Frank Hall

Philippa on 22 Apr 99 gave the words she remembered from Jean Redpath's English version. Philippa's remembered words are nice, but differ in some points from Jean's actual version. For those who are interested, here are the words Jean sings for this song on her CD, 'First Flight':


THE QUIET LAND OF ERIN

By myself I'd be in Orshiecoon*
Where the mountains stand away
And 'tis there I'd let the Sundays go
In the cuckoo's glen above the bay

(chorus)
agus och och Eire lig is o
Eire leanndubh agus o
Ah, the quiet land of Erin

But my heart is weary all alone
And it sends a lonely cry
To the land that sings beyond my dreams
And the lonely Sundays pass me by.

I would ravel back the twisted years
and the bitter wasted winds
If the God above would let me lie
In a quiet place above the whins.


[* Philippa thinks Jean sings 'Orshiecoon' rather than the original 'Ard Ti Chuain' -- I do not know Gaelic so cannot add to that.]