Advent Calendar 11th December

This popped into my sidebar while I was looking for something completely different, and nothing to do with either Christmas or this website. I believe it is called serendipity. 

Alison Krauss singing the Wexford Carol (I know of her from her collaboration with Robert Plant), accompanied by Yo-Yo Ma on cello (I have heard of him as well). According to the comments the fiddle player is a Canadian, Natalie MacMaster who isn’t properly credited. Neither are the drummer or the piper. I couldn’t see that they have been recognised or named, which is a shame as every musician on this is excellent. 

This is an old Irish Carol. It may not be as old as some say but who knows how deep the roots of traditional music go. Obviously the original words are Irish, but this is one English translation. 

Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved son
With Mary holy we should pray,
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn,
There was a blessed Messiah born.

The night before that happy tide,
The noble Virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town.
But mark how all things came to pass
From every door repelled, alas,
As was foretold, their refuge all
Was but a humble ox’s stall.

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God’s angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear
Prepare and go, the angels said
To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you’ll find, this happy morn
A princely babe, sweet Jesus, born.

With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went the babe to find
And as God’s angel had foretold
They did our Saviour Christ behold
Within a manger he was laid
And by his side the virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of Life
Who came on earth to end all strife.

There were three wise men from afar
Directed by a glorious star
And on they wandered night and day
Until they came where Jesus lay
And when they came unto that place
Where our beloved Messiah lay
They humbly cast them at his feet
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.