Fields of Athenry

[olddantucker]

Just so you know, the song Damien sang in Melbourne is actually called Fields of Athenry. Damien knows it well, as he played it often enough in 2005 and 2006 at the Riverview pub in Balmain for the Balmain rugby club, as their club song is that tune adapted to Fields of Balmain Skies. (it's also sung by the fans on the Kop at Anfield for the Liverpool football team, with the title
the Fields of Anfield Road.)

Damien used to play it slow and then fast - some of the end choruses, with full rugby club backing, sounded more like the Dropkick Murphys version (search for it on Youtube to see what I mean) - RAUCOUS!

The words of Fields of Athenry are below - note the Aussie reference with Botany Bay...

If anyone has a recording of Damien's version they can send me, please let me know. This is a fantastic song.

By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young girl calling
"Michael, they have taken you away
For you stole Trevelyan's corn
So the young might see the morn'
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay"


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"


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 harbour wall, she watched the last star falling
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
For she'll live in hope and pray for her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely 'round the fields of Athenry


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

[Womby]

They are great lyrics ODT - I would love to hear Damien's version too!

[Mi chiamano Kami]

Thanks for the background information ODT. Damien performing for a rugby club - I would have loved to see that! ;D

[olddantucker]

kamitsuki said:

Thanks for the background information ODT. Damien performing for a rugby club - I would have loved to see that! ;D

He was a regular, and played at the prize giving night in 05 as well as the regular Sat night gigs at the pub.

[Roxy]

You are lucky to have experienced a pub gig with Damien ODT. that's something I'd love to hear/see, Damien just gigging in a pub. It would be like when he sang at the JBT almost..
Great lyrics too. ;D

[Trilly]

The afternoon performance was recorded for DVD, ODT. I'll find out from the RMPO when it is going to be availlable. It was gorgeous!!

[Mi chiamano Kami]

DVD? Really? I can't wait until it's available...

[gj]

trilly said:

The afternoon performance was recorded for DVD, ODT. I'll find out from the RMPO when it is going to be availlable. It was gorgeous!!

ooh yes please thanks Trilly

[irishscorpio]

oh wow ODT, that would have been a brilliant experience. I would have loved to have been there and seen him sing in such an electric atmosphere.
The song itself is about the Irish Famine in the 19th Century and was written by the Dublin man Pete. St Johns in the 1970’s (God bless Wikipedia- I knew the former, but didn't know the writer). The meaning is fairly self explanatory, the desperation one feels when faced with such a hopeless situation, the ramifications of such choices (i.e. deportation) and the sense of longing for freedom.

[SJ]

I don't actually like this song that much, the same with Danny Boy - it's sung too often here, at every sporting event, parties etc.

I love D's version of Danny Boy though, so I'd like to hear his version of this

[olddantucker]

sj said:

I don't actually like this song that much, the same with Danny Boy - it's sung too often here, at every sporting event, parties etc.

I love D's version of Danny Boy though, so I'd like to hear his version of this

Yeah - it's a bit different when you hear a song like Fields of Athenry all the time in Ireland or the UK, but downunder it's not like that.

[erin]

I love Paddy Reilly's version of 'Fields of Athenry'. I bought one of his CDs when I was last in Ireland, and this number would have to be my favourite. I would love to hear Damien singing it also. Have a look at the Gary Og version of this on YouTube which has great audience participation.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqdN0F8mWCk&mode=related&search= which has