Dé Danann were first to find her - see her web site www.mauraoconnell.com for more information.
Down the Moor
Maura O'Connell Lyrics
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It being fair and sunny weather
Some miles from home I chanced to roam
Across the bonny purple heather
Down the moor and across the heather
Down the moor and across the heather
Some miles from home I chanced to roam
Across the bonny purple heather
As I rolled along to the hunting song
My heart was light as any feather
When I saw a lass coming o'er the grass
Tripping the dew from off the heather
Down the moor and across the heather
Down the moor and across the heather
Some miles from home I chanced to roam
Across the bonny purple heather
Down the moor
I said my lass, where are you going
Hill or dale oh, tell me whither
I'm going to the banks of the bonny brown braes
For the feeding of my lambs together
Down the moor and across the heather
Down the moor and across the heather
Some miles from home I chanced to roam
Across the bonny purple heather
Down the moor
So up she got and away she went
Her name or place I ne'er did gather
But if I were king, I'd make her queen
That bonny wee lass across the heather
Down the moor and across the heather
Down the moor and across the heather
Some miles from home I chanced to roam
Across the bonny purple heather
Down the moor
Maura O’Connell’s song “Down the Moor” is a nostalgic tune that takes you on a journey across the picturesque purple heather on a sunny day. The song paints a picture of a person who is wandering down the moor enjoying the beauty of nature, singing a hunting song along the way. As they were singing, a lass catches their attention, tripping the dew from off the heather gracefully. The singer approaches the girl and asks where she is going, to which she responds that she is heading towards the banks of the bonny brown braes to feed her lambs. The singer is enchanted by the graceful girl, and even though he does not know her name or where she is from, he wishes he could make her his queen.
The song’s lyrics capture the essence of wandering and stumbling upon unexpected beauty in nature. The purple heather serves as a symbol for the beauty that can be found in the unexpected moments of life. The song has a hopeful and positive undertone, reminding us to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.
Line by Line Meaning
As I roved out on the moor one day
I went out wandering on the moor one day
It being fair and sunny weather
The weather was good and sunny
Some miles from home I chanced to roam
I wandered a long way from home by chance
Across the bonny purple heather
I walked over the beautiful purple heather
Down the moor and across the heather
I walked down the moor, over the heather
As I rolled along to the hunting song
I was singing a hunting song as I walked
My heart was light as any feather
I felt light-hearted and carefree
When I saw a lass coming o'er the grass
I saw a girl walking over the grass
Tripping the dew from off the heather
She was walking so lightly that she was brushing the dew off the heather
I said my lass, where are you going
I asked her where she was going
Hill or dale oh, tell me whither
I asked her whether she was going to the hills or the valleys
I'm going to the banks of the bonny brown braes
She told me she was going to the banks of the beautiful brown hills
For the feeding of my lambs together
She was going to feed her lambs
So up she got and away she went
She got up and went on her way
Her name or place I ne'er did gather
I never found out her name or where she was from
But if I were king, I'd make her queen
If I were a king, I would make her queen because she was so beautiful
That bonny wee lass across the heather
That beautiful little girl walking over the heather
Down the moor and across the heather
Walking down the moor and over the heather
Some miles from home I chanced to roam
I wandered a long way from home by chance
Across the bonny purple heather
Walking over the beautiful purple heather
Down the moor
Walking down the moor
Contributed by Abigail F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.