The Newry Highwayman

"The Newry Highwayman" (Roud 490, Laws L12, see below for alternate titles) is a traditional English-language folk song about a highwayman's life, deeds, and death. ^[1] It is found in Ireland, England, the United States, and Canada, under many different names. The earliest known version is from 1788, likely printed by John Brown, in a chapbook entitled "The irish robbers's [sic] adventure. To which is added An Elegy on the Death of Captain Allen." ^[2] The earliest broadside is from 1824 (Bodleian Harding B 25(2054)). Some versions mention "Mansfield" and this is sometimes taken to be William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield (1706-1793). The 1788 version mentions "Reddans Town" instead of Newry, though the rest of the song is nearly identical to later versions.

Other titles for this song include:

• Wild and Wicked Youth
• The Flash Lad
• In Newry Town
• Newlyn Town
• The Rambling Boy
• The Roving Blade
• Rude and Rambling Man
• Adieu Adieu
• The Irish Robber

Recordings

British and Irish variants

• Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy on their 1978 album Two for the Early Dew .
• The Dubliners on their 1983 album Prodigal Sons
• Four to the Bar on their 1995 album Another Son .
• Waterson–Carthy sang it on Fishes and Fine Yellow Sand as "Newry Town"
• The Watersons sang it on For Pence and Spicy Ale as "Adieu Adieu"
• Brass Monkey sang it on Sound and Rumour as "The Flash Lad"
• The Yetties sang it on A Load Old Bales as "Adieu Adieu"
• Eliza Carthy sang it on Red (1998) as "Adieu Adieu"
• Solas performed it on their first self-titled album and again on their 2006 album Reunion: A Decade of Solas.
• Fairport Convention on their 1977 album The Bonny Bunch of Roses as "Adieu Adieu"
• Malinky on their 2019 album Handsel
• Landless on their 2024 album Lúireach

American variants

• The Carolina Tar Heels "Rude & Rambling Man" 1929.
• The Carter Family "The Rambling Boy" 1941.
• Wade Mainer "Ramblin' Boy" 1941.
• Joan Baez "Rake And Rambling Boy" 1960.
• Boiled in Lead on their 1994 album Antler Dance .
• New Lost City Ramblers "Rambling Boy" 1963.
• Myers Family and Friends "The Rambling Boy" 2007.
• Bob Dylan has occasionally performed the song live as "Newry Highwayman" or "Roving Blade"
• Runa recorded a version of "The Newry Highwayman" on their 2011 album Stretched on Your Grave.

References

1. "The Highway Man / The Rambling Blade / Newlyn Town / Newry Town (Roud 490; Laws L12; G/D 2:260)". mainlynorfolk.info. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
2. The irish robbers's [sic] adventure. To which is added An Elegy on the Death of Captain Allen. 1788. p. 2 – via Gale Eighteenth Century Collections Online.

External references

• Columbia State University
• Newry Town