SONG FOR IRELAND

LORD OF THE DANCE

FROM CLARE TO HERE

THE BOYS OF KILIBEGS

THE FOGGY DEW

SONG FOR IRELAND    Back to Top


WALKING ALL THE DAYS

BY TALL TOWERS WHERE FALCONS BUILD THEIR NESTS

SILVER WINGED THEY FLY

THEY KNOW THE CALL OF FREEDOM IN THEIR BREASTS

SAW BLACK HEAD AGAINST THE SKY

WITH TWISTED ROCKS THAT RUN DOWN TO THE SEA

LIVING ON YOUR WESTERN SHORE,

SAW SUMMER SUNSETS, ASKED FOR MORE

STOOD BY YOUR ATLANTIC SEA

AND SANG A SONG FOR IRELAND

TALKING ALL THE DAYS

WITH TRUE FRIENDS WHO TRY TO MAKE YOU STAY

TELLING JOKES AND NEWS

AND SINGING SONGS TO PASS THE TIME AWAY

WATCHED THE GALWAY SALMON RUN

LIKE SILVER, DARTING, DANCING IN THE SUN

LIVING ON YOUR WESTERN SHORE,

SAW SUMMER SUNSETS, ASKED FOR MORE

STOOD BY YOUR ATLANTIC SEA

AND SANG A SONG FOR IRELAND

DRINKING ALL THE DAYS,

IN OLD PUBS WHERE FIDDLERS LOVE TO PLAY
  

SOMEONE TOUCHED THE BOW

HE PLAYED A REEL WHICH SEEMED SO GRAND AND GAY

STOOD ON DINGLE’S BEACH AND CAST

IN WILD FOAM WE FOUND ATLANTIC BASS
 
LIVING ON YOUR WESTERN SHORE,

SAW SUMMER SUNSETS, ASKED FOR MORE

STOOD BY YOUR ATLANTIC SEA

AND SANG A SONG FOR IRELAND

DREAMING IN THE NIGHT

I SAW A LAND WHERE NO ONE HAD TO FIGHT

BUT 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 SUMMER SUNSETS, ASKED FOR MORE

STOOD BY YOUR ATLANTIC SEA

AND SANG A SONG FOR IRELAND
  

 


LORD OF THE DANCE    Back to Top
  

I DANCED IN THE MORNING WHEN THE WORLD BEGUN

I DANCED ON THE MOON AND THE STARS AND THE SUN

I CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND I DANCED ON EARTH

AT BETHLEHEM I HAD MY BIRTH

DANCE, DANCE WHEREVER YOU MAY BE

I AM THE LORD OF THE DANCE SAID HE

AND I’LL LEAD YOU ALL, WHEREVER YOU MAY BE

AND I’LL LEAD YOU IN ALL THE DANCE, SAID HE

I DANCED FOR THE SCRIBE AND THE PHARISEE
  
THEY WOULD NOT DANCE AND THEY WOULDN’T FOLLOW ME

I DANCED FOR THE FISHERMEN, JAMES AND JOHN
  
THEY FOLLOWED ME AND THE DANCE WENT ON
  
I DANCED ON THE SABBATH AND I CURED THE LAME
  
THE HOLY PEOPLE SAID IT WAS A SHAME
  
THEY WHIPPED, THEY STRIPPED AND THEY HANGED ME HIGH
  
AND LEFT ME THERE ON THE CROSS TO DIE
  
I DANCED ON THE FRIDAY WHEN THE SKY TURNED BLACK
  
IT’S HARD TO DANCE WITH THE DEVIL ON YOUR BACK

THEY BURIED ME DEEP AND THEY THOUGHT I’D GONE

BUT I AM THE DANCE AND I STILL GO ON
  
THEY CUT ME DOWN AND I LEAPED UP HIGH I AM THE LIFE THAT WILL NEVER DIE
  
I’LL LIVE IN YOU IF YOU LIVE IN ME; I AM THE LORD OF THE DANCE SAID HE.
  
  
  

FROM CLARE TO HERE    Back to Top
  

THERE’S FOUR WHO SHARE THE ROOM, AND WE WORK HARD FOR THE

BUT GETTING UP LATE ON SUNDAY, I NEVER GET TO MASS

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY; IT GETS FURTHER DAY BY DAY

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

WHEN FRIDAY NIGHT COMES AROUND AND I’M ONLY INTO FIGHTING
 
MY MA WOULD LIKE A LETTER HOME BUT I’M TOO TIRED FOR WRITING

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY; IT GETS FURTHER DAY BY DAY

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

AND THE ONLY TIME I FEEL ALL RIGHT IS WHEN I’M INTO DRINKING

IT EASES OFF THE PAIN A BIT AND LEVELS OUT MY THINKING

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY; IT GETS FURTHER DAY BY DAY

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

AND IT ALMOST BREAKS MY HEART WHEN I THINK OF JOSEPHINE
  
I PROMISED I’D BE COMING BACK WITH POCKETS FULL OF GREEN

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY; IT GETS FURTHER DAY BY DAY

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

I DREAM I HEAR A PIPER PLAY OR MAY IT’S EMOTION

I DREAM I SEE WHITE HORSES DANCE ON THAT OTHER OCEAN

IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE

OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE
 
OH, IT’S A LONG LONG WAY; IT GETS FURTHER DAY BY DAY
 
IT’S A LONG LONG WAY FROM CLARE TO HERE
  
  

THE BOYS OF KILIBEGS    Back to Top
  

THERE ARE WILD AND ROCKY HILLS ON THE COAST OF DONEGAL

AND THEIR FISHERMEN ARE HARDY, BRAVE, AND FREE

AND THE BIG ATLANTIC SWELL IS A THING THEY KNOW RIGHT WELL

AS THEY FIGHT TO MAKE A LIVING FROM THE SEA

WITH A PLEASANT ROLLING SEA, AND THE HERRING RUNNING FREE
 
AND THE FLEET ALL GLIDING GENTLY THROUGH THE FOAM

WHEN THE BOATS ARE LOADED DOWN, THERE’LL BE SINGING IN THE TOWN

WHEN THE BOYS OF KILIBEGS COME ROLLING HOME
  
WELL YOU DON YOUR RUBBER BOOTS, AND YOU’VE GOT YOUR OILSKINS ON

AND YOU CHECK YOUR GEAR TO SEE THAT IT’S OKAY

AND YOUR JUMPER KEEPS YOU WARM, FOR IT’S COLD BEFORE THE DAWN

AND YOU’RE READY TO BEGIN ANOTHER DAY

NOW YOU’RE HEADED OUT TO SEA, AND THE WIND IS BLOWING FREE

AND YOU CAST YOUR NETS AS RAIN BEGINS TO FALL
  
BUT THE SUN COMES RISING HIGH AND THE CLOUDS WILL SOON GO BY
  
AND TODAY YOU’LL MAYBE TAKE A BUMPER HAUL

WHEN THE WEATHER’S BLOWING ROUGH, THEN THE WORK IS VERY TOUGH

AND THE ROPES WOULD RAISE THE WELTS UPON YOUR HANDS
  
BUT YOU’LL NEVER LEAVE THE SEA, FOR WHOEVER YOU MAY BE

WHEN IT’S IN YOUR BLOOD IT’S HARD TO LIVE ON LAND

WELL THERE’S PURPLE ON THE HILLS AND IT’S GREEN DOWN BY THE SHORE

AND THE SUN HAS SPILLED ITS GOLD UPON THE SEA
  
AND IT’S SILVER DOWN BELOW, WHERE THE HERRING FISHES GO

WHEN WE CATCH THEM, WE’LL HAVE GOLD FOR YOU AND ME. THE REASON I LEFT MULLINGAR

I WALKED THROUGH THIS CITY A STRANGER

IN A LAND I CAN NEVER CALL HOME

I CURSE THE SAD NOTION THAT CAUSED ME

IN SEARCH OF MY FORTUNE TO ROA

I’M WEARY OF WORKING AND DRINKING

ON A WEEK’S WAGES SPENT IN THE BAR

AND GOD IT’S A SHAME FOR TO USE A FRIEND’S NAME

JUST TO BEG FOR THE PRICE OF A JAR

I REMEMBER THAT BRIGHT APRIL MORNING

WHEN I LEFT HOME TO TRAVEL AFAR

FOR TO WORK TILL YOU’RE DEAD FOR ONE ROOM AND A BED

IS NOT THE REASON I LEFT MULINGAR
  
OH, THIS LONDON’S A CITY OF HEARTBREAK

ON FRIDAY THERE’S FRIENDS BY THE SCORE

BUT WHEN THE PAY’S FINISHED ON MONDAY

A FRIEND’S NOT A FRIEND ANY MORE

OH A WORKING DAY SEEMS NEVER ENDING
  
FROM A SHOVEL AND PICK THERE’S NO BREAK

BUT WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING, YOU’RE SPENDING

A FORTUNE YOU LEFT HOME TO MAKE
  

I REMEMBER THAT BRIGHT APRIL MORNING    Back to Top

WHEN I LEFT HOME TO TRAVEL AFAR

FOR TO WORK TILL YOU’RE DEAD FOR ONE ROOM AND A BED

IS NOT THE REASON I LEFT MULINGAR
  
AND FOR EVERYONE HERE WHO FINDS FORTUNE
  
AND COMES HOME TO TELL OF THE TALE
  
EACH MORNING THE BROADWAY IS CROWDED
  
WITH MANY’S THE THOUSANDS WHO FAIL

SO YOUNG MEN OF IRELAND TAKE WARNING
  
IN LONDON YOU NEVER WILL FIND GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW
  
YOU MIGHT JUST HAVE LEFT IT BEHIND

I REMEMBER THAT BRIGHT APRIL MORNING

WHEN I LEFT HOME TO TRAVEL AFAR

FOR TO WORK TILL YOU’RE DEAD FOR ONE ROOM AND A BED

IS NOT THE REASON I LEFT MULINGAR
  
  
  
  
  
THE FOGGY DEW    Back to Top
  

AS DOWN THE GLEN ONE EASTER MORN, TO A CITY FAIR RODE I

THERE ARMED LINES OF MARCHING MEN IN SQUADRONS PASSED ME BY

NO PIPE DID HUM, NO BATTLE DRUM DID SOUND ITS LOUD TATTOO

BUT THE ANGELUS BELL O’ER THE LIFFEY SWELL

RANG OUT THROUGH THE FOGGY DEW
  
RIGHT PROUDLY HIGH IN DUBLIN TOWN THE HUNG OUT THE FLAG OF WAR
  
‘TWAS BETTER TO DIE ‘NEATH AN IRISH SKY

THAN AT SULVA OR SUD EL BAR
  
AND FROM THE OLAINS OF ROYAL MEATH STRONG MEN CAME HURRYING THRU

WHILE BRITTANIA’S HUNS, WITH THEIR GREAT BIG GUNS

SAILED IN THROUGH THE FOGGY DEW
  
‘TWAS ENGLAND BADE OUR WILD GEESE GO, THAT SMALL NATIONS MIGHT BE FREE

BUT THEIR LONELY GRAVES ARE BY SULVA’S WAVES

ON THE FRINGES OF THE GREAT NORTH SEA
  
OH HAD THEY DIED BY PEARSE’S SIDE OR

HAD THEY FOUGHT WITH CATHAL BRUGHA
  
THEIR NAMES WE KEEP, WHERE THE FANIANS SLEEP
  
‘NEATH THE SHROUD OF THE FOGGY DEW

BUT THE BRAVAEST FELL AND THE REQUIEM BELL
  
RANG MOURNFULLY CLEAR,
  
FOR THOSE WHO DIED THAT EASTER TIDE
  
IN THE SPRINGTIME OF THE YEAR
  
  
WHILE THE WORLD DID GAZE WITH DEEP AMAZE,
  
AT THOSE FEARLESS MEN BUT FEW
  
WHO BORE THAT LIGHT, THAT FREEDOM’S LIGHT

MIGHT SHINE THROUGH THE FOGGY DEW.

Irish Song Charts are available in pdg format at Spike's Music Collection.

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"The Foggy Dew" 

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