Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song

Subject: Lyr Add: GRACE (Frank & Sean O'Meara)
From: GUEST,Uwe Schmidt
Date: 17 Sep 00 - 04:55 AM

Some years ago I heard in a pub in Ireland a lady singing a wonderful song called "Grace". Soon I forgot the melody, but I always remember the singing of that song. Later a found by Internet the following words:

As we gather in the chapel here in Old Kilmainham Jail
I think about these past few days, 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

CHORUS: Oh Grace just hold me in your arms and let this moment linger,
they 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 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 the dawn is breaking, my heart is breaking too
On this May morn as I walk out my thoughts will 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

Maybe this is song I heard. Can anybody help with the melody? Is that song recorded somewhere?

---

Click for lyrics in Digital Tradition
Click for tune

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: GUEST,Poltroon69
Date: 17 Sep 00 - 06:36 AM

You can find that tune on the first "The Irish Tenors" CD.It's very pretty and exceptionally well done.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: Big Mick
Date: 17 Sep 00 - 02:21 PM

Old threads

Grace 1
Grace 2

Big Mick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: JedMarum
Date: 18 Sep 00 - 09:00 AM

I love this song. I have been singing it ever since I first heard it, shortly after I came across the actual story in a history I read of the era. It is a remarkable and moving story, as well. I hope you enjoy the song as much as I have!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Sep 00 - 11:21 AM

Frank Patterson recorded it too. Sorry I don't know which CD.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: paddymac
Date: 18 Sep 00 - 04:31 PM

I don't know whether the O'Meara brothers ever wrote another song, but, IMHO, they earned a pass to paradise with this one. A real treasure.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: Jed at Work
Date: 18 Sep 00 - 04:37 PM

Agreed about brotehrs, Frank and Sean O'Meara ... and at the risk of displaying shameless self promotion, I recorded this song as well, and there is a sound sample of it available here.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: GUEST,Joerg
Date: 18 Sep 00 - 10:14 PM

Yes, the chorus is also what I remember of that tune but what about the verses? I'm quite down at the moment because I was completely sure that I had a recording but after looking for it it seems that this was one of those illusions... It would have enabled me to help Uwe, but now I must ask for help myself.

If you know the tune, what about some lines of abc?

BTW: The words are in the DT but you have to do a forum search for "grace"; it's not listed when you click the G.

Joerg

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: GUEST,From skarpi at work
Date: 19 Sep 00 - 08:41 AM

hallo all , long time since i got into mudcat. Mick do you know the tunes of the song Grace? If so can you send to me a copy on tape ? You will all hear from me soon. all the best skarpi Iceland.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: JedMarum
Date: 19 Sep 00 - 09:07 AM

Joerg and Skarpi, I believe I can help you with the melody of this song. Please send me your mailing addresses and I will get something to you that will help. You can send me your addresses via email to [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: JedMarum
Date: 19 Sep 00 - 09:08 AM

... or you can post them here if you're comfortable doing that.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 06 Sep 01 - 08:33 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 07 Sep 01 - 01:09 AM

This is my all time favorite song at the moment ...heard the Irish Tenors sing it live ... but it's Oh, so special, when my friend Burnsie sings it ... worth the learning ...that's for sure.

LL

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: Reiver 2
Date: 27 Sep 01 - 12:33 PM

Hauntingly beautiful and powerful song. I have it on 2 CD collections: "Classic Irish Love Songs" sung by Barleycorn; and "25 Of the Best Irish Drinking Songs, Vol. 1" sung by Brier. (Why it's classed there as a Drinking Song, I'm not sure.) It's also sung by Ronan Tynan on an Irish Tenors recording, I think.

I'd always thought this was a song about a fictional Irish rebel/patriot. My wife and I just returned from our first visit to Ireland, and I made a point of driving by the old Kilmainham Gaol. We didn't stop as we couldn't find parking and I wasn't aware that one could take a tour of the Gaol. On the way home I discovered that the song was written about Joseph Plunkett who married Grace Gifford in the prison chapel just prior to his execution for his part in the "rising" at the GPO (which we did visit). If I'd known all this earlier, I'd have made sure we stopped and took the tour!! In ten days there were lots of things we couldn't see, so it looks like we'll have to make another visit to Ireland!

Thanks to Big Mick, for posting the words and notes here on the Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 12:43 PM

I probably said this in another thread but Geoff and I went to Dublin 3 years ago for our honeymoon and visited Kilmainham gaol. It was very moving sitting in the little chapel and hearing the story about Joseph Plunkett and Grace Gifford and I found myself hearing the song in my head and the tears flowed especially as we had also just been married. I do have the tune written somewhere if its the dots you want. I would love to start singing it but keep getting all choked up but I have heard it sung very well by aelfleda in the Tap and Spile in Whitby.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: Tiger
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 01:34 PM

Not to be picky, Reiver 2, but that's Anthony Kearns' fantastic voice doing "Grace" on the Irish Tenors show CD.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: Matt Woodbury/Mimosa
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 02:16 PM

I have Jed's recording on my CD changer in the car, and always enjoy listening to it.

Mimosa

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Sep 01 - 07:08 PM

That last line is a refereance to a poem Plunkett wrote, and you'll find it in this thread

His full name was actually Joseph Mary Plunkett, and that's the name used with his poems, but when he signed the Proclamation in 1916 - which was why he was one of those picked out to be shot - he left out the Mary, I believe, because he didn't feel it respectful to include it in what was effectively a declaration of war.

As well as poems he wrote a couple of good songs - one about Foot and Mouth that I posted in the Mudcat earlier this year, and another called The Planets which I put a tune to, because so far as I know it didn't have one.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: GUEST,Colleen
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 07:35 PM

A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS NOW GONE, USE TO SING THIS SONG FOR ME WHEN EVER I WENT TO SEE HIM SING. I LOVE THE SONG, THE STORY, AND THE MAN WHO SANG IT FOR ME.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Grace, Irish Song
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 06:32 AM

You can find the full lyrics, chords and video on Martin dardis's site www.unitedirelandtripod.ie Jim McCann of the Dubliners had a huge hit with it in Ireland. Best version is by Irish Tenor Anthony Kearns which you can find on You Tube. Song refers to Grace Gifford who married Joseph Mary Plunkett in Kilmainen jail Dublin Just before his execution for his part, I believe in fact he was the leader, in The Easter Rising occupation of The Post Office Dublin in 1916. Plunkett prably fated to Martyrdom, he was a decendant of Blessed Oliver Plunkett an Irish saint, also executed by beheading