Lyr Req: The Galway Ghost: "My name is Seamus Ryan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Sadie
Date: 08 Jul 17 - 11:25 PM

Now I'm angry. It doesnt seem to be available in my country anymore... if I could ask one more small favor of obtaining an mp3 file so I could download it again?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 17 - 11:12 PM

The song itself yes was written more recently but the song it's self seems to take place in the 1800s.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Sadie
Date: 08 Jul 17 - 11:11 PM

Yes thank you oh my god holy crap! It has been bugging me so bad for a week! Thank you again Joe

Subject: ADD: The Galway Ghost (songwriter?)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jul 17 - 05:32 PM

The Galway Ghost
(Songwriter unidentified)

My name is Seamus Ryan from a farm outside Loughrea.
I always intended to live there all my days.
When I was young, ah, but twenty one, in a drunken barroom fight,
I killed a poor man, aye, and away I ran; I've been hunted day and night.

I made my way to the great U.S.A., and the sidewalks of New York.
So far away from sweet Galway, from Dublin and from Cork....
I can't go back, for the love nor the craic, to my native land again.
I'm a Yankee now, and that is how I'll remain 'til my life's end.

Another name I gave myself, ah, to lead an exile's life.
I never told another soul, and I never took a wife.
I made my way through the USA, and I roamed from coast to coast.
So all alone, I am so far from home, that they called me the Galway Ghost.

In Americay, I went astray, and I battled men and law.
With a gun and knife, I carved a life that was a tragic flaw.
In Albany I tried to flee, but a lawman got on my trail.
And he captured me and imprisoned me, and entombs me in his jail.

When I was young, aye, and on the run, from the life I left behind,
I'd rather drink than ever think of God, but now pray (prey?) on my mind,
Of the days gone by, aye, and Galway sky and the girls that loved me the most,
So raise a glass to the haunted past of poor Seamus Ryan's ghost.

This is my transcription of the Kevin Moyna recording of "The Galway Ghost": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNobF4AhxNk

Subject: ADD: The Galway Ghost (songwriter?)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jul 17 - 05:15 PM

That site Martin linked to is a bit nasty, so I've de-clickified his link. Here are the lyrics:

The Galway Ghost
(Songwriter unidentified)

My name is Seamus Ryan from a farm outside Lockray.
And I always intended to live there all my days.
But when I was young, just twenty one, in a drunken barroom fight,
I killed a man and away I ran; I was hunted day and night.

I sailed away, to Americay, to the sidewalks of New York.
So far away from Galway Bay, from Dublin and from Cork....
And I can't go back, for love or craic, to my native land again.
I'm a Yankee now, and that is how I'll stay 'til my life's end.

And now the name I gave myself to lead an exile's life.
And I never told another soul, and never took a wife.
I thumbed my way through the USA, I roamed from coast to coast.
So all alone, so far from home, I was called the Galway Ghost.

In Americay, I went astray, and battled men and law.
With gun and knife, I carved my life, it was my tragic flaw.
In Albany I tried to flee, the warden's on my trail.
But they captured me, they shackled me, they entombed me in this jail.

When I was young and on the run, from the life I left behind,
I'd rather dring than think the thoughts, that now prey on my mind,
Of the Galway sky and days gone by and the girl who loves me most,
So raise your glass to the haunted past of Seamus Ryan's ghost.



I made some corrections to the above text, according to the Celtic Thunder recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhCEkrGaXVc

Kevin Moyna recording of "The Galway Ghost": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNobF4AhxNk

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 08 Jul 17 - 04:01 PM

Appears to be of recent compositon.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 08 Jul 17 - 03:51 PM

This may be what you seek:

http://www.lyricszoo.com/celtic-thunder/the-galway-ghost/

It's not very informative as to source etc. but may get you started.

Regards

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Sadie
Date: 08 Jul 17 - 03:46 PM

No I'm not from the Damascus clan. And I'm looking for the song. It may have taken place around the influx off Irish settlers in New York in the 1800s.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jul 17 - 02:33 AM

Is this Sadie Damascus?

I'm still not finding the song, but I see that Seamus Ryan owns a TV shop in Loughrea - (click)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Sadie
Date: 07 Jul 17 - 01:12 AM

I just remembered he sings about being from Loughrea, Ireland.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Sadie
Date: 06 Jul 17 - 10:02 PM

I really wish I had some more lyric information but that's all I can remember. 😭

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 06 Jul 17 - 03:21 PM

Doesn't ring a bell ...

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Jul 17 - 12:22 PM

Boy, Sadie, I looked and looked, and found nothing.

Subject: Lyr Req: My name is Seamus ryan/o'ryan
From: GUEST,Sadie
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 10:02 PM

So I'm looking for is song that I loved from at least 4 years ago and the only specific lyric I remember is in the title. The story of this song suggests that Seamus found the woman he wanted to marry, but unfortunately betrothed to another man whom he killed for the love of this woman. I think this man was of high stature because he sings of being wanted country wide so he flees to America under an alias and spends his time in bars, committing petty crimes all with a longing to go home to his home/sweetheart. He ends up getting caught, arrested and executed in America and never gets to see either again. I'm doing a project on the song and would like to have it for reference. Any help is much appreciated.