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Song For Ireland
This song, written in 1982 by Phil and June Colclough, has become an anthem in Ireland,celebrating the freedom, beauty and history of the land and people.
Walking all the day By all towers where falcons build their nests In silver wings they fly, For they know the call for freedom in their breasts, We saw Black Head against the sky With twisted rocks that run down to the seaLiving on your Western shore, Saw summer sunsets, I asked for more, I stood by your Atlantic Sea, And sang a song for Ireland
Drinking all the day, In old pubs where fiddlers love to play, Saw one take the bow, To play a reel that was so grand and gay, I stood on Dingle Beach and cast, In the wild foam for the Atlantic bass, When living on your Western shore, Saw the summer sunset, I asked form more, I stood by your Atlantic Sea, And sang a song for Ireland
Laughing all the day, With true friends who try to make you stay, Telling jokes and news, And singing songs to pass the night away, We watched the Galway salmon run, Like silver dancing, darting in the sun, When living on your Western shore, Saw the summer sunset, I asked for more, I stood by your Atlantic Sea, And sang a song for Ireland
Dreaming in the night, I saw a land where no man had to fight, And waking in your dawn, I saw you crying in the morning light, Lying where the falcons fly, They twist and turn all in your air-blue sky, Living on your western shore, Saw the summer sunset, I asked no more, I stood by your Atlantic sea, And sang a song for Ireland
Grace
As we gather in the chapel here in old Kilmanhaim Jail
I think about these past few weeks, oh, will they say we failed
From our school days they have told us we must yearn for Liberty
But all I want in this dark place is to have you here with me
Chorus:
Oh, Grace just hold in your arms and let this moment linger
They'll take me out at dawn and I will die
With all my love I'll place this wedding ring upon your finger
There won't be time to share our love, so we must say good bye
Now, I know it's hard for you, my love, to ever understand
The love I bare for these brave men, my love for this dear land
But when Padric called me to his side down in the GPO
I had to leave my own sick bed to him I had to go
Chorus
Now, as the dawn is breaking my heart is breaking too
As I walk out on this may morn, my thoughts will be of you
So write these words upon the wall so everyone will know
I loved so much that I could see his blood upon the rose
Chorus
Christy Moore's Motherland
Where in hell can you go, far from the things that you know,
Far from this concrete sprawl that keeps crawling it's way,
About a thousand miles a day.
Take one last look behind, commit this to memory and mind,
Don't miss this wasteland, this terrible place, when you leave,
Keep your heart off your sleeve.
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes lullaby me to sleep,
Keep me safe, lie with me stay beside me don't go.
My five and dime queen, tell me what have you seen,
The lust and the avarice the bottomless cavernous greed,
Is that what you see?
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes lullaby me to sleep,
Keep me safe, lie with me stay beside me don't go.
It's your happiness I want most of all and for that I'd do anything at all.
If you want the best of life and the most of love,
If there is anything I can do at all.
Come on shotgun bride, what makes me envy your life,
The faceless the nameless the innocent the blameless and free,
What's that like to be?
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes lullaby me to sleep,
Keep me safe lie with me stay beside me don't go,
Don't you go …
Spancil Hill
Last night as I lay dreaming of pleasant days gone by My mind being bent on rambling to Ireland I did fly I stepped on board a vision and I followed with the wind And I shortly came to anchor at the cross of Spancil Hill
It being the 23rd June the day before the fair When lreland's sons and daughters in crowds assembled there The young and the old, the brave and the bold their journey to fulfill There were jovial conversations at the fair of Spancil Hill
I went to see my neighbors to hear what they might say The old ones were all dead and gone and the young one's turning grey I met with the tailor Quigley, he's a bould as ever still Sure he used to make my britches when I lived in Spancil Hill
I paid a flying visit to my first and only love She's as white as any lily and as gentle as a dove She threw her arms around me saying "Johnny I love you still " Oh she's Ned the farmers daughter and the flower of Spancil Hill
I dreamt I held and kissed her as in the days of yore She said, "Johnny you're only joking like many's the time before" The cock he crew in the morning he crew both loud and shrill And I awoke in California, many miles from Spancil Hill.
Hail Glorious St Patrick
Hail, glorious St. Patrick, dear saint of our isle,
On us thy poor children bestow a sweet smile;
And now thou art high in the mansions above,
On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love.
On Erin's green valleys, on Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love.
Hail, glorious St. Patrick, thy words were once strong
Against Satan's wiles and a heretic throng;
Not less is thy might where in Heaven thou art;
Oh, come to our aid, in our battle take part!
In a war against sin, in the fight for the faith,
Dear Saint, may thy children resist to the death;
May their strength be in meekness, in penance, and prayer,
Their banner the Cross, which they glory to bear.
Thy people, now exiles on many a shore,
Shall love and revere thee till time be no more;
And the fire thou hast kindled shall ever burn bright,
Its warmth undiminished, undying its light.
Ever bless and defend the sweet land of our birth,
Where the shamrock still blooms as when thou wert on earth,
And our hearts shall yet burn, wherever we roam,
For God and St. Patrick, and our native home.
The Black Velvet Band
In a neat little town they call Belfast, Apprentice to trade I was bound And many an hour of happiness have I spent in that neat little town Till a sad misfortune came o'er me, and cause me to stray from the land From away from my friends and companions and the girl with the black velvet band
Chorus: Her eyes they shone lights diamonds, Her neck it was just like a swan And her hair hung over her shoulders, Tied up with a black velvet band
As I was out strolling one evening, not meaning to go very far A met with a ficklesome damsel selling her trade at the bar When a watch she took from a customer and placed it right into my hand And the law came put me in prison, Bad Cess to the black velvet band
Chorus
Next morning before judge and jury for trial I had to attend The judge he said me young fellow, "Your case I will now apprehend." "Seven long years penal servitude, to be spent far away from the land." "Far away from your friends and companions and the girl with the black velvet band
Chorus
No come all me jolly young fellows, I'll have you take warning by me Beware of the pretty young maidens who lurking around in Tralee They will fill you brandies and porters, until you're unable to stand And the very next thing that you know my lads, you've landed in Van Dieman's Land
Chorus
She Moved Through The Fair
You may have heard this song in the film Michael Collins
My young love said to me, "My mother won't mind And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind." And she stepped away from me and this she did say It will not be long, love, till our wedding day." As she stepped away from me and she moved through the fair And fondly I watched her move here and move there And then she turned homeward with one star awake Like the swan in the evening moves over the lake.
The people were saying, no two e'er were wed But one had a sorrow that never was said And I smiled as she passed with her goods and her gear And that was the last that I saw of my dear.
Last night she came to me, my dead love came in So softly she came that her feet made no din As she laid her hand on me and this she did say: It will not be long, love, 'til our wedding day.
This song, written in 1982 by Phil and June Colclough, has become an anthem in Ireland, celebrating the freedom, beauty and history of the land and people.
