The Cliffs of Dooneen. A beautiful ballad for St. Patrick's Day.

Hello everyone! Here is another beautiful tune from Irish folk music. It's called The Cliffs of Dooneen and it was made popular by Planxty and Christy Moore (a song by him was posted on the blog some time ago).

The words were originally written by a man called Jack McAuliffe born about 1886, however, what you can hear in Planxty's cover is an adaptation.

County Kerry is in Munster, one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south.

The scenery of the cliffs is spectacular.

Take a view o'er the mountains, fine sights you'll see there...

It's a nice place to be on a fine summer's day...

Click on this link to watch a live performance of Planxty and enjoy this beautiful and evocative song. I hope you like it.

Erin Go Bragh!

THE CLIFFS OF DOONEEN- Planxty

You may travel far far from your own native home

Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam

But of all the fine places that I've ever seen

There's none to compare with the cliffs of Dooneen.

Take a view o'er the mountains, fine sights you'll see there

You'll see the high rocky mountains on the west coast of Clare

The towns of Kilkee and Kilrush can be seen

From the high Rocky slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen.

It's a nice place to be on a fine summer's day

Watching all the wild flowers that ne'er do decay

And the hare and the lofty pheasants are plain to be seen

Making homes for their young round the cliffs of Dooneen.

Fare thee well to Dooneen, Fare thee well for a while

And to all the fine people I'm leaving behind

To the streams and the meadows where late I have been

And the high rocky slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen.

You may travel for far from your own native home

Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam

But of all the fine places that l've ever seen

There's none to compare with the Cliffs of Dooneen.

St Patrick's Day 2012 The Wild Rover

More songs for St. Patrick's Day.

This one is another must in any pub. It's called The Wild Rover. This song is very popular in Ireland but actually it comes from Scotland. It is considered a drinking song. However, in its origins it was used by the Temperance movement: a kind of  social group in the 19th century that criticized excesive alcohol use and put pressure on the government to promote an anti-alcohol legislation or prohibition of alcohol.

With the past of time, the song became an anthem among beer and whiskey drinkers. Its popularity spread throughout Britain, Ireland and America via Irish immigrants.

Today, the song is used by Blackburn Rovers football fans in England with the words adapted to suit the team in question.

Being a classic, it has been sung by many folk bands worldwide and it's frequently used to put an end to live shows.

We'll hear two versions: one by the Blarney Lads and the other by The Dubliners. The first one is accompanied by beautiful pictures from Ireland. The second one was recorded live in 2007.Which one do you like best?

Now that you've heard the song you can try singing along with this Karaoke version.

Here are the words and my Spanish translation. Notice there may be changes  according to the version because this is a folk song and every singer does their own variations.

St Patrick's Day 2012 (Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da!!!)

Hello everyone!

On March 17 we're going to celebrate Ireland's National Day, St Patrick's Day. A very important festival to Irish people in Ireland and those expatriate living abroad.
One of the most exciting things about Irish culture is music and on this day, thousands of Irish people worldwide meet in the pub singing to the sound of traditional Irish folk music.
How about preparing for the occasion with some great music?

One of the greatest Irish folk bands of all time are The Dubliners. Their repertoire is massive, yet one of their most popular tunes is the folk classic Whiskey in the jar.
This video shows a live performance from 2007. The Dubliners are alive and kicking and the audience is having a real good time!



You can download the lyrics from this link: Whiskey in the jar lyrics.

If you prefer, you can watch this video in case you feel like singing along as if you were in a karaoke.



I also found some good stuff on youtube especially for those having trouble with this quick song (I hope you are not a little tipsy by now). Below, there's a brilliant translated video to make things easier:

Whiskey in the jar (Spanish subtitled). (Video opens on a different window)

Such a popular song was made into a lot of versions. One of the most popular ones was by Metallica and you can watch how Dubliners go crazy when the song begins.



I hope you enjoy this post. In the meantime:

SLAINTE!!!!!

What's still going on 40 years later?

LYRICS
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya

Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on

In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on

Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby 

The digital story of the nativity.

 Google maps, Wikipedia, Facebook, I-phones. Imagine Nativity in the 21st century.


Merry happy Christmas again.

Salud y República (All Groups).

Here is a special video to celebrate Spanish Republic Anniversary.

It features Christy Moore, one of the greatest Irish folk singers of all time. The song is called Viva la Quinta  Brigada. It's Christy's tribute to the Irish men who came to Spain in support of the legitimate Republican  Government against  Franco and the fascists' aggression.

I heard this song for the first time at a pub in Dublin. I was there with a group of students from Getafe    on our trip to Ireland. The musicians  dedicated it to the Spanish people who were there at the time. 

Let us remember them tonight and every single day of our lives.

VIVA LA QUINTA BRIGADA BY CHRISTY MOORE


Ten years before I saw the light of morning
A comradeship of heroes was laid
From every corner of the world came sailing
The Fifth International Brigade

They came to stand beside the Spanish people
To try and stem the rising fascist tide
Franco's allies were the powerful and wealthy
Frank Ryan's men came from the other side

Even the olives were bleeding
As the battle for Madrid it thundered on
Truth and love against the force of evil
Brotherhood against the fascist clan

CHORUS

Viva la Quinta Brigada
"No Pasaran", the pledge that made them fight
"Adelante" is the cry around the hillside
Let us all remember them tonight

Bob Hilliard was a Church of Ireland pastor
Form Killarney across the Pyrenees he came
From Derry came a brave young Christian Brother
Side by side they fought and died in Spain

Tommy Woods age seventeen died in Cordoba
With Na Fianna he learned to hold his gun
From Dublin to the Villa del Rio
Where he fought and died beneath the blazing sun

CHORUS

Many Irishmen heard the call of Franco
Joined Hitler and Mussolini too
Propaganda from the pulpit and newspapers
Helped O'Duffy to enlist his crew

The word came from Maynooth, "support the Nazis"
The men of cloth failed again
When the Bishops blessed the Blueshirts in Dun Laoghaire
As they sailed beneath the swastika to Spain

CHORUS

This song is a tribute to Frank Ryan
Kit Conway and Dinny Coady too
Peter Daly, Charlie Regan and Hugh Bonar
Though many died I can but name a few

Danny Boyle, Blaser-Brown and Charlie Donnelly
Liam Tumilson and Jim Straney from the Falls
Jack Nalty, Tommy Patton and Frank Conroy
Jim Foley, Tony Fox and Dick O'Neill

CHORUS

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/viva_la_quinta_brigada_lyrics_christy_moore.html
All about Christy Moore: http://www.musictory.com/music/Christy+Moore

Eight letters (All groups)

Would you like to play a word game?
Click on the link 8 letters in search of a word
In this game you have a selection of 8 letters and you have to make as many words with them as you can within a time limit. You score points for each word and if you score enough, you go on to the next level.
Try to play this game each day for about 5 minutes
Have fun!