Come Buy My Nice Fresh Ivy

Come Buy My Nice Fresh Ivy is a Christmas carol that originated in Ireland.

The music is O'Carolan's Lament (Irish: Uaill-Cuma ui Cearballain), by Turlough O'Carolan.

The lyrics were written by John Keegan (1809–1849). They were published originally in the first edition of The Irishman of 1849

Lyrics

Come, buy my nice fresh ivy, and my holly sprigs so green.

I have the finest branches that ever yet were seen.

Come buy from me, good Christians, and let me home, I pray,

That God will bless your Christmas and a happy New Year's Day

Ah, won't you buy my ivy? It's the loveliest I've seen.

Ah, won't you buy my holly? Oh you who love the green.

Do take a little branch of each, and on my knees I'll pray

That God will bless your Christmas and a happy New Year's Day.

Like many traditional or older pieces a number of versions of the lyrics exist. For example:

Come buy my nice fresh ivy,

And my holly boughts so green,

I have the fairest branches,

That ever yet were seen.

Come buy from me good Christians,

And let me home I pray,

And I'll wish you a merry Christmas time,

And a happy New Year's Day.

Ah! won't you take my ivy?

The loveliest ever seen,

Ah! won't you have my holly boughts?

All you that love the Green.

Do! take a little bunch of each

And on my knees I'll pray,

That God may bless your Christmas

And be with you New Year's Day.

These are the lyrics performed by the Cór Na Nog Rté Choir in the opening moments of the 2002 movie Evelyn. The song is not on the film's soundtrack.

A longer version is:

"Come, buy my nice, fresh Ivy, and my Holly sprigs so green;

I have the finest branches that ever yet were seen.

Come, buy from me, good Christians, and let me home, I pray,

And I'll wish you Merry Christmas Times, and a happy New Year's Day"

"Ah! Won't you take my ivy? - the loveliest ever seen!

Ah! Won't you have my Holly boughs? - all you who love the Green!

Do! - take a little bunch of each, and on my knees I'll pray,

That God may bless your Christmas and be with you New Year's Day."

"This wind is black and bitter, and the hail-stones do not spare

My shivering form, my bleeding feet, and stiff, entangled hair;

Then, when the skies are pitiless, be merciful, I say -

So heaven will light your Christmas and the coming New Year's Day."

"Twas thus a dying maiden sung, while the cold hail rattled down,

And fierce winds whistled mournfully o'er Dublin's dreary town:--

One stiff hand clutched her Ivy sprigs and Holly boughs so fair;

With the other she kept brushing the haildrops from her hair

"So grim and statue-like she seemed, 'twas evident the Death

Was lurking in her footsteps - while her hot impeded breath

Too plainly told her early doom - though the burden of her lay

Was still of life and Christmas joys, and a Happy New Year's Day."

"Twas in that broad, bleak Thomas Street, I heard the wanderer sing,

I stood a moment in the mire, beyond the ragged ring-

My heart felt cold and lonely, and my thoughts were far away,

Where I was many a Christmas-tide and Happy New Year's Day."

"I dreamed of wanderings in the woods among the Holly Green;

I dreamed of my own native cot and porch with Ivy Screen:

I dreamed of lights forever dimm'd - of Hopes that can't return -

And dropped a tear on Christmas fires that never more can burn."

The ghost-like singer still sung on, but no one came to buy;

The hurrying crowd passed to and fro, but did not heed her cry;

She uttered one low, piercing moan-then cast her boughs away-

And smiling, cried-"I'll rest with God before the New Year's Day!"

"On New Year's Day I said my prayers above a new-made grave,

Dug recently in sacred soil, by Liffey's murmuring wave;

The Minstrel maid from Earth to Heaven has winged her happy way,

And now enjoys, with sister saints, an endless New Year's Day."

Turlough O'Carolan, also called Terence Carolan, born Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin was born in 1670, near Nobber, County Meath. He died on March 25, 1738, in Alderford, County Roscommon), one of the last Irish harpist-composers and the only one whose songs survive in both words and music in significant number. There are about 220 tunes provably attributed to him.

Alternative Titles

• Irish Flower Girl Song
• Irish Flower Girl's Song
• The Holly and Ivy Girl
• The Holly And The Ivy Girl

External links

• Score for voice and piano from Minstrelsy of Ireland published 1898, at National Library of Scotland
• Hymns and Carols of Christmas