Triona & Maighread "Spanish Lady"

'Spanish Lady', probably a euphemism for a 'lady of doubtful character'

Thanks to the Internet yet another mystery solved. The track "Spanish Lady" was given to me by my good friend and artist Eris Flaus. I have always wondered who sang this wonderful version.

From Amazon.com " the sisters Maighread and Triona Ní Dhomhnaill have been singing together since they were children, .. Triona as a singer and instrumentalist with the Bothy Band.. They recorded Idir an Dá Sholas together. The sisters learned most of these songs from their father Hiudai and their aunt Neili, who were well-known singers in their native Donegal ,,. Michael Simmons "

Triona and Maighread "Spanish Lady"

SPANISH LADY

As I was a walking through Dublin City, about the hour of twelve at night,
It was there I saw a fair pretty female, washing her feet by candlelight.

First she washed them then she dried them, over a fire of ambry coals,
And in all my life I never did see a maid so neat about the sole.

Chorus: She had 20, 18, 16, 14 - 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, none,
She had 19, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 3 and 1.

I stopped to look but the watchman passed, says he, “young fellow, the night is late",

Along with you home or I will wrestle you straight a-way to the Bridewell gate."

I got a look from the Spanish Lady, hot as a fire of ambry coals,
And in all my life I never did see, a maid so neat about the sole.

As I walked back through Dublin City, as the dawn of day was o'er,
Whom should I spy but the Spanish lady when I was weary and footsore.

She had a heart so full of loving , and her love she longed to share.
In all my life I never did meet a maid that had so much to spare.

I have wandered north and I've wandered south, by Stoneybatter and Patrick's Close,

And up and around by the Gloucester Diamond back by Napper Tandy's house.

But old age has laid her hand upon me, cold as a fire of ashy coals,
And gone is the lovely Spanish Lady neat and sweet about the sole.

Round and around goes the wheel of fortune, where it rests now wearies me.
Oh, fair young maids are so deceiving, sad experience teaches me.

Bothy Band "Pretty Peg"

Bothy Band 'jig'

Bothy Band "Drunken Lady"

"Spanish Lady" mp3 deactivated