Irish music lyrics,Irish song lyrics

Irish music lyrics are in great demand, and it is easy to know why.

Lyrics for every occasion, for joy,for sadness,for wonderment.

There are Irish music lyrics for the best moments in your life and the very worst moments in your life. I remember watching a television documentary about The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and there was a clip in it about Pady Clancy's burial that showed the moving graveside ceremony as Liam and Bobby Clancy, Ronnie Drew, Finbar Furey and Paddy Reilly, accompanied by John Sheehan, sang The Parting Glass. Sad, yes,grateful for time shared, yes. The power of lyrics and Irish music lyrics to to combine and articulate so many thoughts and emotions at the one time is truly awesome.

Of course that is but one example, you could have been talking about The Chieftains,The Dubliners,Paddy Reilly, any amount of great Irish singers, singing great Irish songs, but what they all had in common were great Irish music lyrics and the soul to express these lyrics in a manner befitting them.

I am including some of the great Irish song lyrics but they are listed in the order in which I have them stored as I am probably too lazy to go through them all and categorise them.

These lyrics run the whole gamut of emotions, so you could find yourself swinging from love ballads to Irish drinking songs in one quick movement, but is that not part of the power of Irish music lyrics and the way we are?

How many times have you been involved in a great sing-song where one minute it was The Irish Rover and the next minute it was Carrickfergus? Joyful one moment, maudlin the next,Irish Drinking Songs

I hope you enjoy these lyrics, I know I do and sometimes it's nice just to read the lyrics. After all, it really is poetry, but poetry as only we can do it.

Irish music lyrics - The Cliffs of Dooneen and Galway Bay

THE CLIFFS OF DOONEEN

You may travel far, far from your own native home,Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam,But of all the fine places that I've ever been,There is none to compare with the cliffs of Dooneen.

It's a nice place to be on a fine summer's day,Watching all the wild flowers that ne'er do decay,Oh, the hare and the phesant are plain to be seen,Making homes for their young round the cliffs of Dooneen.

Take a view o'er the mountains, fine sights you'll see there,You'll see the high rocky mountains on the west coast of Clare,Oh, the towns of Kilrush and Kilkee can be seen,From the high rocky slopes around the cliffs of Dooneen.

Fare thee well to Dooneen, Fare thee well for a while,And although we are parted by the raging sea wild,Once again i will wander with my Irish colleen,Round the high rocky slopes of the cliffs of Dooneen.

One of the most well known of Irish song lyrics, Galway Bay was written by Dr Arthur Colahan and made famous by Bing Crosby.

GALWAY BAY

If you ever go across the sea to IrelandThen maybe at the closing of your dayYou will sit and watch the moon rise over CladdaghAnd see the sun go down on Galway Bay

Just to hear again the ripple of the trout streamThe women in the meadows making hayAnd to sit beside a turf fire in the cabinAnd watch the barefoot gosoons at their play.

For the breezes blowing over the seas from IrelandAre perfumed by the heather as it blowsAnd the women in the uplands diggin' pratiesSpeak a language that the strangers do not know.

For the strangers came and tried to teach us their wayThey scorned us just for being what we areBut they might as well go chasing after moonbeamsOr light a penny candle from a star.

And if there is going to be a life hereafterAnd somehow I am sure there's going to beI will ask my God to let me make my heavenIn that dear land across the Irish sea.

Irish music lyrics - Raglan Road and Rare Ould Times

RAGLAN ROAD.

On Raglan Road of an autumn day I saw her first and knewThat her dark hair would weave a snare that i might one day rueI saw the danger and I passed along the enchanted wayAnd I said let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day.

On Grafton Street in November we tripped lightly along the ledgeOf the deep ravine where can be seen the worth of passion's playThe Queen of Hearts still making tarts and I not making hayOh I loved too much by such by such is happiness thrown away.

I gave her gifts of the mind I gave her the secret signsThat's known to the artists who have known the true gods of sound and stoneAnd words and tint without stint, I gave her poems to sayWith her own game there and her own dark hair, like clouds over fields of May,On a quiet street where old ghosts meet I see her walking nowAway from me so hurriedly my reason must allowThat I had loved not as I should a creature made of clayWhen the angel woos the clay he'll lose his wings at the dawning of the day.

The lyrics of this next song were composed by Pete St. John and lament the passing of Dublin as he knew it.

RARE OULD TIMES

Raised on songs and stories, hereos of renown,The passing tales and glories, that once was Dublin town,The hallowed halls and houses, the haunting children's cries,That once was part of Dublin, the the Rare Ould Times.

ChorusRing a Ring a rosie.As the lights decline,I remember Dublin city,In the rare Ould times.

I courted Peggy Diagnam, as bonnie as you please,A gentle child of Mary, from the rebel Liberties,I lost her to a student chap, with skin as black as coal,When he took her off to Birmingham, she took away my soul.

Repeat Chorus

So fare thee well my Anna Liffey, no longer can I stay,And watch the great glass cages, grow up along the quay,My minds' too full of wandering, to listen to new chimes,I'm a part of what was Dublin in the Rare Ould Times.

Repeat Chorus.

Irish music lyrics - Spancil Hill and The Spanish Lady

SPANCIL HILL

Last night as I lay dreaming of pleasant days gone byMy mind been bent on rambling to Ireland I did flyI stepped on board a vision and followed with a willTil next I came to anchor at the cross of Spancil Hill

It been on the twenty-third of June the day before the fairWhen Ireland's sons and daughters and friends assemble thereThe young the old, the brave and the bold came their duty to fulfillAt the parish church in Clooney, a mile from Spancil Hill.

Delighted by the novelty, enchanted by the scene.Where in my early boyhood often I had been.I thought I heard a murmur, I think I hear it still.It's the little stream of water that flows down Spancil Hill.

To amuse a passing fancy, I laid down on the ground.And all my school companions, they shortly gathered round.When we were home returning, we danced with bright good willTo Martin Monahan's music, at the cross of Spancil Hill.

I went to see my neighbours to see what they might sayThe old ones were all dead and gone, the young ones turning greyBut I met with tailor Quigley, he's as bold as ever stillAh, he used to make me britches when I lived at Spancil Hill.

I paid a flying visit to my first and only loveShe's as white as any lily, gentle as a doveAnd she threw her arms around me saying Johnny I love you stillAh, she's now a farmer's daughter and the pride of Spancil Hill.

I dreamt I knelt and kissed her as in the days of yoreAh, Johnny you're only joking as many the time beforeThen the cock he crew in the morning, he crew both loud and shrillI awoke in California, many miles from Spancil Hill.

Spancil Hill

As far as I know these are the original song lyrics as composed originally by Michael Considine.

Last night as I lay dreaming, of the pleasant days gone by,

My mind being bent on rambling and to Erin's Isle I did fly

.

I stepped on board a vision and sailed out with a will,

'Till I gladly came to anchor at the Cross of Spancil Hill.

Enchanted by the novelty, delighted with the scenes,

Where in my early childhood, I often times have been.

I thought I heard a murmur, I think I hear it still,

'Tis that little stream of water at the Cross of Spancil Hill.

And to amuse my fancy, I lay upon the ground,

Where all my school companions, in crowds assembled 'round

Some have grown to manhood, while more their graves did fill

Oh I thought we were all young again, at the Cross of Spancil Hill.

It being on a sabbath morning, I thought I heard a bell,

O'er hills and vallies sounded, in notes that seemed to tell

That Father Dan was coming, his duty to fulfill,

At the parish church of Clooney, just one mile from Spancil Hill.

And when our duty did commence, we all knelt down in prayer

In hopes for to be ready, to climb the Golden Stair.

And when back home returning, we danced with right good will

To Martin Moylens music, at the Cross of Spancil Hill

It being on the twenty third of June, the day before the fair,

Sure Erin's sons and daughters, they all assembled there

The young, the old, the stout and the bold, they came to sport and kill,

What a curious combination, at the Fair of Spancilhill.

I went into my old home, as every stone can tell,

The old boreen was just the same, and the apple tree over the well,

I miss my sister Ellen, my brothers Pat and Bill,

Sure I only met my strange faces at my home in Spancil Hill.

I called to see my neighbors, to hear what they might say,

The old were getting feeble, and the young ones turning grey.

I met with Tailor Quigley, he's as brave as ever still,

Sure he always made my breeches when I lived in Spancil Hill.

I paid a flying visit, to my first and only love,

She's as pure as any lily, and as gentle as a dove.

She threw her arms around me, saying Mike I love you still,

She is Mack the Rangers daughter, the pride of Spancil Hill.

I thought I stooped to kiss her, as I did in days of yore,

Says she Mike you're only joking, as you often were before,

The cock crew on the roost again, he crew both loud and shrill,

And I awoke in California, far far from Spancil Hill.

But when my vision faded, the tears came in my eyes,

In hope to see that dear old spot, some day before I die.

May the Joyous King of Angels, His Choicest Blessings spill,

On that Glorious spot of Nature, the Cross of Spancil Hill.

THE SPANISH LADY.

As I went out through Dublin city at the hour of twelve at night,Who should I see but the Spanish ladyWashing her feet by candle lightFirst she washed them then she dried themO'er a fire of amber coalsIn all my life I ne'er did see a maid so sweet about the soul.

Chorus.Whack fol de tualura ladieWhack fol de turalureleyWhack fol de turalura ladieWhack fol de turalureley.

As I came back through Dublin City at the time of half past eight.Who would I see but the Spanish ladyBrushing her hair so trim and neatFirst she teased it then she brushed it.On her lap was a silver combIn all my life i ne'er did see so fair a maid since I did roam

Repeat Chorus

I stopped to look but the watchman passed says he "young fellanow the night is lateAlong with you now or I will wrestle youStraight way through the Bridewell Gate".I blew a kiss to the Spanish Ladyhot as a fire of my angry coalsIn all my life I ne'er did see a maid so sweet about the soul

Repeat Chorus

As I went out through Dublin City as the hour of dawn was overWho should I see but the Spanish ladyI was lonely and footsore.First she coaxed me then she chid meThen she laughed at my sad plightIn all my life I ne'er did see a maid so sweet as on that night.

Repeat Chorus.

I've wandered north and I've wandered south through Stoneybatter and Patrick's Close,Up and around by the Gloucester DiamondRound by Napper Tandy's houseOld age had laid her had on meCold as a fire of ashey coalsBut where is the lovely Spanish lady, neat and sweet about the soul.

Repeat Chorus.

I've included the lyrics of a couple of songs at the link directly below, while they're not Irish in this sense, they are famous for their association with Ireland, so much so that I feel they must be included. They're the lyrics to My Wild Irish Rose and When Irish Eyes are Smiling. The one link will take you to both of them.


My Wild Irish Rose


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