Hello Michael, delighted to get your response.

It is indeed the same song that The Irish Tenors have recorded, same as that recorded by O'Donnell and Crosby. However, as I said, many words are not the original and the melody structure is not right either.

The song format is (or should be): AAB AAB as written by Dick or Richard Farrelly.

The (forth A) is the verse which begins with the line,"And then into a humble shack I wander". A lot of recordings don't have this verse, making the song a little shorter and in which case the melodic structure should be AAB AB.

I have many recordings of "Innisfree" including the two recordings by Bing Crosby, his original 1950s recording and a live recording (a much shorter version) made in Dublin in the 1960s. I also have the original 1950s sheet music as written by Farrelly and published by The Peter Maurice Music Publishing Co. I enclose the lyrics here for you. Incidentally, you might like to contact Gerard, Dick's son, for more information. His email is – seoltarecords@ireland.com I contacted him a couple of times and found him extremely helpful.

All the best Michael, I hope this helps you.

THE ISLE OF INNISFREE
Theme of the film 'The Quiet Man'

Words and Music: Dick Farrelly
Copyright: 1950 The Peter Maurice Music Co Ltd.   

A
I've met some folks who say that I'm a dreamer
And I've no doubt there's truth in what they say
But sure a body's bound to be a dreamer
When all the things he loves are far away.
A
And precious things are dreams onto an exile
They take him o'er the land across the sea
Especially when it happens he's an exile
From that dear lovely Isle of Innisfree.
B
And when the moonlight peeps across the rooftops
Of this great city wondrous tho' it be
I scarcely feel its wonder or its laughter
I'm once again back home in Innisfree.

A
I wander o'er green hills thro' dreamy valleys
And find a peace no other land could know
I hear the birds make music fit for angels
And watch the rivers laughing as they flow.
A
And then into a humble shack I wander
My dear old home, and tenderly behold
The folks I love around the turf fire gathered
On bended knees their rosary is told.
B
But dreams don't last
Tho' dreams are not forgotten
And soon I'm back to stern reality
But tho' they paved the footways here with gold dust
I still would choose the Isle of Innisfree.