on my cheek and a stone in my heart.
He said t'was to better his fate' he went roaming
But what would be gold to the joy I would find
If he'd only come back to me tender and loving,
Yet poor but my own darling Teddy O'Neill
Song Details
✍️ Lyrics: Eliza Cook - English author and poet (1818–1889)
🎶 Composer: James Gaspard Maeder - He found Cook's poem and set it to music to suit his wife's vocal range for one of her stage productions. His composition quickly became the preferred melody for the song.
📝 Brief: The song is told from the perspective of a young woman who deeply misses her beloved Teddy O'Neill. She recounts a dream where Teddy was courting another girl, which causes her distress, highlighting her fear of losing him. She then vividly recalls places where they used to meet, emphasizing the fond memories and their past closeness.
Teddy then emigrates to seek his fortune, leaving her behind, heartbroken and full of despair. The singer expresses a heartfelt wish that he were still present, even if he were poor, rather than being far away.
This sentiment captures the heartache and disruption caused by the waves of Irish emigration, particularly during the mid-19th century when the song was written.
Glossary:
'cess' - shortened form of “success”, used ironically in Irish English.
bad 'cess - an old Irish curse or expression of frustration, meaning: “Bad luck” or “Curse upon" .
bad 'cess to my dreaming - “bad luck to my dreaming" — i.e., I wish I hadn’t dreamt that dream; it brought me pain.
boreen - comes from the Irish “bóithrín”, meaning a narrow country lane or path, often winding and lined with hedgerows or stone walls.
stoirín - (pronounced stuh-reen) is an Irish term of endearment. It comes from "stór" meaning treasure or darling. 'ín' is a diminutive suffix, so “stoirín” means “little darling” or “little treasure.”
casement - a window that is attached to its frame by one or more side hinges. It often opens outward like a door. Traditionally used in older cottages or houses — especially in Ireland and the UK.
Genre: Traditional Irish Folk Song
Covers: Maura O'Connell, Ruby Murray, De Dannan, Bridie Gallagher, Kathy Durkin, Molly Elizabeth Gibson, Ceoil Cu Chulainn (instr).
Featured Artist: Dolores Keane - Irish folk singer, and founding member of the group De Dannan.
Album (Compilation): The Best of Dolores Keane
Released: 1999
Country: US
Format: CD
Label: Blix Street Records
Another song by Dolores Keane on this site:
My Own Dear Galway Bay
