Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)

Subject: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: Brakn
Date: 18 Mar 99 - 08:10 PM

At a gig tonight an old guy asked if I knew the Scottish version of Galway Bay. It starts with "If you ever go across the border to Scotland" or similar. Does anyone know it?
Mick Bracken

Subject: RE: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: MMario
Date: 12 Apr 00 - 02:31 PM

be fresh

Subject: RE: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: Brakn
Date: 11 Jun 00 - 09:39 PM

fresh

Subject: RE: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: bet
Date: 11 Jun 00 - 09:49 PM

Wow! It's been a long time since I've heard it. will try to recall what Mom sang. If you ever go across the bay to...... woops! I don't know the Scottish version, mine is Ireland, sorry!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 04:01 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 04:18 AM

This one?

Search for more with Google "Galway Bay" song (quotation marks essential)

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 05:12 AM

"Scottish version of Galway Bay"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 04:16 PM

I remember Dominic behan singing something like:

If you ever go across the sea to England,
Welll maybe at the closing of your mind...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 05:32 PM

There's another (Irish) Galway Bay too of course, and that's in the DT as well - My own dear Galway Bay (And also there's an irreverant parody of the one everyone knows.)

But a Scottish version? I'd imagine Scots would be more likely to sing the Irish words, but with a Scottish accent. The sentiments would apply just as well either way. I'm sure there are plenty of Scottish songs that say essentially the same thing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 05:43 PM

If you ever go across the border to Scotland
Be sure to stop in Berwick on the way.
For just like the bends you get when you've been diving
You need to tune your ear to what they say.

I made that up. Can you tell?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: Brakn
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 04:27 AM

"My Own Dear Galway Bay" in the DT is incorrectly titled. It should be just "Galway Bay". Also there seems to be a verse missing.

Re Galway Bay (Scottish)
It starts "Maybe some I'll cross the border back to Scotland"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 01:42 PM

The Dominic Behan version is one I still sing, and it's set in the poor quarters of Dublin, it starts

Oh the wind that blows from Gardner St to Kimmage
Is perfumed by the knackers as it blows
And the women on the pithead picking cinders
Speak a language that the clergy do not know.

John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST,Esther Picken
Date: 20 Jul 14 - 03:19 PM

My mum and Grandpa used to sing.Scottish version. If you ever go across the sea to Scotland it may be 10 hundred years or more. And to see again the moon rise over Stirling and the sun go down on Bonnie Alva Glen. Oh to see again the splendour of the Auchills the road that leads right up and in to Perth.and to.sit beside a trout.stream in Dumbarton and to know your on the dearest land on earth. Oh thw wind that.blow across the fields of Scotland.are perfumed by the Heather as they go unfortunately and sadly I can't remember the rest. X

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 12:41 AM

Thank you, Esther. You and Wilfried have supplied the best answers so far. Yours seems to be a Scottish version of Wilfried's.

Here's what Wilfried linked:

If you ever go across the sea to Ireland,
Then maybe at the closing of your day
You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh,
And watch the sun go down on Galway Bay.
.
Just to hear again the ripple of the trout stream,
The women in the meadows making hay,
And to sit beside a turf- fire in the cabin
And to watch the barefoot gossoons at their play
.
For the breezes blowing o' er the seas from Ireland
Are perfumed by the heather as they blow
And the women in the uplands diggin' praties,
Speak a 1anguage that the strangers do not know.
.
For the strangers came and tried to teach us their way
They scorn'd us just for being what we are
But they might as well go chasing after moonbeams
Or light a penny candle from a star
.
And if there is going to be life hereafter,
And somehow I am sure there's going to be
I will ask God to let me make my heaven
In that dear land across the Irish sea
========================
I'm going to tinker with Esther's remembered lines:

If you ever go across the sea to Scotland -
it may be 10 hundred miles or more-
to see again the moon rise over Stirling
and the sun go down on Bonnie Alva Glen. [how about 'shore'?]
Oh to see again the splendour of the Auchills,
the road that leads right up and in to Perth,
and to.sit beside a trout.stream in Dumbarton,
and to know you're on the dearest land on earth.

Oh the winds that blow across the fields of Scotland
are perfumed by the Heather as they go....
=========
This must have been a well-known song at one time because of the number of parodies posted above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 02:29 AM

There are two standard versions of Galway Bay
The one popularised by Bing Crosby was:
If you ever go across the sea to Ireland
Ref:
This was composed by Arthur Nicholas Whistler Colahan (1884–1952); an Irish doctor, British Army officer and songwriter
Born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Colehan moved with his family moved to Galway, where he grew up.
His most famous work is Galway Bay, which was popularised by Bing Crosby and was the biggest selling record of all time at one stage. Theories abound as to where the song was written or where it was first heard. Some say it was in the home of Dr Morris at 1 Montpelier Terrace, while others believe it was in The Vicars Croft on Taylor's Hill, from where one could see Galway Bay.
The song's most famous outing was for the soundtrack of the John Ford film, The Quiet Man in 1952. Other songs written by Colahan included Maccushla Mine, Asthoreen Bawn, Until God's Day, The Kylemore Pass and The Claddagh Ring.

The other Better (IMO) one.
Galway Bay
Peggy McMahon, Clounlaheen, Miltown Malbay, Recorded in singer's home, September 2000
Carroll Mackenzie Collection

'Tis far away I am today from scenes I roamed a boy,
And long ago the hour I know I first saw Illinois.
But time nor tide, nor waters wide, could wean my heart away.
Forever true, it flies to you, my own dear Galway Bay.

My chosen bride, is by my side her brown hair's silvery grey.
Her daughter Rose alike her grows as April dawns today.
Our eldest boy, his mother's joy, his father's pride and stay.
With gifts like these, I'd live at ease, were I near Galway Bay.

Had I youth's blood and a hopeful mood and heart of fire once more,
For all the gold the earth might hold, I'd never quit your shores.
I'll be content, whatever God sent, with neighbours old and grey.
And lay my bones, 'neath church yard stones, beside you Galway Bay.

Oh grey and bleak, by shore and creek the rugged rocks abound.
They're sweeter green the grass between that grows on Irish ground
But friendship fond, and wealth beyond and love that lives always,
Bless every home, beside your foam, my own dear Galway Bay.

The blessings of a poor old man be with you night and day.
The blessings of a lonely man, whose heart will soon be clay.
'Tis all of heaven I'llask of God upon my dying day
My soul to soar, forever more, above you Galway Bay.

"The earlier of the two 'Galway Bay's, this was composed by Francis Fahy (1854-1935). It was originally written to air of 'Skibbereen' but is now better known sung to one made by Tony Small. Francis Fahy was born on September 29, 1854 in Kinvara, County Galway. He took a civil service exam and emigrated to England in 1873. In London, he helped found the Southwark Literary Club, to engender a love of Irish culture amongst the children of Irish emigrants. This became the Irish Literary Society, and later, the Irish Texts Society, being addressed by the likes of Yeats and Shaw. In 1886, he became president of the emerging Conradh na Gaeilge in London, a position he held until 1908. He retired from the civil service at 65, and died on in 1935, aged 81. His most memorable poems and songs include 'The Ould Plaid Shawl', 'The Queen of Connemara', the original 'Galway Bay', and 'The Tide Full In'. His publications included: 'The Child's Irish Song Book', 1881, 'The Irish Reciter', 1882, 'Irish History in Rhyme', 1882, and 'Irish Songs and Poems', 1887."

Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Jul 14 - 10:43 AM

Thanks for the information, Jim.

Here's a nice video with Bing singing the second Galway Bay, with pix of a trip to Ireland. I recognize the Cliffs of Moher and the burren.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfeRcH-_bWs&list=PL800D48B934675868&index=5

Somebody sure made a lot of money from eight measures of music! (unless the tune was PD)
==============
gossoons are boys or youths. comes from the French 'garcon'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 14 - 10:03 AM

"Gosoons" may well come ultimately from French (or a Latin precursor?) but will have reached Hiberno-English via the Irish word "garsún".

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 22 Jul 14 - 01:08 PM

Hi Leeneia,
Couldn't get your link to work, but doesn't matter - still have the record of Bing singing it somewhere - my mother's favourite singer.
My father was a navvy and him and his mates used to sing it with the verse:
And the women in the uplands digging praties,
Speak a language that George Wimpey does not know
I'm presuming that everybody knows that George Wimpey was one of the notoriously predatory civil engineering contractors, along with McAlpine and Laing, who used to employ road-workers on 'The Lump' in Britain
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 22 Jul 14 - 01:58 PM

This must have been a well-known song at one time because of the number of parodies posted above.

It's still very well known in Ireland and amongst the diaspora, leenia.

Many trinkets sold in Killarney for the tourists still play the tune- even if they are made in China :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 15 - 06:43 PM

If you ever cross the border back to Scotland.
It may be when you're threescore years and ten
Just to see again the moon rise over Stirling.
Or watch the sun go down on bonnie Alva Glen

Just to see again the splendour of the Ochils
The winding road that leads right down to Perth
Or to sit beside the peacocks in Dunfermline
And know you're on the finest land on earth

Now the winds blow across the fields of Scotland
Are scented by the heather as they blow
And the highlanders up north they speak a language
Yes a language that the English do not know

Now the English came and tried to take it from us
At Bannockburn we cut their legions down
But we might as well have let them win the battle
For Scotland now is ruled from London town

They say there's going to be a life hereafter
If that's is so I'll give the Lord my thanks
If he'll grant my wish and let me make my heaven
Here in Scotland on Loch Lomond's bonnie banks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST,Lew Becker
Date: 07 Oct 15 - 08:10 AM

Re the older - and, I agree, far better - version of Galway Bay - there is a great version on Youtube by the wonderful Dolores Keane. And , Dolores if you are out there somewhere, I am a great admirer of your singing. I wish you the best and I hope that sometime in the future I can hear you sing again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Oct 15 - 12:18 PM

the older - and, I agree, far better - version of Galway Bay -

Better, yes, older, hmm. The tune they use for that version was written by Tony Small and is certainly, relatively, recent.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 07 Oct 15 - 01:26 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Oct 15 - 01:28 PM

Fahy's song was - and occasionally still is - sung to "Skibereen"
Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Galway Bay (Scottish)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Oct 15 - 07:37 PM

There was a parody of this song published in a Saturday edition of the Edinburgh Evening News about going to a rugby international .Probably 40 years ago .The only bit I remember is If you ever go across the sea to Scotland to watch your team to play...Then my memory fails me...