Widely popular in North America in the early 19th century, it was first published by A.W.
Tell me who is that poor stranger that lately came to town And like a pilgrim all alone, he wanders up and down He's a poor forlorn Glasgow lad and if you would like to know His heart is breaking all in vain for Irish Molly-o
Oh but when her father heard of this a solemn vow he swore That if she wed a foreigner, he would never see her more He called for young MacDonald and he plainly told him so I'll never give to such as you my Irish Molly-o
MacDonald heard the heavy news and sadly he did say Farewell my lovely Molly, I am banished far away Till death shall come to comfort me and to the grave I go My heart will always hunger for my Irish Molly-o The other Irish Molly-o, a different song entirely, was recorded by the Flanagan Brothers in the 1920s and by Maura O'Connell and others in the 1980s.
It was written by the Tin Pan Alley duo of William Jerome and Jean Schwartz in 1890.