Fields Of Athenry lyrics
Paddy Reilly 🎸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 your free,
Against the Famine and the Crown
I rebelled they cut 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
For she’ll live and hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay
It’s so lonely ’round the Fields of Athenry.
[Chorus]
Song Details
Composer: Pete St. John (1979)
Brief: The song narrates the story of Michael, a man from near County Galway, who, during the devastating Great Irish Famine of the 1840s, steals corn to save his starving family. His act of desperation leads to his capture and exile to Botany Bay in Australia, tearing him away from his home and loved ones. Left behind, his wife faces the challenges of raising their children alone, clinging to her faith and love for Michael, while enduring her sorrow amid the lonely "Fields of Athenry."
The song has been recorded by many artists over the years, and has been used in several movies along with a number of sporting clubs that have also adopted the song.
Movies: “Priest,” “The Matchmaker,” “Veronica Guerin,” and “Dead Poets Society”
Sporting Clubs:- Galway county hurling team in the late 1980s
- Republic of Ireland national football team supporters during the 1990 World Cup
- Celtic Football Club supporters in the early 1990s
Genre: Irish Folk Ballad
Covers: Neil Byrne and Ryan Kelly, Dropkick Murphys, The Dubliners, James Galway, The High Kings, Daniel O'Donnell, Frank Patterson, Brush Shiels, Ronan Tynan (The Irish Tenors) and many more.
Featured Artist: Paddy Reilly - Irish folk singer and guitarist, born in Rathcoole, County Dublin.
Album: The Fields Of Athenry (1982 - IE - 12" Vinyl - Dolphin Records)
The Fields Of Athenry Chords
Key: E MajorTime Signature: 4/4
Tempo: 114 bpm (♩)
The song key is highlighted. Transpose to any other key.
Intro: 4/4 [B7] [B7] [E] - [A] [E]
1. By a [E]lonely prison wall
I [A]heard a young girl [E]call-[B7]ing
[E]Michael they have [A]taken you a-[B7]way
For you [E]stole Trevelyn’s [A]corn
So the [E]young might see the [B7]morn.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the [E]bay - [A] [E]
CH: [E]Low [A]lie the [E]Fields of Athen-[C#m]ry
Where [E]once we watched the [C#m]small free birds [B7]fly.
Our [E]love was on the [A]wing we had [E]dreams and songs to [B7]sing
It’s so lonely ’round the Fields of [E]Athenry - [A] [E]
2. By a [E]lonely prison wall
I [A]heard a young man [E]call-[B7]in'
[E]Nothing matters [A]Mary when your [B7]free,
Against the [E]Famine and the [A]Crown
I re-[E]belled they cut me [B7]down
Now you must raise our child with digni-[E]ty - [A] [E]
CH: [E]Low [A]lie the [E]Fields of Athen-[C#m]ry
Where [E]once we watched the [C#m]small free birds [B7]fly.
Our [E]love was on the [A]wing we had [E]dreams and songs to [B7]sing
It’s so lonely ’round the Fields of [E]Athenry - [A] [E]
3. By a [E]lonely harbour wall
She [A]watched the last star [E]fall-[B7]in'
As the [E]prison ship sailed [A]out against the [B7]sky
For she’ll [E]live and hope and [A]pray
For her [E]love in Botany [B7]Bay
It’s so lonely ’round the Fields of Athen-[E]ry - [A] [E]
CH: [E]Low [A]lie the [E]Fields of Athen-[C#m]ry
Where [E]once we watched the [C#m]small free birds [B7]fly.
Our [E]love was on the [A]wing we had [E]dreams and songs to [B7]sing
It’s so lonely ’round the Fields of [E]Athenry - [A] [E]
Outro: [B7] [B7] [A] [E]
