.

I heard this song on a CD I borrowed from a friend:

Irish Sing-Along
Compose Records - Recorded in Ireland.  
ISBN 0-7396-0053-2
800-738-3747
ppisales@peterpan.com
www.peterpan.com

I tried the website and it's not working.  I don't know about the phone
number or the email address.



I was very impressed with the artistry and humor of the musicians on
this recording.  They do have a few jokes that are a bit edgy, but by
today's 'standards' it's pretty mild stuff.

I was mostly interested in the very IRISH SOUND that they impart,
using traditional instruments and that pace and lilt in the voice that
is nearly impossible to write down on paper.  

The Irish folk style of singing is a delicate art form, and it does not
get a lot of attention in "educated" music circles. But it seems to me
that it would take just as many years of study and practice to
achieve true polish in this genre of vocal lyricism as it would to become
proficient in Opera or German folk music or Italian, for example.  

Come to think of it, perhaps the contrast between Italian folk music
and Irish folk music is at the root of tensions between these two
communities all over the world - outside of Italy and Ireland, that is!!


I couldn't find the same artists (I think it's Mc Vey) on YouTube, but
here is an Australian Irish duo, Foster & Allen, doing a very nice job
with it.  I remain befuddled that two different Irish bands each doing
an excellent job on an Irish folk style song about Irishmen in
Australia can sound so DIFFERENT and yet be truly artists true to the
regional music they're performing.  This song has a kind of Australian
flavor to the melody and composition, but it seems to be very
descriptive of true Australian natives with true Irish traditions, singing
about their hearts being drawn to their love of their ancient homeland
far across the world and in the opposite hemisphere.  Their lives are
truly in the land "down under," and yet they could hardly be further
from the land of their fond memories.  

The thought occurred to me that you can't get shamrocks to grow
wild in Australia, but you can't stop Irish music from erupting there.



If We Only Had Old Ireland Over Here  (this is the video)


IF WE ONLY HAD OLD IRELAND OVER HERE  (this is the source of the lyrics)
(Fallon)
« © '63 Writer Share, PD »


(Intro/v.1)
I was dreaming of old Ireland and Killarney's lakes and dells
I was dreaming of the shamrock and the dear old Shandon Bells
When my memories suggested in a vision bright and clear
All the strange things that would happen if we had old Ireland here

(Chorus)
If the Blarney stone stood out in Sidney Harbor
And Dublin Town to Melbourne came to stay
If the Shannon River joined the Brisbane Waters
And Killarney's lakes flowed into Botany Bay

If the Shandon Bells rang out in old Fremantle
And County Cork in Adelaide did appear
Erin's sons would never roam, all the boys would stay at home
If we only had old Ireland over here

[ piano ]

(v.2)
There were lots of lovely lassies dancin' on the village green
There are lots of lovely coleens - the finest ever seen!
Where the boys were all called "Paddy," and the girls called "Molly Dear"
Sure we'd wrap the green flag round them if we had old Ireland here

(Chorus)
If the Blarney stone stood out in Sidney Harbor
And Dublin Town to Melbourne came to stay
If the Shannon River joined the Brisbane Waters
And Killarney's lakes flowed into Botany Bay

If the Shandon Bells rang out in old Fremantle.
And County Cork in Adelaide did appear
Erin's sons would never roam, all the boys would stay at home
If we only had old Ireland over here

(Rept. 2nd half of Chorus)
If the Shandon Bells rang out in old Fremantle...
If we only had old Ireland over here

**********


I think this is a great song.

If anyone knows other Irish songs that they really enjoy,
please share links to them here, or perhaps post the lyrics
or even images of the sheet music if that's even possible.

For a true Irish artist, the words and chords to the song
would be like the list of ingredients for a great chef - you
never know what he'll come up with as a finished product.

Here's some for starters:

My sisters and I go to Irish Fest in Milwaukee and there we disvcovered Cherish the Ladies.  Here is a fun song by them:




Of course, the great Tommy Makem.  Here he is singing The Cobbler:



This by the Wolfe Tones...a classic..'the Streets of New York'




This next one by the Wolfe tones, 'the Great Hunger'



This on about the Masses said on the rocks when Church went underground:



Here are lyrics:

The Mass Rock In The Glen - Leo McCaffrey Irish Tenor

Lyrics:- In a lonely mountain valley
In the mountains of Tyrone
Lies one of Ireland's hallowed spots
Deserted and unknown
But few who write historic tales
Or wield the poet's pen
Can say with pride - they knelt beside
The Mass Rock in the glen

Our priests like wolves were hunted down
O God 'twas surely hard
That from the right to worship Thee
Thy children were debarred
But still they proudly bore
Thy cross Those simple mountain men
Were proud to share Thy Calvary
By the Mass Rock in the glen

No more on top of Corradeenagh Hill
The sentinel stands guard
Our ancient foes, the foreign yokes
Have gone to their reward
And he who worships God in peace
May bless the fearless men
Who held the faith for Ireland
By the Mass Rock in the glen

God Bless the glens of Ireland
Every rock and mountain pass
'twas those same glens that under God
Preserved for us, the Mass
And if the day should come again
When Ireland calls for men
She will not find them wanting
By the Mass Rock in the glen

Yes, Riverdance is as if the Druids came back!

And another...

Barney MacKenna, master of the banjo: