My mother passed away. She loved Irish music. We played it for her when she was sick the music gave her some comfort and was a glimmer of happiness in such a sad time ! RIP MOMMA . Please like this in her memory. She loved everyone and helped anyone she could. A living saint. Mom god bless you
My Irish Grandmother is dying at this moment in time. She loves this song so playing it in her last moments of breath. I’m so proud of my Irish roots. I love you Nanna ❤️
Absolutely beautiful and thanks so much for posting, Paddy Reilly is one of the greats in my opinion because he delivers the songs straight from the heart with no artiface or sentimentality.
Today we lost one of our finest songwriters.Just heard the death Irish songwriter Pete St. John. He wrote The Fields of Athenry, The Rare Auld Times and many others. R.I.P. Pete.
Saw him in Edinburgh years ago singing with the Dubliners. Brilliant. This is my ringtone on my phone.Love it PS I am a Protestant Celtic supporter but we are all God's children. Cheers to all.
Bill, your religion has never been an issue for those of us who support Celtic. That's what distinguishes us from those bigots on the other side of town. Lennie Boy
Paddy's the best living singer of many of these songs. His resounding voice fills space like the sea. He's warm and happy, humorous and manifestly thrilled to be articulating the tradition with such passion. I never tire of his voice. Thank you, Paddy, for doing it so well for so long!
My late mother was from Tipperary. My estranged father is from Cork. They came to England in the early 1960s. I was born in Lambeth South London in 1962. I am proud to be London -Irish. I cant change what happened all those years ago but i hope in time we can forgive and learn, in the hope that these things never happen again. My home now is in Kent but my heart belongs to Eire. God bless.
@Joseph Fahy One day the good God will right the wrongs done to His faithful Irish children by their fallen northern neighbors. Tragedy is that what 600 years of persecution by the Brits could not do to the Fightin' Irish, Vatican ll and its phony non-Catholic Modernist irreligion did in 40 Father Patrick, save the Irish from Modernism just as you saved them from Druid paganism.
@Joseph Fahy The world always has rewarded the wicked because the lord of this world brings nothing but death and destruction. There is true justice somewhere and it ain't here.
I love this it's pure soul honest and makes me cry xxx God bless the people who actually lived in them times! You will not be forgotten with a song like this x
To put the Irish famine in true historical fact, I shall teach you about Trevelyen. As a Cornishman and with great shame to say of this character, Trevelyen (pronounced Treh vull yun) was of Cornish parentage, his father was a Cornish clergyman and his mother being Cornish too. Trevelyen was born in Somerset in the Southwest of England and was very prominent in the government and in the treasury, he became an Earl and a Lord. He became the governor of Ireland, when the potato blight hit Ireland it was here that Trevelyen showed his indifference and hatred to the Irish people. Ireland was a very rich agricultural country, but all the cereal, sheep and cattle were shipped to England for the profit of the mainly English landlords, most were absentee landlords. The Irish peasantry (country folk) could only grow potatoes for profit as well as their common food. With the blight hence famine, their main source of income and food disappeared, When the famine was in full force, Trevelyen deliberately held up and slowed down the aid to the famine struck Irish people from the British government, and mis appropriated some of that aid to people who were not that desperate, charge hands, house servants, valued employees on estates for example. Those same employees evicted their masters tenants who could not pay their rent and taxes, and even some tenants of the church owned houses who could not pay the rent and taxes (tythes), hence the government stripped the clothes off of their backs, the landlords carved their flesh off and the church scraped their bones clean as one Irish tenant said. Yet while the people were starving, ships laden with cereals, fattened sheep and cattle sailed to England. Trevelyen wrote to an Irish baron and landlord (and this shows you what Trevelyen really was) he wrote, though not the exact words, "This famine is a good way to depopulate the people of Ireland. It is gods way". He said too "There is no evil in this famine, the evil is in the Irish people and their character"!!! As said, these words were not exactly what he said, I have softened them, mainly because of not remembering them precisely. So Trevelyen was callous and indifferent to the Irish suffering and in fact Trevelyen just hated the Irish... I would say, not to hate the English people, but to hate their elite, the common folk in general did not know, mostly were uneducated and anyway the elite treated their own people exactly the same. You could get a good beating just for not touching your forelock when passing one of the elite. Also for any Americans reading this, the first slaves in America were Irish and British, back in the mid 1600's the government decided to clean up the country by rounding up all beggars, street urchins, orphans, homeless folk, drunkards, anti social elements, poverty stricken folk and those who were rebellious against the crown by thought and deed all over Britain and Ireland, then shipped them to America to be sold as slaves against their will, all profits to the elite, this was way before the African slaves came. Look it up, it's fascinating. For the Irish Famine read Paddy's Lament, I forget the authors name, it's an interesting read. But for Trevelyen, he was not English, though he was born, educated and thrived there, and as much as I hate to say it, he was Cornish.
@John Grindley an awesome read. Thanks for posting! I'd love to read anything original of this if you have a link or anything for me to find it. I will look for Paddy's Lament too. Thank you again xx
Agree that the fault laid at the feet of the elite as it does to this day.. im an english man but this song weighs heavy for all these people endured.. i identify more with them than the 'english' of the time. X
Liam & Helen Flynn Thank you for taking the trouble to put the background in to this story. I have a friend who sings it at folk clubs in the UK and said I would learn the accompaniment to play with her at our next meet. It's true, it's not other nationalities we should hate but the rich and powerful who keep us where we are.
I miss home more than mere words can express... I know that is inpractible to return...My beloved English wife and our sons love the land of their birth too much... but I dream the dream...and watch utube!
Irish and Scottish Celtic people god bless i am one of your children....irish and Highland Scot and Catholic but yes we celts are artists poets survivors politicians policemen and healers and nice to look at....yes love your music god bless the celtic soul
I first heard Paddy singing around 67/68. In those days theyfolk clubs were in full bloom in Dublin and Paddy used to sing at a folk concert in Liberty Hall every Friday Night. He worked by day in Clondalkin Paper Mills. I remember one of his favorites at the time was the Joan Baez number "Deportees"..
"E nessa loucura de dizer que não te quero Vou negando as aparências Disfarçando as evidências Mas pra que viver fingindo Se eu não posso enganar meu coração Eu sei que te amo"
Um, this song is about family's begging to hear their loved ones before they are sent to Australia. Britan sent thousands of innocent men to a prison island.
If you are still around today, hang on a little longer, you will find out who we really are. The end days are here as you can see from the conflicts around the world, we will be reunited soon even if it is in conflict with the world of Islam, yours Methuselah
Both parents born and bred from cork, I was always called a brit when in the defence forces, in England I'm called a plastic paddy, I'm as Irish as the next and proud of it call me what you like. beautiful song.
By a lonely prison wall I heard a young girl calling Michael they are taking you away For you stole Trevelyn's corn So the young might see the morn Now a prison ship lies 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 young man calling Nothing matters mary when you're free Against the famine and the crown I rebelled they ran me down Now you must raise our child with dignity [Chorus:] By a lonely harbour wall She watched the last star falling As the prison ship sailed out against the sky Sure she'll wait and hope and pray For her love in Botany Bay It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry [Chorus:] I put this here for myself to learn lol
My dad a Londoner. Living in Galway. Loved by the locals. 5k folk walked through the house giving their respects. He sang this song always.
No one can do it like Paddy, may God Bless.
God bless you, Paddy! A beautiful, powerful rendition of a great ballad! No flashing lights, no gimmicks, just a man, his voice and his guitar. 🙏👏☘🇮🇪
My mother passed away. She loved Irish music. We played it for her when she was sick the music gave her some comfort and was a glimmer of happiness in such a sad time ! RIP MOMMA . Please like this in her memory. She loved everyone and helped anyone she could. A living saint. Mom god bless you
Joseph A. Lopez it is always sad when you loss a love one, but you still have the memories you can look on
Joseph A. Lopez wow I just written a similar post!!
❤️❤️❤️❤️😥
God bless you.
rest in peace to your mom and god bless your family
Played this at my brothers funeral not a dry tear rip dennis
God bless Paddy Reilly's voice & his particular rendition of this song....(gets me every time)
My Irish Grandmother is dying at this moment in time. She loves this song so playing it in her last moments of breath.
I’m so proud of my Irish roots. I love you Nanna ❤️
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I hope she gained comfort from this song. It truly is a beautiful song.
Awww 🙏
❤❤❤❤☘☘☘☘
May God keep her, and you. My mother was Irish
Absolutely beautiful and thanks so much for posting, Paddy Reilly is one of the greats in my opinion because he delivers the songs straight from the heart with no artiface or sentimentality.
Mr Reilly's rendition always brings tears.
Today we lost one of our finest songwriters.Just heard the death Irish songwriter Pete St. John. He wrote The Fields of Athenry, The Rare Auld Times and many others. R.I.P. Pete.
So sad .......R.I.P Pete St. John 🏴
Nobody sings that beautiful song as well as him
Paddy will always be, the number one singer, of that song. His voice is superb.
Saw him in Edinburgh years ago singing with the Dubliners. Brilliant. This is my ringtone on my phone.Love it PS I am a Protestant Celtic supporter but we are all God's children. Cheers to all.
Bill Hanratty There are only "Celtic Supporters" my friend.
Bill, your religion has never been an issue for those of us who support Celtic. That's what distinguishes us from those bigots on the other side of town. Lennie Boy
Fuck celtic super rangers
My mum use to sing this to me. Touches deep to my heart ❤️ 💚 im proud to have irish routes
I can hear many different versions, yet I always come back to Paddy Reilly. This is the signature piece for this song.
Vim aqui para escutar a música mais tocada na Irlanda, que todos conhecem, como falado no E-Dublin
Eu também!
Tmj /o/
on this Saint Paddys day say a prayer for Brendan Hughes I an an American and a Veteran -he loved his country-gave his life-we go by it different ways
such a wonderful song
Questa canzone aprile porte del paradiso!!!grazie Paddy!!!!😇😇😅😅😍😍😘😘🤩🤩🎸🎶🎶🎶💎💯
Paddy's the best living singer of many of these songs. His resounding voice fills space like the sea. He's warm and happy, humorous and manifestly thrilled to be articulating the tradition with such passion. I never tire of his voice. Thank you, Paddy, for doing it so well for so long!
My late mother was from Tipperary. My estranged father is from Cork. They came to England in the early 1960s. I was born in Lambeth South London in 1962. I am proud to be London -Irish. I cant change what happened all those years ago but i hope in time we can forgive and learn, in the hope that these things never happen again. My home now is in Kent but my heart belongs to Eire. God bless.
Being an Australian of Irish ancestry, this song is really special. My family were originally Irish convicts.
So Botany Bay :-(
@Joseph Fahy One day the good God will right the wrongs done to His faithful Irish children by their fallen northern neighbors.
Tragedy is that what 600 years of persecution by the Brits could not do to the Fightin' Irish, Vatican ll and its phony non-Catholic Modernist irreligion did in 40
Father Patrick, save the Irish from Modernism just as you saved them from Druid paganism.
@Joseph Fahy The world always has rewarded the wicked because the lord of this world brings nothing but death and destruction.
There is true justice somewhere and it ain't here.
Paddy Reilly, my god, what a brilliant voice.
Fantastic music Paddy Reilly is a longtime favourite of mind
Miss you Michael. Can't believe you're gone.... You must be - cause you're not here. Love you forever.💝
I love this it's pure soul honest and makes me cry xxx God bless the people who actually lived in them times! You will not be forgotten with a song like this x
me dad sang this with me n me brothers over the years all working together.miss u loads.xx
Das Mitsingen macht so einen Spaß, man ist eine Einheit mit Paddy.
To put the Irish famine in true historical fact, I shall teach you about Trevelyen. As a Cornishman and with great shame to say of this character, Trevelyen (pronounced Treh vull yun) was of Cornish parentage, his father was a Cornish clergyman and his mother being Cornish too. Trevelyen was born in Somerset in the Southwest of England and was very prominent in the government and in the treasury, he became an Earl and a Lord. He became the governor of Ireland, when the potato blight hit Ireland it was here that Trevelyen showed his indifference and hatred to the Irish people. Ireland was a very rich agricultural country, but all the cereal, sheep and cattle were shipped to England for the profit of the mainly English landlords, most were absentee landlords. The Irish peasantry (country folk) could only grow potatoes for profit as well as their common food. With the blight hence famine, their main source of income and food disappeared,
When the famine was in full force, Trevelyen deliberately held up and slowed down the aid to the famine struck Irish people from the British government, and mis appropriated some of that aid to people who were not that desperate, charge hands, house servants, valued employees on estates for example. Those same employees evicted their masters tenants who could not pay their rent and taxes, and even some tenants of the church owned houses who could not pay the rent and taxes (tythes), hence the government stripped the clothes off of their backs, the landlords carved their flesh off and the church scraped their bones clean as one Irish tenant said. Yet while the people were starving, ships laden with cereals, fattened sheep and cattle sailed to England. Trevelyen wrote to an Irish baron and landlord (and this shows you what Trevelyen really was) he wrote, though not the exact words, "This famine is a good way to depopulate the people of Ireland. It is gods way". He said too "There is no evil in this famine, the evil is in the Irish people and their character"!!! As said, these words were not exactly what he said, I have softened them, mainly because of not remembering them precisely. So Trevelyen was callous and indifferent to the Irish suffering and in fact Trevelyen just hated the Irish...
I would say, not to hate the English people, but to hate their elite, the common folk in general did not know, mostly were uneducated and anyway the elite treated their own people exactly the same. You could get a good beating just for not touching your forelock when passing one of the elite. Also for any Americans reading this, the first slaves in America were Irish and British, back in the mid 1600's the government decided to clean up the country by rounding up all beggars, street urchins, orphans, homeless folk, drunkards, anti social elements, poverty stricken folk and those who were rebellious against the crown by thought and deed all over Britain and Ireland, then shipped them to America to be sold as slaves against their will, all profits to the elite, this was way before the African slaves came. Look it up, it's fascinating. For the Irish Famine read Paddy's Lament, I forget the authors name, it's an interesting read. But for Trevelyen, he was not English, though he was born, educated and thrived there, and as much as I hate to say it, he was Cornish.
@John Grindley an awesome read. Thanks for posting! I'd love to read anything original of this if you have a link or anything for me to find it. I will look for Paddy's Lament too. Thank you again xx
Agree that the fault laid at the feet of the elite as it does to this day.. im an english man but this song weighs heavy for all these people endured.. i identify more with them than the 'english' of the time. X
John Grindley uh
Liam & Helen Flynn Thank you for taking the trouble to put the background in to this story. I have a friend who sings it at folk clubs in the UK and said I would learn the accompaniment to play with her at our next meet. It's true, it's not other nationalities we should hate but the rich and powerful who keep us where we are.
I suspect that many listening here don't need to be 'taught'...we know.
ninguém do E Dublin?
The Irish were born to make music!
Truest words spoken..
+geonuine Music sport literature thats what makes us tick
***** Yes we are if we can get a handle on emmigration and some immigration control we can keep it that way
+stoney71 Try listening to the words.....
And write fantastic poetry. (The occasional novel was penned by n Irishman too).
I'm a Yankee in Boston who loves hearing Mr Reilly sing songs of the of Irish history
+joej167 Phillies fan here. Philadelphia has a ton of Irish too
No words... Just legendary 👏
I miss home more than mere words can express... I know that is inpractible to return...My beloved English wife and our sons love the land of their birth too much... but I dream the dream...and watch utube!
we all love eire
sometimes but it drives you mad too!
This song has everything and Paddy Reilly does it like no other. "Nothing matters, Mary, when you're free."
It's so depressing, but I don't believe I've ever heard a more heartfelt and beautiful song.
What a beautiful but very sad song - I play it every day.
Irish and Scottish Celtic people god bless i am one of your children....irish and Highland Scot and Catholic but yes we celts are artists poets survivors politicians policemen and healers and nice to look at....yes love your music god bless the celtic soul
Wonderful Songs. Keep Playing these great collections of Irish Songs. Priceless
Paddy Reilly version is the best ever and always will be !!!!!!
I fully agree. He has an amazing voice.
Absolutely agree
I am Spanish and end up in tears every time I listen to this...
Paddy sei fantastico!! Questa canzone e bellissima!!😌😇😄😍😘💘💕💞💋🎅
thanks for posting this,
such a beautiful song, always brings a tear to my eye it was my grans favorite and played at her funeral god bless her soul.
I love this song. Paddy's voice when he sings it is brilliant, it makes the hairs sand on the back of your neck.
💚🍀🇮🇪 Always reminds me of my Aunt Mary who passed away this was played at her funeral
As a hospital radio presenter in Scotland this was one of my most requested song sung of course by Paddy.
Heard Paddy live in my local 'Catholic club'. In South Yorkshire some 15 years ago. Was always a favourite of mine - excellent voice!
One of the REALLY great Irish singers .
An honor to listen to this master .
The best voice in folk music.
Beautiful, Straight to the heart strings this one, #hairsstanding
He makes it seem so easy.Great guy, great voice,great song
First I ever heard this song, it was Paddy singing it. It was outside at a Chicago festival, with the seagulls soaring overhead. One of the best!
Im Polish,I love irish ballads,irish people +Paddy Reilly - is best!
eirene pax good for you😊
Thank You very much !
love the traditional Irish music, Paddy Reilly, Liam Clancy etc.
I first heard Paddy singing around 67/68. In those days theyfolk clubs were in full bloom in Dublin and Paddy used to sing at a folk concert in Liberty Hall every Friday Night. He worked by day in Clondalkin Paper Mills. I remember one of his favorites at the time was the Joan Baez number "Deportees"..
Try listening to this and not shed a tear... Erin Go Bragh...
+Celtic Lady. Granted!
Questa canzone e stupenda!!!e tu Paddy la canti con il cuore!! Con la tua splendida voce!!! 😅😅😀😍😍😘😘💔♥️💗🎸💋🎶💎🌟
True, So true
Thomas Greene 🍀💚
Thank u
That was my husbands favorite song.He would sing it a lot .He passed away a few years ago..God bless him.R.I.P.
Questa canzone e meravigliosa !! Sublime!! Paddy sei fantastico!! 😇😅😀😍😘💔💓🎸🎶♥️💎💋
Brings tears to a glass eye.
it,s so lonely round the fields of athienry beautiful song 🎶 🎶
"E nessa loucura de dizer que não te quero
Vou negando as aparências
Disfarçando as evidências
Mas pra que viver fingindo
Se eu não posso enganar meu coração
Eu sei que te amo"
Um, this song is about family's begging to hear their loved ones before they are sent to Australia. Britan sent thousands of innocent men to a prison island.
Only heard of this yesterday watching Ireland vs Belgium absolute crazy atmosphere from the Irish fans!
From an English fan!
I meet lots of English tourists in the Dublin pubs...the nicest folks I've ever met.
+Michael Crowe
Ok...
that sounds fake
but ok
Piss off
A great rendition! God bless you, Paddy...
What a song,what a voice,i'm ashamed to be british,if this song does not raise hairs on the back of your neck you have no soul--brilliant
Un grand bonhomme ce Paddy Reilly. Il s'est joint aux Dubliners un peu trop tard.
Un véritable troubadour qui sait présenter ses chants. Merci
God Bless Ireland And Our Irish Ancestors..................My Family Came From Waterford County in 1841...................
If you are still around today, hang on a little longer, you will find out who we really are. The end days are here as you can see from the conflicts around the world, we will be reunited soon even if it is in conflict with the world of Islam, yours Methuselah
this is by far my favourite version 👍
Rest in peace Pete st John
paddy reilly is amazing,a perfect version of this song,he could allways deliver a song perfectly.
God I miss home......
God Bless you Paddy, love this song ❤
A great song and a beautiful singer
I'm so proud to be Irish ..
+Bridget Whiteley On St Patrick's day...we all love to be Irish - would the whole world would be Irish in that day.
+David O'Reilly Me as well!
+Bridget Whiteley Hear ! Hear !.......Ditto
Bridget Whiteley vai.
Bridget Whiteley so am I parents both gone but I'm still proud to be fro m Donegal
Both parents born and bred from cork, I was always called a brit when in the defence forces, in England I'm called a plastic paddy, I'm as Irish as the next and proud of it call me what you like. beautiful song.
Daniel you are indeed an Irishman. You may not have been born there but your heart and soul are Irish
Do you know brendan Joyce he call a plastic paddy aswell and he looking forward to his history as he said himself
My fave author is Frank McCourt, I think they called him a plastic Paddy too. I am proud to know I do have Ulster Scots & Irish roots
If u lived in England we called them all brits and still are brits.
This song makes me wanna cry and he's solo good at it :)
The most beautiful song ever made ... Just shows the Brits how they really are ...
So nice!
Good man, Paddy! no better man than to sing a song about Galway...!
Incredible and touching performance. R.
By a lonely prison wall
I heard a young girl calling
Michael they are taking you away
For you stole Trevelyn's corn
So the young might see the morn
Now a prison ship lies 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 young man calling
Nothing matters mary when you're free
Against the famine and the crown
I rebelled they ran me down
Now you must raise our child with dignity
[Chorus:]
By a lonely harbour wall
She watched the last star falling
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
Sure she'll wait and hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry
[Chorus:]
I put this here for myself to learn lol
Btilliant
thanks, man!
Memories of my father.
Truly beautiful song sung by the best.
Beautiful song 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
Evan live ......superb
if only my dad tim riordan from county cork was here to listen to this great times dad
this music will last forever... (i could rant for hours about it.. but i'll only piss you all off..) but this is music
Paddy Reilly I love you forever
This song reminds my of my grandads funeral :'( good song
Irish history that preceded the playing of hills of…
love this song . think of my dad who died to young. god bless my dad.
What a singer!!!
A sweet sad song of a terrible horrific time.
Que música linda!
Hats off☺😍😍😍😍irlanders.
I wish I could be their in 1986 listing and loving my beautiful county even more "Erin Go Bragh" "Ireland Forever" god bless you Paddy Reilly
Chasem1916 pp
This the only version worth listening to
I'm Irish, and bloody proud of it!
Me 2 as northern Irish Catholic.put down for so many yrs.you can not beat us .we will rise up.and still be here when u are not.
Excellent
Words is music, its amazing in life, when you really listen
EURO 2012 RESPECT !!!!!
dd50
Surely there can't be a better version of this song than this.Beautiful song.