It's not often that I'm stumped by a folk song, but this is one tricky little character. It is also beautiful, graceful and weirdly catchy... and extremely elusive.

Nonetheless, there's quite a bit to say about land, class and medieval shepherdesses, though surprisingly little about parted lovers. Given the setting and context, romantic heartbreak suddenly doesn't feel like the end of the world.

Somehow we end up in Scotland, though only tentatively, and discover a mystery. But then we get to hear the song itself which, as ever, is balm to the soul.

Music

A clip of Bridget Tunney singing As I Roved Out. See and hear the full version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOlZhqrVrQU

My Lagan Love (traditional, Donegal)

The Frost is All Over (traditional, Donegal)

L'autrier Jost' Una Sebissa (Marcabru, 1129-1150)

The Airy Bachelor (Traditional, Donegal)

All music performed by Jenny Shaw unless otherwise stated.

References

https://balladindex.org/Ballads/K150.html

David Hammond (1979) Review of “The Irish Song Tradition” by Sean O’Boyle. The Canadian Journal of Irish Stories, 5 (1) pp124-127

Land hunger, unemployment and poverty in pre-Famine Roscommon, Galway & Mayo | Divergent Paths

https://faculty.washington.edu/petersen/lba/marcabru.htm

Text of Robene and Makyne: https://ia600308.us.archive.org/29/items/robeneandmakynea00henruoft/robeneandmakynea00henruoft.pdf