Lyr Req: Dublin in My Tears (Brendan Phelan)

Subject: Dublin in my tears
From: Nick
Date: 24 Jan 99 - 07:09 PM

I have a "Barleycorn" recording of a song call "Dublin in My Tears. However, many of the words are indistinguisable to my ears. Does anyone know the lyrics or where I can find them?

Thanks, Nick

Subject: Lyr Add: DUBLIN IN MY TEARS
From: Brakn
Date: 25 Jan 99 - 08:13 PM

this is the best I can make out!!

I have travelled many lands, and I still can't understand
How sad you have become on my return
Your poor heart is filled with care, sad and old I left you there
Your once bright eyes with sorrow softly burn
I can even sense the change, in the sound of children's games
Childhood dreams and youth's ambition, have all turned to doubts and fears
It's an age of wealth and cold, but I never felt so old
As I remember Dublin in my tears

All the faces that I meet, as I roam each one way street
Reflects the empty statement of the times
And the old cathedral bell, can be heard above the swell
But the years erase the message in her chimes
All my childhood friends are gone, like the streets where we were born
And the time that it has taken, doesn't seem so many years
They have faded in the moon, with ??? Kelly on the Coombe
Just a ghost of dear old Dublin in my tears

There were times when jobs were few, there were hungry days we knew
Some days so hard their memory I've cursed
And the prayer I sent to God there onboard the Prince's Mod?
That our children would restore a pride we lost
But the past the young forsake, and they're dancing at your wake
While the heart of Dublin's dying but nobody really cares
And the fools now passing by, laugh to see an old man cry
Now I can't forget old Dublin my tears

Gather round brave men and true, though your number they be few
We'll drink one toast before I cross the foam
Soon in London's dark old main?, I'll recall how I became
No more a stranger there than here back home
Now the Liffey flows along, and I listen for her song
And the voice of Michael Moran seems to echo in my ears
But it's just the rafters ring, to it's requiem I'll sing
Farewell to dear old Dublin in my tears
Farewell to dear old Dublin in my tears

Regards Mick Bracken

Subject: RE: Dublin in my tears
From: Nick
Date: 26 Jan 99 - 10:34 AM

Mick,

Thanks for your response. You have helped me complete more of the words than I previously had. I can't make out on the tape the same phrases that you have the endings with question marks. Hopefully, someone else out there knows the answers to those few remaining question marks.

Thanks, Nick

Subject: RE: Dublin in my tears
From: Håvard
Date: 27 Jan 99 - 06:37 AM

Hi
Just a couple of suggestions to the lyrics Mick added above:
1.verse, I think it should be "age of wealth I'm told"
3. verse, undoubtely "Princess Maud" (later to become queen of Norway [the princess, not the boat ;-)]). Also "past they all forsake, and they're dancing at her wake.

Håvard

Subject: RE: Dublin in my tears
From: Big Mick
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 08:39 AM

If any 'Catters are from the Boston area, stop in at Tiernan's. I believe this is in the Back Bay area. The proprietor is Liam Tiernan, who was one of the founders of Barleycorn. My guess is he would be happy to give you the lyrics. Please give him my regards.

Big Mick

Subject: RE: Dublin in my tears
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 08 Feb 00 - 05:58 PM

"Michael Moran" was the real name of "Zosimus", a blind ballad-singer who lived at the end of the 18th C. Wrote, among other things, "The Finding of Moses" - a version of which is still sung.

Not sure abouit "??? Kelly". The "Coombe" is an old area of Dublin, near the Cathedral referred to earlier. Its not something as simple as "John Kelly"....?

Regards

Subject: RE: Dublin in my tears
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 08 Feb 00 - 06:06 PM

Or, come to think of it....."Nurse Kelly".....?

Regards

Subject: RE: Dublin in my tears
From: cujimmy
Date: 29 Feb 00 - 03:21 PM

I think " The fools of state pass by ", are the correct words for the 3rd verse.

Subject: Lyr Add: DUBLIN IN MY TEARS
From: Fergie
Date: 13 Jul 05 - 08:58 PM

DUBLIN IN MY TEARS
(Brendan Phelan)

I have travelled many lands, and I still can't understand
How sad you have become on my return
Your poor heart is filled with care, sad and old they left you there
Your once bright eyes with sorrow softly burn
I can even sense the change, in the sound of children's games
Childhood dreams and youth's ambition, have all turned to doubts and fears.
It's an age of youth I'm told, but I never felt so old
As I recall old Dublin in my tears.

All the faces that I meet, as I roam each one way street
Reflects the empty statement of the times
And the old cathedral bell, can't be heard above the swell
For the years erase the message in her chimes
All my childhood friends are gone, like the streets where we were born
And the time that it has taken, doesn't seem so many years
They have faded in the gloom, with 'Sap' Kelly of the Coombe
Just a ghost of dear old Dublin in my tears

There were times when jobs were few, there were hungry days we knew
Some days so bad their memory I've cursed
Aa a prayer I said to God there onboard the 'Princess Maud'
That our children would restore a pride we lost
But the past the young forsake, and they're dancing at your wake
While the heart of Dublin's dying but nobody really cares
And the fools as they pass by, laugh to see an old man cry
Now I can't forget old Dublin my tears.

So gather round good friends and true, though our numbers they be few
We'll drink one toast before I cross the foam
Soon in London's dark domain, I'll recall how I became
No more a stranger there than here at home
Now the Liffey flows along, and I listen for her song
And the voice of Big Jim Larkin seems to echo in my ears
But it's just the rafters ring, to her requiem I'll sing
Farewell to dear old Dublin in my tears
Farewell to dear old Dublin in my tears

"Princess Maud" is/was a passenger boat that sailed between Dublin and Holyhead in Wales with passengers (usually economic migrants) heading for London or returning for the annual holidays.

This is the authentic version of the song, I know this because this is how it was sung by it's composer at Frank Harte's wake just a couple of weeks ago. The song Dublin in My Tears was written by Brendan Phelan and the aforementioned 'Sap' Kelly of the Coombe was Brendan's grandfather.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to acknowledge Brendan as the author of this song because he is a great composer and a hell of a nice fellow.
Fergus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dublin in My Tears (Brendan Phelan)
From: Fergie
Date: 14 Jul 05 - 09:01 PM

Glad to see that somebody added Brendan's name to the title of the thread. Sorry about the thread creep but Brendan wrote another great song which I think is called 'Brendan Behan had Balls' I will try to get the words to post at the Mudcat.
Fergus

Subject: RE: Dublin in my tears
From: GUEST,Brendan Phelan
Date: 02 Nov 07 - 03:26 PM

Fergie mentioned a song about 'Balls'. The song does mention Brendan Behan among others, including Micho Russell, Saint Brendan and even Arkle. The title of the song is 'The Men Whom God Gave Balls'. I can email you a copy if you like. As few people know the song other than the composer, being myself,I would gladly send you a tape or maybe a CD R of myself singing it, but I'm no great shapes at the oul singing. You could contact me through The Beer Mats website or [e-mail] Slan, Brendan Phelan