Daniel O'Donnell – Galway Bay lyrics

Daniel O'Donnell – Galway Bay lyrics

If you ever go across the sea to Ireland
Then maybe at the closing of your day
You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh
And see the sun go down on Galway Bay.

Just to hear again the ripple of the trout stream
The women in the meadows making hay
Or to sit beside a turf fire in the cabin
And watch the barefoot gossoons at their play.

For the breezes blowing o'er the seas from Ireland
Are perfum'd by the heather as they blow
And the women in the uplands diggin' praties
Speak a language that the strangers do not know.

Oh, the strangers came and tried to teach their way
They scorn'd us just for being what we are
But they might as well go chasing after moon beams
Or light a penny candle from a star.

And if there's going to be a life hereafter
That somehow I feel sure there's going to be
I will ask my God to let me make my heaven
In that dear land across the Irish sea.

I will ask my God to let me make my heaven
In that dear land across the Irish sea...

Lyrics taken from /lyrics/d/daniel_odonnell/galway_bay.html

Songwriters: Arthur Colahan

hot lyrics

Galway Bay meanings Post my meaning

Best
Recent
6 meanings

U

+ 15
Unregistered 2021-10-14 01:28:10

Yes it is the British. The next part of the couplet “They scorned us just for being who we are.” Describes the British in Ireland, India and the Middle East as well as any lyric does. I have lots of English ancestors including some wealth landowners at on point, but it is my Irish ancestors that give me pride. They struggled against an occupying gentry and occupying church and kept on in the face of terror and famine.

Add your reply
s

+ 13
shamrock 2021-12-10 08:06:52

My Father's parents were born in Ireland...my Grandmother, from Mitchelstown and my Grandfather, from Tipperary. I learned to sing Galway Bay at the age of 13 and would sing it to my Grandmother. I was 5 years old when my Grandfather died and 14 when my Grandmother died. I sing "Galway Bay" on a regular basis in memory of my Grandparents.

Add your reply
U

+ 6
Unregistered 2021-02-18 20:47:17

I remember my grandfather singing this song, seventy years ago. He was always concerned about badly treated communities. He named my mother Kathleen, after the song I'll take you home again Kathleen. As far as Inknow we have no Irish connections but he told me about the potato famine and how people were forced to leave Ireland, hence his love of this song. I only remembered the first verse.

Add your reply
U

+ 1
Unregistered 2022-04-25 16:02:21

My grandmother taught me Galway Bay 70 years ago. She always used the words 'the English came and tried to teach us their ways...' The words indeed refer to the times Ireland and the Irish had punitive laws imposed on them by the English which included the outlawing of the Irish language.

Add your reply
U

0
Unregistered 2023-02-05 23:50:34

Irish songs have soul, If you listen you will pick
up the songs meaning… Irish people are appreciated
all over the world..Because of the kind and unique
people they are…What are the Irish. Highly intellectual.
Compassionate, empathetic, lovers of music…to say the
Least….

God Bless The Irish…

Add your reply
U

- 1
Unregistered 2021-03-21 13:31:07

Love the song but like everyone else I think they are pinpointing the English as being the strangers a d would love to know the meaning of(the strangers come to teach us there way) is it a anti English song oh I’m English but my single name was Barrett lovely song except that few words

Add your reply

Write about your feelings and thoughts about Galway Bay

Know what this song is about? Does it mean anything special hidden between the lines to you? Share your meaning with community, make it interesting and valuable. Make sure you've read our simple .

U

or log in with

Min 50 words

Not bad

Good

Awesome!

View 10 more explanations

Add your explanation

Write an explanation

20 words

Good

Cool

Awesome!

Explanation guidelines:

Describe what artist is trying to say in a certain line, whether it's personal feelings, strong statement or something else.
Provide song facts, names, places and other worthy info that may give readers a perfect insight on the song's meaning.
Add links, pictures and videos to make your explanation more appealing. Provide quotes to support the facts you mention.

Before you get started, be sure to check out these explanations created by our users: good, very good, great.

Request explanation

Ask us or our community about the part of the song that interests you
We will try to respond as soon as possible

0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z