The Fields of Athenry
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"The Fields of Athenry" is a song about the Irish Famine of the late 1840s, which was composed in the 1980s by Pete St. John, a prolific composer of widely sung modern ballads; his other most famous song is "Dublin in the Rare Ol' Time"'. His songs often express regret for the loss of old certainties (the latter song regrets the loss of Nelson's Pillar and the Metropole Ballroom, two symbols of old Dublin, as progress makes a 'city of my town'). The Fields of Athenry is widely seen as the definitive folk song on the Famine, telling the story of the Famine through the personal experiences of someone gaoled and deported.
The song, which was first recorded by Irish ballad singer Paddy Reilly, recounts the tale of a mythical Irishman in prison, reporting the story he could hear through the prison walls of another prisoner who is being deported to Botany Bay for stealing food to feed his starving family.
The song has been recorded by many artists, but Paddy Reilly's original version, with Reilly's distinctive baritone vocalisation, and orchestral arrangement, is generally seen as the definitive version.
The song is also strongly associated with the football club Celtic F.C. (of Glasgow, Scotland) which has a strong association with Ireland. It is often chanted by supporters at matches.
Versions of the song are often sung by supporters of the Provisional IRA, Sinn Fein, and their various extremist republican offshoots. The version of the chorus as sung by them is as follows: "Low lie the fields of Athenry - SINN FEIN! IRA!". Because of this, some of the popularity of the song has suffered over recent years.
A reggae version of the song was also recorded by the Century Steel Band in the early 1990s. The Dropkick Murphys also recorded a punk-rock version of this song on their 2003 album Blackout. Second-generation Irish Londoners, Neck, also recorded a "pyscho-ceilidh" version of the song. A punk version of the song was also recorded by the band 'No Use For A Name.'
The Fields of Athenry
By the lonely prison wall, I heard a young girl calling,
Michael, they have taken you away.
For you stole Trevelyan's1 corn,
So the young might see the morn,
Now the 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 the lonely prison wall, I heard a young man calling,
Nothing matters, Mary, when you're free.
'gainst the famine and the Crown
I rebelled, they cut me down.
Now you must raise our child with dignity.
Chorus
By the lonely harbour wall, she watched the last star falling,
As the prison ship sailed against the sky,
For she'll live and hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay.
It's so lonely around the fields of Athenry.
Chorus
See also
- Amhrán na bhFiann
- History of Ireland
- Irish potato famine
- list of Irish ballads
- Northern Ireland
- Republic of Ireland
- Charles Edward Trevelyan
Footnote
1Trevelyan refers to Charles Edward Trevelyan, a senior British civil servant in the administration of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in Dublin Castle, who saw the Famine in classic Malthusian theory as a natural means of 'controlling excessive population', Trevelyan is widely blamed for the inadequacy of the British Government's response. His reports to London underestimated the severity of the Famine and overestimated the problems that could arise in providing assistance to the starving.