Lily Of The West

Trad

When first I came to Ireland
Some pleasure there to find
A damsel there from Galway
Was pleasing to my mind
Her rosy cheeks, her ruby lips
Like arrows pierced my breast
And the name she bore was Molly O
The lily of the West

I courted lovely Molly O
Some pleasure there to find
But she turned unto another man
Which sore distressed my mind
She robbed me of my liberty
Deprived me of my rest
Then go, my lovely Molly O
The lily of the West

Way down in yonder shady grove
A man of high degree
Conversing with my flower there
It seems so strange to me
And the answer that she gave to him
It sore did me oppress
I was betrayed by Molly O
The lily of the West

I stepped up to my rival
My dagger in my hand
I seized him by the collar and
I boldly bade him stand
Being led to desperation
I stabbed him in the breast
Then go, my lovely Molly O
The lily of the West

I had to stand my trial
I had to make my plea
They placed me in the criminal box
And then commenced on me
Although she swore my life away
Deprived me of my rest
Still I love my faithless Molly O
The lily of the West

Lily of the West is a traditional British and Irish folk song, best known today as an American folk song, listed as number 957 in the Roud Folk Song Index. The American version is about a man who travels to Louisville and falls in love with a woman named Mary, Flora or Molly, the eponymous Lily of the West. He catches Mary being unfaithful to him, and, in a fit of rage, stabs the man she is with, and is subsequently imprisoned. In spite of this, he finds himself still in love with her. In the original version, the Lily testifies in his defense and he is freed, though they do not resume their relationship.