Origins: Fields of Athenry (Pete St.John)

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From: Alice
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 12:38 PM

Thanks, George, I had read all the other threads, but I didn't see that link to the old and new versions side by side until now. That answers my question! Many thanks.

alice flynn

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From: Mbo
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 11:37 AM

You mean this song's not traditional? MAN! First Wild Mountain Thyme, now this! Who do we have to make our checks out to if we want to play this, now?

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From:
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 10:50 AM

Alice, there are at least 3 other Threads, and on one of them,

Hills of Athenrye

I posted a couple of links to

1888 Broadside
Old AND New Versions

The Broadside version gives some additional information.

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From: Alice
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 09:43 AM

... a new question for this old thread (there are several on the song, but I chose this one to refresh)

I have heard the chorus with "Low lie the fields of Athenry" and "Fair lie the fields of Athenry".
Also the line "our love was on the wing" I have heard as "our love was fresh as spring"... the lyrics are posted in the DT and in the other threads on this song.
Does anyone know which versions of the chorus are closer to the original?

thanks

Alice

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 07:11 PM

Well, I never knew that. "Based his lyrics closely" is a bit of a misnomer. Most times I sing a song the way I sing it is a little different from the way I learnt it, but I wouldn't say I'd written a new song on the strength of that.

Having said that, the variations from the broadside version (see the clicky thing in the previous piosting by anon) are, I'd say, improvements. More to the point, unless I'm very much mistaken (which I may be) the tune is Pete St John's, which makes it a new song after all. But I'd sooner call it a new version.

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From:
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 11:35 AM

Pete St John based his lyrics closely on another song. See the Hills of Athenrye thread and follow the links therein.

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From:
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 11:21 AM

I have sat in a room and heard 20 young Irish people sing Fields of Athenry in perfect tune (the Irish can sing ). I love the song and was wondering if anyone could tell who the singer is who released in more rock then traditional folk music, I think it was only redone by this person this year or last because they still play it in clubs in Ireland. I would also like someone to tell me who sings the Irish rugy song "Irelands Call". So please if you could help me it would be grand. DUST

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From: Teru
Date: 09 Jul 97 - 01:15 AM

Bert:

Thank you for your information. I read the report with great interest.

With regards

Teru

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 08 Jul 97 - 04:23 PM

Henrik

Yes, Pete St. John wrote it

regards

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From: Bert Hansell
Date: 08 Jul 97 - 03:33 PM

As a matter of interest the British government recently apologized for their failure regarding the potato famine. See this report in The Electronic Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=000289242712046&rtmo=33c2968c&atmo=33c2968c&pg=/et/97/6/2/wfam02.html

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From:
Date: 08 Jul 97 - 03:16 PM

Does anyone have the music for this song?

Also, I think I have seen somewhere that it was written by Pete St.John - is this correct?

Regards,

Henrik

Subject: RE: Fields of Athenry
From:
Date: 26 Jun 97 - 05:21 AM

As an interesting or not so interesting aside, I have heard this sung as "for your staunch rebellion born", an obvious corruption of "for you stole Trevelyan's corn", but just shows the changes in folk lyrics.

Benjamin

Subject: Fields of Athenry
From: Teru
Date: 25 Jun 97 - 12:19 AM

I found the lyrics to this song in DT, but I should like to correct just one word.

"Travalient's (?) corn" should be "Trevelyan's corn".

As far as I know, Charles Edward Trevelyan was an assistant-secretary to the treasury and was concerned with the relief of the potato famine in Ireland. I am not sure it was successful.

Regards.

Teru