"Song For Ireland" was written by a Scotsman, Phil Colclough, and his wife June, about their time spent living in Ireland. Ralph McTell, one of England's premiere folk singers who covers this song, and who also lived in Ireland for some time, gave it the ultimate compliment when he said, "I wish I had written it."
Song for Ireland
Walking all the day
Near tall towers where falcons build their nests
Silver-winged they fly
They know the call of freedom in their breasts
Saw Black Head against the sky
With twisted rocks that run down to the sea
Living on your western shore
Saw summer sunsets, asked for more
I stood by your Atlantic Sea
And sang a song for Ireland
Talking all the day
With true friends who try to make you stay
Telling jokes and news
Singing songs to pass the night away
Watched the Galway salmon run
Like silver dancing, darting in the sun
Drinking all the day
In old pubs where fiddlers love to play
Someone touched the bow
He played a reel, it seemed so grand and gay
Stood on Dingle Beach and cast
In wild foam we found Atlantic bass
Dreaming in the night
I saw a land where no man had to fight
Waking in your dawn
I saw you crying in the morning light
Lying where the falcons fly
They twist and turn all in your air-blue sky
Brought a tear to my eye. All four of my grandparents came from diferent parts of Ireland in the late 1800s. I remember hearing stories of the chickens runing in and out of the house. In this country they worked hard, brought up children with love, and never forgot the old country. (10/15/2011)
mike2236 4 months ago
Brought a tear to my eye. All four of my grandparents came from diferent parts of Ireland in the late 1800s. I remember hearing stories of the chickens runing in and out of the house. In this country they worked hard, brought up children with love, and never forgot the old country.
mike2236 4 months ago
Wow! So very beautiful ! My story is your story. I know the words to that Mary Black song by heart and for good reason. please respond : maura_burke@hcpss.org
maura6131 1 year ago
Happy St Patricks Day
donegal2 2 years ago
Nice video I hope they found happiness in the new world
markand76 2 years ago
great tribute
irishbuy 2 years ago
Beautifully done, you should be proud of this video.
lauriewiltsern 3 years ago
Beautiful video. My grandparents are from Cork. I must say the man, I guess your grandfather at 0:34, was quite handsome, weird of me to say, but it's true. lol.
MadcapLindsay 3 years ago
A beautiful song performed so well.
It does not get much better than this.
SCORDRIBBLE 3 years ago
Brought a tear to my eye. the end showed Bay Ridge,Bklyn.We left there in 1995. The neighbor went down. Not like the old days. Harvey 425
Harvey425 4 years ago