Bachelor Sings of the Herring’s Head

When you stare at an old photo of someone for long enough it sometimes seems that you’re getting to know them. After several leads came up with nothing, for my painting of Brud Petty I had to use the picture lent to me by Bridey Fitzpatrick. In it a youthful Brud – perhaps no more than 20 years old – stares back at me, grinning wildly. It must have been taken in the 30s or 40s at a guess.

In later years Brud became a celebrated ballad singer and I’ve included the lyrics to an old sea shanty he used to perform called Herring’s Head. The full lyrics (taken from http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=2614) are:

HERRING’S HEAD

There once was a man who came from Kinsale Sing aber o vane, sing aber o linn And he had a herring, a herring for sale Sing aber o vane, sing aber o linn Sing man of Kinsale, sing herring for sale Sing aber o vane, sing aber o linn And indeed I have more of my herring to sing Sing aber o vane, sing aber o linn

So what do you think they made of his head? The finest oven that ever baked bread Sing herring, sing head, sing oven, sing bread And indeed I have more of my herring to sing

So what do you think they made of his back? A nice little man and his name it was Jack Sing herring, sing back, sing man, sing Jack And indeed I have more of my herring to sing

So what do you think they made of his eyes? The finest dishes that ever held pies Sing herring, sing eyes, sing dishes, sing pies And indeed I have more of my her ring to sing

So what do you think they made of his scales? The finest ships that ever set sail Sing herring, sing scales, sing ships, sing sails And indeed I have more of my herring to sing

So what do you think they made of his fins? The finest cases for needles and pins Sing herring, sing fins, sing needles and pins And indeed I have more of my herring to sing