Athenry Favorites

Favorite thing: 'The Fields of Athenry' is a song known all over the world. Many presume that the song has a long history, but it was in fact written in 1979 by 'The Dubliners'. Others claim that they have modified a song from 1888 .

These days it is often sung at various gathering and has become embedded into the 'celtic cultural landscape'. It is song ( like 'Galway bay' as well) that Irish mothers will be singing to the offspring for decades to come.

The text is below - and I'm sure you are savvy enough (unlike me) to find somewhere to download it properly and hear it sung. Looking out from the top of the castle in Athenry with the song on your i-pod would no doubt be the perfect way to experience the town.

Fields Of Athenry

Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry

By a lonely prison wall I heard a young girl calling
Michael they are taking you away
For you stole Trevelyan's corn so the young might see the morn
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay

By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young man calling
Nothing matters, Mary, when you're free
Against the famine and the Crown I rebelled, they caught me down
Now you must raise our child with dignity

By a lonely harbour wall, she watched the last star falling
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
For she'll live in hope and pray for her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry