His compositions are often nostalgic pieces expressing longing for times gone by. "The Fields of Athenry" is an Irish folk ballad set during the Great Irish Famine (1845–1850) about a fictional man named Michael from near Athenry in County Galway who has been sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay, Australia, for stealing food for his starving family. Pete St. John lived an itinerant life - he traveled the world and has spent 15 years in the United States. COPYRIGHT © 2021. The Fields of Athenry The town of Athenry is immortalised in the song 'The Fields of Athenry' which was written by Pete St. John in the 1970s. But it was Indian corn with a kernel so hard that the mills here in Ireland couldn't grind it". Some commentators stopped commenting for the final minutes, so the crowd could be heard. Browse Lyrics.com However, it’s now widely accepted by historians that Government inaction and incompetence made the crisis far worse than it need have been. Watch official video, print or … It's a ballad about the Irish Famine in the 1800s. Paddy On The Railway #10. Springing up at sporting events panning from Celtic soccer to Munster rugby, all the way to pub sessions and folk music festivals, The Fields of Athenry has become Ireland's calling card. Though other inaccurate explanations are still given, it was called 'Áth na Ríogh' ('Ford of the Kings') because it was the home area of the Cenél nDéigill, kings of the Soghain, whose leading lineage were the Ó Mainnín. one wrote. 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 cut me down. Comment and share your favourite lyrics. The lyrics say Michael’s crime is that he "stole Trevelyan's corn" – a reference to Sir Charles Edward Trevelyan, a senior British civil servant at Dublin Castle who infamously said: "The judgement of God sent the calamity to teach the Irish a lesson”. Most of the original town wall of Athenry, which is surrounded by a moat, is still standing, and it has five out of its six towers.. Athenry medieval gate uncovered. "The 'Trevelyan' in the lyric was the Crown agent at the time, he did exist. The Fields of Athenry is a song originally written by Pete St. John in 1970. It's so lonely 'round the fields of Athenry. The Irish Post is the biggest selling national newspaper to the Irish in Britain. It is a widely known and popular anthem for Irish sports supporters. Watch official video, print or download text in PDF. The most famous version of 'The Fields of Athenry' was sung by balladeer Paddy Reilly and spent 73 weeks in the charts early in the 1980s, cementing the imprint of the song on the national Irish psyche. Irish Heart #2. The song tells the story of Lord Trevelyan who brought a supply of corn back from America in a bid to battle starvation during the potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century. Botany Bay: Botany Bay, an open oceanic embayment, is located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 13 km south of the Sydney central business district. Republic Of Ireland, It was, by common consensus, one of the most moving moments in sport, a defeated team cheered to the echo by their hardcore fans singing their anthem. It was the ultimate tribute to the tune. Hopefully they will entice you to sing along next time you hear it! Sung to the tune of “Fields of Athenry”, adopted by fans of Liverpool Football Club. Donegal named coolest place in the world by National Geographic, Ireland's most beautiful landscape - Beara, West Cork, Happy birthday Christy Moore! (I.R.A.!) Speaking to the Scottish Daily Record in 2004, St. John said that 'The Fields of Athenry' "is a song about the potato famine in Ireland - it's that simple. 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. Fields Of Athenry. By a lonely prison wall I heard a young girl calling Michael they are taking you away For you stole Trevelyans corn So the young might see the morn Now a prison ship lay waiting in the bay Chorus: 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 … It tells the story of a young man who is caught stealing corn from Lord Trevelyn during the Irish Famine and who is deported to Botany Bay in Australia as punishment. The town would have remained relatively obscure if not for the song, which has made it internationally famous. The ballad was written in 1970 by prolific Irish composer Pete St. John, whose other famous – yet slightly less well known – songs include The Rare Ould Times and The Ferryman. Here are some fun facts about Fields of Athenry lyrics. Athenry: Athenry (Irish: Baile Átha an Rí, meaning "Town of the Ford of the King") is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Galway city. [1], "The Fields of Athenry" was written in 1979 by Pete St. John, who has stated he heard a story about a young man from the Athenry area who had been caught stealing corn to feed his family during the Irish famine years, and was deported to Australia. The Fields Of Athenry by Paddy Reilly song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position Its name derives from the Irish 'Áth na Ríogh' ('Ford of the Kings') because it was the home area of the Cenél nDéigill, kings of the Soghain. I'd gone to Galway and read some Gaelic tracts about how tough life was in those dreadful times". An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. The Fields of Athenry Farm Story. "Since when is The Fields of Athenry a rebel song?" "Fields of Athenry" is a tune about a fictional character who is from Athenry in County Galway, Ireland, who has been convicted sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay, Australia because he stole food to feed his starving family. Fields Of Athenry, From hot climates to cold climates, from seas to mountains to desert – everything on this planet exists in moderation and balance. It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry. Our love was on the wing, (Sinn Fein!) Fields Of Athenry lyrics. Fields Of Athenry #15. The song is also popular with fans of Galway GAA and Cork City F.C of the League of Ireland, as well as Connacht, Munster, London Irish and Ireland rugby union sides. It tells the story of a young man who is caught stealing corn from Lord Trevelyn during the Irish Famine and who is deported to Botany Bay in Australia as punishment. Choose one of the browsed Fields Of Athenry lyrics, get the lyrics and watch the video. Athenry: Meaning of Athenry . Meanwhile, Arsenal’s famed manager Arsene Wenger, who was working as a French TV pundit, asked the commentators to stop talking so that viewers could hear the Irish singing. The Fields of Athenry is the most famous Irish song of its generation, perhaps the most popular ever, yet very few seem to know its history and background. 103 4. more tracks from the album Irish Heart #1. Turns out, not asking that question left me ignorant as to what healthy truly means. "So it lay uselessly in stores at the docks in Dublin. The question raised, then, is the nature of his intent in writing a “classic folk song” about the Irish Potato Famine when another political conflict was already underway. The Fields of Athenry has more than 846 versions on YouTube and has been translated into 50 languages. “Fields of Athenry” is an Irish folk ballad, telling the story of a man named Michael in the town of Athenry, County Galway, Ireland. Featured, Recordings of the emotional event quickly went viral around the world. Spain's manager Vincente del Bosque said afterwards: "I thought (with) that the Irish fans and players showed us what the game is really about". The song title comes from an east Galway town, 25 miles from Galway City, which few could find on a map. "The song has absolutely nothing to do with republicanism. By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young man calling, "Nothing matters, Mary, when you're free! The song made Pete St. John famous and created a new Irish anthem in a country redolent with Famine folk memories even if people do not fully comprehend them. The Irish Post delivers all the latest Irish news to our online audience around the globe. The Fields of Athenry is set during Ireland’s Famine years of 1845–1850, and tells the story of a fictional man named Michael from Co. Galway, who has been sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay, Australia for stealing food for his starving family. While many people think that Fields of Athenry is (Hey, baby, see the free birds fly?) Most of the original town wall of Athenry, which is surrounded by a moat, is still standing, and it has five out of its six towers.. Archive 2007-08-01. St. John wrote “The Fields of Athenry” during the 1970s, in the midst of the Troubles. Celtic, Everything name meaning, origin, pronunciation, numerology, popularity and more information about Athenry at WIKINAME.NET The Fields Of Anfield Road was adapted in 2009 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster when a third verse was included for the first time. There are 60 lyrics related to Fields Of Athenry. That inspired the line 'Against the famine and the Crown I rebelled'". What does Athenry mean? Pete St. John remembers singing the song acapella before 60,0000 Celtic fans and feeling overwhelmed when they all joined in. As Sean Laffey, editor of Irish Music magazine stated: "Pete St. John’s the 'Fields of Athenry' has become an anthem for the masses (after being brilliantly interpreted by Paddy Reilly) in much the same way as the Corrie’s 'Flower of Scotland' is now almost the unofficial national anthem of the Scots. © Copyright 2021 Irish Studio LLC All rights reserved. Athenry's name derives from the ford ('Áth') crossing the river Clarin just east of the settlement. Most people will associate the town of Athenry with the Norman invasion when they built a tower house / castle on the river ford about 750 years ago. The song was first recorded in 1979 by Danny Doyle, reaching the top ten in the Irish Singles Chart. Athenry is associated with the Ancient Legends, Mythology and Folklore of Ireland! 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