Lyr Req: Tir na Nog (Leo O'Kelly)

Subject: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 03:21 PM

The last few days I have had bits and pieces of this song I heard once bouncing around in my head. It was on a compilation tape I had once upon a time. Don't know the author, performer, or even the whole lyric..........................LOL. How's that for a challenge, but I am betting that Mudcatters can help.

It is a song about Oisin and the Isle of Ever Young. I can hear the damn melody in my head. It is sung by a male.

The opening line goes something like:

Across the misty, morning hills of Eirann,
Comes Niamh (not sure of the next word) on her snow white steed

It then goes on to tell the story of Oisin falling in love with her, going to Tir na n-Og, returning and falling off the fairy steed, etc. It had kind of a driving tempo.

What bells does this one ring, great ones, I am counting on you.........

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Zhenya
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 03:25 PM

Quick answer: The name of the song is Tir na Nog. (Roughly: Land of the young, or land of eternal youth). There's a recording by Pat Kilbride (sounds like the one you mention here). I forget who wrote it. I'll check for the lyrics online in a few minutes. Zhenya

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 03:33 PM

THAT'S IT!!!! By golly, Zhenya, I think that 4 minutes must be some sort of record with what little I gave. I think it came off the "Rock and more Roses" album. You have a huge, Big Mick hug coming the first time I meet you. Off to look it up.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 03:55 PM

And if you can provide me with lyrics, you are doubly my hero!!!

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Zhenya
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 04:04 PM

Glad to be of help. I really like this song too. It has a haunting melody. I didn't find the lyrics myself yet (on the web), but I have the album at home, so if you have trouble searching, let me know and I'll listen to it and get back to you with the words. (If I recall correctly, the CD didn't have printed lyrics, but hopefully I'm wrong about that. ) Anyway, if you like Irish music in general, the whole album is worth having. A great mix of songs and tunes. Back to work now; I'll check back on this thread tomorrow. Zhenya

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 04:16 PM

You are a pearl of great worth, Zhenya. That song is one of those that bounces around the nether regions of your mind, and bugs you that you can't figure it out. Now I can look through the box of tapes that is lying around waiting to be catalogued and find it. I will try to pull the lyrics, as well.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: IanC
Date: 23 Jul 02 - 04:35 AM

Written (I think) by Leo O'Kelly of the group "Tir na Nog" and recorded on their debut album "Tir na Nog". I saw them at a pop festival at Weeley (near Clacton, England) in 1971 and bought both this and their next album as they came out.

I think the words are on the album, so I'll look them out and type them in (unless I forget).

:-)
Ian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Zhenya
Date: 23 Jul 02 - 01:40 PM

Big Mick, Excuse me for stalling a bit here with getting the lyrics to you. I was away all last week and only returned late on Sunday, and I'm still dealing with unpacking, laundry, sorting mail, etc., and of course ongoing activities. Just still a little pressed for time. At the latest, I should have some time by Thursday evening (possibly before), so I'll check the lyrics then and post them by Friday, or earlier if possible. (If someone hasn't beaten me to it.) Sorry to make you wait on these; I usually try to get on these things faster. I promise I won't forget! Zhenya

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Big Mick
Date: 23 Jul 02 - 03:49 PM

Please don't apologize, Zhenya. I am so damn happy to get this tune out in the open. Fragments of it have tormented me forever and I couldn't, for the life of me, remember where I had heard it. I am sure others (of my years.........hahahaha) have the same problem. The media that we listen to our music on has changed so many times. I had this on a tape made for me by a friend, before I came to my current position of paying for all music. I just couldn't remember where I had heard it. Aside from releaving me of my torment, you reintroduced me to the music of Pat Kilbride.

Now if we can just get the lyrics:

Across the dewy, morning hills of Eirann,
Came Niamh Chinn Óir on her snow white steed
da da da da da daa

Come with me to the fairy land of Tir na N'Og

Subject: Lyr Add: TIR NA NOG
From: Zhenya
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 01:47 PM

Hey Big Mick, here are some lyrics for you:

TIR NA NOG

Across the dewy morning hills of Eireann
Rode Niamh Chinn Oir on a snow-white steed
To Oisin fairy poet of the Fianna
For she fain would this mortal wed

Come with me to the fairy land of Tir Na Nog
For I have long loved you said she
And Oisin taken with her beauty
He bade farewell to his company

They rode through stormy regions far across the sea
To a land where time had ne'er its harvest reaped
And for an age there Oisin lived contented
Till longing for his comrades made him weep

I cannot help but read these sad dreams in your eyes
So you may return to your country
And take my blessing with this one command
Do not dismount from you fairy steed

But when at last he reached that misty island
So strange a sight did meet his puzzled frown
For Oisin rode as a giant among the people
And nowhere were the Fianna to be found

He learned from a gathering of workers
Together straining with a heavy load
That centuries before his friends had perished
Which painful tidings filled him with despair

As payment for the news that we have told you
Pray help us with this heavy stone to move
For if your strength should match your mighty stature
Scarce more than a touch enough should prove

But the saddle tore as Oisin leaned to help them
And sorely he upon the ground was thrown
He quickly turned into an aged man
And ne'er again set eyes on Tir Na Nog

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 27-Jul-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Zhenya
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 01:52 PM

Hmm - I typed this out in Word and then did Copy/Paste - it looked like normal 4 line verses in Word anyway. I don't know why it printed out differently here. But these are the words anyway. It is by Leo O'Kelly. Thanks for reminding me of this song. I've decided to learn it myself...Now if anyone has the chords readily available... Zhenya

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Zhenya
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 01:57 PM

One more try:

TIR NA NOG

Across the dewy morning hills of Eireann
Rode Niamh Chinn Oir on a snow-white steed
To Oisin fairy poet of the Fianna
For she fain would this mortal wed

Come with me to the fairy land of Tir Na Nog
For I have long loved you said she
And Oisin taken with her beauty
He bade farewell to his company

They rode through stormy regions far across the sea
To a land where time had ne'er its harvest reaped
And for an age there Oisin lived contented
Till longing for his comrades made him weep

I cannot help but read these sad dreams in your eyes
So you may return to your country
And take my blessing with this one command
Do not dismount from you fairy steed

But when at last he reached that misty island
So strange a sight did meet his puzzled frown
For Oisin rode as a giant among the people
And nowhere were the Fianna to be found

He learned from a gathering of workers
Together straining with a heavy load
That centuries before his friends had perished
Which painful tidings filled him with despair

As payment for the news that we have told you
Pray help us with this heavy stone to move
For if your strength should match your mighty stature
Scarce more than a touch enough should prove

But the saddle tore as Oisin leaned to help them
And sorely he upon the ground was thrown
He quickly turned into an aged man
And ne'er again set eyes on Tir Na Nog

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: MMario
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 02:05 PM

or the tune?

(Zhenya - to make a word document display corerectly when posted here - do a search and replace search for ^p and replace with <br>^l)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Zhenya
Date: 24 Jul 02 - 04:46 PM

Thanks MMario, I finally took the time to read all the lyric posting instructions and used that and your message instructions to post the lyrics in a separate thread as well, under the tune title. I hadn't done this before because I thought there were copyright issues, but I guess that's accounted for, per the instructions.

As for the tune, I'm using a computer at work and don't have audio capability and can only do the ABCs in a very painstaking manner. If you or someone else has a way to get the tune in, I can send a tape of the song for you to use. (Send a PM if this will work.) Zhenya

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: MMario
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 08:13 AM

I am hopeless at transcribing by ear - but if anyone else would be willing - please PM Zhenya.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Across the misty, morning hills of Eiran
From: Zhenya
Date: 25 Jul 02 - 05:05 PM

Re the tune of this song: Problem solved! On the other thread I started, a link to a soundclip was provided by Stewart in Seattle.

Here's the tune link:

Tir Na Nog tune soundclip

and here's a link to the other Mudcat thread

Lyr Add:Tir na Nog

I see I didn't read far enough in the Mudcat instructions and should have posted the lyric addition right in this thread. Well, I'll do that next time. For now, use the link. By the way, I also noticed a typo in the last line, 4th verse. Should be "your fairy steed", not "you fairy steed." Sort of self-explanatory I guess. Zhenya