Christy Moore started in the music business in the mid-sixties, when his life as a bank clerk was interrupted by a bank strike, and he moved to England. There he became involved in the folk music scene at the time, and spent a few years playing pubs and clubs around the country.
His return to Ireland was marked by the album 'Prosperous', which proved to be a milestone in the rapprochement of Irish music to the popular mainstream. This album benefited from a collaboration of the leading talents of contemporary folk music, musicians such as Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny and Liam O'Flynn, and this one-off was to lead to the formation of Planxty, a band who were soon to be at the leading edge of the revival of Irish traditional music.
Over the following years the musical status of Planxty became legendary both in Ireland, Britain and throughout Europe. However in 1974 the band split up to pursue solo projects. It was during this period that Christy continued to explore new ground as a solo artist recording a number of solo albums including 'The Iron Behind the Velvet' (TARACD2002) which featured Andy Irvine and 'Live in Dublin' (TARACD2005) with Donal Lunny.
The original Planxty lineup of Christy, Andy, Liam and Donal then reformed in 1979. They recorded two further albums with Tara Records 'After the Break' (TARACD3001) and 'The Woman I Loved So Well' (TARACD3005). There were several additions and changes to their lineup most notably the addition of Matt Molloy, flautist from The Bothy Band, who later joined The Chieftains, and Bill Whelan.
In 1981 Planxty performed a Bill Whelan arrangement called 'Timedance' as the intermission piece for the Eurovision song contest, held that year in Ireland. Later it was released as a single and is now included on Bill's CD of 'The Seville Suite' (TARACD3030) released by Tara in 1992.
In the eighties Christy again teamed up with Donal Lunny to form Moving Hearts, another ambitious and innovative Irish band which sought to mix jazz into the folk-rock fusion. Ever the wanderer, Christy was soon breaking out on his own again, and it was in the eighties that he began to establish himself as one of Ireland's leading solo artists with a string of acclaimed albums and high profile tours.
In the mid-nineties Christy decided to take a break from the music for a few years. In the year 2000 Christy return to live performances with a series of Dublin concerts. Over the last few years he has released a number of solo projects including a television series, a live album and a 6 CD boxset.
Cliffs Of Dooneen
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam
But of all the fine places that I've ever seen
There's none to compare with the cliffs of Dooneen
Take a view o'er the mountains, fine sights you'll see there
You'll see the high rocky mountains on the west coast of Clare
The towns of Kilkee and Kilrush can be seen
Fare thee well to Dooneen, Fare thee well for a while
And to all the fine people I'm leaving behind
To the streams and the meadows where late I have been
And the high rocky slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen
You may travel for far from your own native home
Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam
But of all the fine places that l've ever seen
There's none to compare with the Cliffs of Dooneen
The song, Cliffs of Dooneen, by Christy Moore, is a tribute to the beauty and charm of the cliffs located in County Clare, Ireland. The lyrics capture the sentiments of an individual who has to leave home and venture into far-off lands. The song epitomizes such a person's longing for their hometown and its natural surroundings, signifying the emotional connection between the land and the people born and raised there.
The first stanza of the song interprets the awe-inspiring beauty of the location, stating that, even after traveling far and wide, the cliffs of Dooneen remain unparalleled. Bethinking of leaving his homeland, the singer recalls the towering rocks and the scenic beauty that he will miss. The second stanza speaks of the exquisite panorama visible from atop the hills of these cliffs. The view of the splendid mountains and the towns of Kilkee and Kilrush from the cliffs' rocky slopes is unparalleled. The third and final stanza bids goodbye to the cherished memories and moments spent in Dooneen, the streams, the meadows, and the people. The last line reasserts the singer's sentiments that, despite all the joys of traveling around the world, nothing can match the beauty of Cliffs of Dooneen.
Line by Line Meaning
You may travel far far from your own native home
Even though you might have gone far from your homeland
Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam
Travelled across mountains and seas, far from home
But of all the fine places that I've ever seen
Of all the wonderful places I've been to
There's none to compare with the cliffs of Dooneen
The Cliffs of Dooneen is incomparable to any other place
Take a view o'er the mountains, fine sights you'll see there
If you look at the mountains you will see breathtaking scenery
You'll see the high rocky mountains on the west coast of Clare
You will witness the tall and rocky mountains located in the western coast of Clare
The towns of Kilkee and Kilrush can be seen
The towns Kilkee and Kilrush are visible from there
From the high Rocky slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen
From the high and steep slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen
Fare thee well to Dooneen, Fare thee well for a while
Saying goodbye for a while to Dooneen
And to all the fine people I'm leaving behind
Leaving behind all the wonderful people in Dooneen
To the streams and the meadows where late I have been
To the streams and meadows where I have visited recently
And the high rocky slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen
Also, the high rocky slopes of the Cliffs of Dooneen
You may travel for far from your own native home
Even though you might have gone far from your homeland
Far away o'er the mountains, far away o'er the foam
Travelled across mountains and seas, far from home
But of all the fine places that l've ever seen
Of all the wonderful places I've been to
There's none to compare with the Cliffs of Dooneen
The Cliffs of Dooneen is incomparable to any other place
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDY IRVINE, CHRISTY MOORE, DONAL LUNNY, LIAM O'FLYNN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sean Carney
Outstanding! This is Irish Celtic "Black Soul "Music, right to the heart ❤️
Vincent McNabb
God Bless Ireland 🇮🇪
Shaun Aherne
Worked in kilrush went out to Kilkee absolutely breathtaking soul taking beauty
Chi Wong
Love it to bits
Andy Irvine Fanblog
Fantastic!
David Hamill
Irish people have soul
kevin lynch
Fantastic.
Just wanted to say my Dad sang it better...
Rory Brennan
Doubt that very much.
manchesterblue2007
slainte mo chairde
John Oleary
Up.the.Irish.25.7.2022