Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song

Subject: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Whistleworks
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 04:10 PM

I am designing a concert which will be held in June.

What do you feel is simply the most gorgeous Irish song that you know?

I can't wait to hear these!!!

Bob

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Maryrrf
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 04:21 PM

Melody or lyrics? Or both?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Whistleworks
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 04:24 PM

Both please.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 04:43 PM

Joyce 'The Grey Cock'
or the related Cecilia Costello's 'The Lover's Ghost'
'She Moved through the Fair'
'My Lagan Love' Margaret Barry
'Molly Bawn' Shooting of his Dear

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: alex s
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 04:43 PM

inisheer

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 04:46 PM

For a tune I would hazard the following

Hewlett
The West Wind

And for songs you might try

Fainne geal an lae (Dawning of the Day)
Cavan Girl
Mo ghile mear

CC

Subject: Lyr Add: GRACE (Frank & Sean O'Meara)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 07:48 PM

"When You and I Were Young" (Maggie)



"GRACE"

As we gather in the chapel here in old Kilmainham Jail
I think about these past few weeks, oh will they say we've failed
From our schooldays they have told us we must yearn for liberty
Yet all I want in this dark place is to have you here with me.

Cho: Oh Grace just hold me in your arms ad let this moment linger
They'll take me out at dawn and I will die
With all my love I place this wedding ring upon your finger
There won't be time to share our love for we must say goodbye.

Now I know it's hard for you my love to ever understand
The love I bear for these brave men, my love for this dear land
But when the Padhraic 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 dawn is breaking, my heart is breaking too,
On this May morn as I walk out my thoughts well be of you
And I'll write some words upon the wall so everyone will know
I love so much that I could see his blood upon the rose.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 09:11 PM

I Know My Love
Streets of Derry
When I was on Horseback
Don't Come Again
Star Of The County Down

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: kendall
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 09:35 PM

Song for Ireland
Four Green fields

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 10:56 PM

Oh Danny Boy! :-P

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: glauber
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 11:03 PM

Seriously now:

Foggy Dew as sang by Sinéad O'Connor and the Chieftains
Lover's Heart as sang by Colm O'Donnell and the Border Collies

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 07:54 AM

Súil a ruin (Elizabeth Cronin's version)

BTW Commander Crabbe, Mo ghile mear is Scottish, not Irish.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 07:56 AM

ELIZABETH CRONIN'S LORD GREGORY

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Gedi
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 08:01 AM

For a tune, how about a couple of O'Carolans - Planxty Summer Summer (Fanny Power) & Planxty Irwin for example.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Frank_Finn
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 10:18 AM

What do you feel is simply the most gorgeous Irish song that you know?

Would that be:
An Irish song sung in Irish language?
An Irish song sung in English language?
A non Irish song sung in Irish language?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 01:22 PM

Ar Éirinn Ní N-eosfaidh Cé Hí,

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: GUEST,Whistleworks
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 04:00 PM

Thanks everyone. And Seamus, I tend to agree that For Ireland, I Will Not Tell Her Name is fantastic. Have you heard this done by The High Kings? "High" Kings: Is it egos or too much of Uncle Efrem's Sweet Summer Suprise?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: GUEST,Gweltas , sans cookie!
Date: 22 Jan 10 - 10:47 PM

For Noreen's information :
While "Mo Ghile Mear" IS in fact Bonnie Prince Charlie, the song is definitely not Scottish but is Irish in origin!! The Irish of that time were fervently hoping that he would succeed in claiming the English throne, as they anticipated that they would fare better as Catholics if there was a Catholic king on the the English throne. Of course it would have been political suicide to say as much out loud, so the song was disguised as a love song in order to avoid any unpleasant repercussions.
It was written by Seán Chlárach Mac Domhnaill/MacDonnell(1691-1754 AD)
MacDonnell was a great Tipperary bard, of whom there are many interesting tales. He was a laborer by trade, but educated in the "hedge-schools." He was literate in Gaelic, Greek, Latin, and English, and this song (Gile Mear) reflects that literacy, with its Classical references to Caesar, Phoebus (Apollo), Mars and Cupid, as well as the references to Celtic gods and heroes such as Lugh, Fergus, etc.
This song was composed c. 1746 AD. It is a rosg-cathadh (in Scottish Gaelic, brosnachadh), a battle hymn or incitement. (These correspond to the "paen" sung by ancient Greek warriors going into battle, which may indicate an even more ancient Indo-European tradition.)
It was intended to invite Prince Charles Edward Stuart, who had but recently fled Scotland after the failure of the 1745 Jacobite Rising, to return, and to incite the Irish to join in another Rising.
(The 1745 Rising had taken place in Scotland and England, when Prince Charles Edward Stuart landed and attempted to regain the throne of his grandfather, James VII and II of Scotland and England and Ireland respectively, for his father, who was James VIII and III in the Jacobite reckoning.
James VII / II had been unseated by the Dutch ruler, William of Orange in the coup known by the Whigs and their successors as the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688-89, which was followed by the first Jacobite War {1689-91}. William, who was married to James' daughter Mary, was invited to assume the throne by a cabal of English and some Scots magnates, due to the open Catholicism of James and his unpopularity, esp. with the more radical Protestant elements in Britain. There were other abortive risings, in 1715 and 1719.)
Ireland had played little part directly, although most of the "French" troops who landed in support of the Rising were made up of Irish mercenaries in the French service.)
From internal evidence, "Mo Ghile Mear" was probably written shortly after the Rising failed, as some of the metaphors seem to reflect Charles Edward's escape after Culloden. Charles may have been in France, or still "on the run" in Scotland. The general tone being one of his having "left," as opposed to his coming or presence. Also, the verses reflect a desire that the "dashing darling" come again, as opposed to a first coming.
Although many of the Gaels in Ireland and Scotland viewed them as the true heirs, the Stuarts had never been particularly kind or useful to the Gaels in either country, especially the Catholic Irish.
Jamie Baggie-breeks (the Sixth of Scotland, First of England and Ireland) had been particularly UN-kind, "planting" Ulster with Scots Protestant settlers who became the "Ulster Scots", aka the "Scotch-Irish", sowing the seeds of troubles that continue to this day.
Despite this and other deeds, the Irish rose in the Stuart cause in the English Civil War, and again in the first Jacobite War, as well as serving as mercenaries in the French levies sent to Scotland in the latter wars.
Of course, it must be remembered that one of the reasons James VII / II was deposed in the first place was because he had openly converted to Catholicism and had an heir who was likely to be raised Catholic. This gave the Catholic Gaels both in Ireland and Scotland (and there still were a fair number of Catholic Gaels in Scotland at that time) the hope of more just treatment under a Catholic monarch as opposed to a Protestant monarch.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 Jan 10 - 12:04 AM

Gweltas, many thanks for that superb & fascinating historical summary — really enlightening.

What exact translation of 'Mo Ghile Mear'? Is the "Ghile" component a form of "Gillie", which now means an attendant but originally, I believe, simply meant 'man'?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: machree01
Date: 23 Jan 10 - 06:06 AM

Mary From Dungloe
Raglan Road
My Lovely Rose of Clare
Macushla

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Little Robyn
Date: 23 Jan 10 - 07:14 AM

Banks of the Bann.
Here
and the tune is here as well.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: Noreen
Date: 23 Jan 10 - 08:54 AM

Thank you Gweltas, I sit corrected, and better educated!
(I still wouldn't call it a 'pretty' song, though...)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: MartinRyan
Date: 23 Jan 10 - 10:01 AM

Noreen

Occasionally, I hear female singers treating Mo Ghile Mear as a straight love song, rather than the anthem it has become. Much as I enjoy the anthem approach when well sung and harmonised, I think I prefer the gentler approach.

Regards

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Prettiest Irish song
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 23 Jan 10 - 11:14 AM

Difficult question, especially since "prettiest" in the title becomes "most gorgeous" in the message.

Although I think there are better airs and better songs, maybe Thomas Moore's "Meeting of the Waters" could fulfil both the stated requirements.