> A.L. Lloyd > Songs > Bold Thady Quill

Bold Thady Quill

[ Roud - ; Ballad Index RcBoThQu ; trad.]

A.L. Lloyd sang Bold Thady Quill accompanied by Steve Benbow on guitar and John Cole on harmonica on his and Ewan MacColl's 1958 Topic LP Bold Sportsmen All. He commented in the sleeve notes:

In the neighbourhood of Cork, Thaddeus Quill, Esq., is an admired legendary figure, a champion sportsman and prodigious lover. His song has persisted for about a hundred years, with verses constantly added, including some not meant for family listening. Bold Thady Quill is often sung as a community song, especially at big Irish football and hurling matches. This version was learned from James Sheehan of Dublin in 1947.

Lyrics

A.L. Lloyd sings Bold Thady Quill

You maids of Sweet Garching who are anxious for courting
A word of advice I will give unto you:
Proceed into Cork, to the athletic sporting
And hand in your names at the old hurling pail.
But do not commence any part of your program
Till a truck you see comin' over the hill,
Flan through the valleys and glens of Kilcorney
With their own darling sportsman, the bold Thady Quill.

Chorus (after each verse):

For ramblin', for hurlin', for football or courtin'
For emptying a glass sure as fast as you fill;
In all your days rovin', you'll find none so jovial
As the Muskerry sportsman, the bold Thady Quill.

At the great hurlin' match between Cork and Tipperary
It was played in the park by the banks of the Lee.
Our own darlin' hurlers were afraid of being beaten,
So they send for bold Thady to Ballinagree.
He hurled the ball right and left in their faces
Showing the Tipp'rary boys learnin' and skill
If they touched on this lance, sure he swore he would brain' em
And the papers were filled with the praise of Thade Quill.

In Haughan's gymnasium there stood a fair lady
Whose fortune exceeded a million or more;
Her bad constitution had ruined her completely,
And medical treatment had failed o'er and o'er.
“Oh Mama,” said she, “Sure I know what will place me
And cure this diseases which will certainly kill.
Give over your doctors and medical treatment,
I'd rather one work-out with bold Thady Quill.”