The Fields Of Athenry
Johnny Logan & Friends Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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 cut 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 harbor wall,
She watched the last star falling
As that prison ship sailed out against the sky
Sure she′ll wait and hope and pray,
For her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely ′round the fields of Athenry.
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.
The Fields of Athenry tells the story of a young couple, Michael and Mary, who live during the time of the Irish Famine in the mid-19th century. Michael is accused of stealing corn from the wealthy English landowner, Trevelyan, in order to feed his family and others in the community who are also suffering from starvation. He is arrested, tried and convicted before being sent to a prison ship in the bay, leaving behind his pregnant wife, Mary.
The song is an emotional tribute to the struggle and suffering of the Irish people during this period. It conveys a sense of the hopelessness and loneliness felt by those who were left behind with nothing but their memories of the way things used to be. We hear the yearning for freedom, the desperation to survive, and the longing for a better future, all wrapped up in a simple and poignant melody.
The Fields Of Athenry has become one of the most beloved Irish folk songs of all time, with its popularity spreading far beyond Ireland's borders. It has been covered by numerous artists over the years and is frequently sung at Irish sporting events and other occasions where the Irish gather to celebrate their heritage.
Line by Line Meaning
By a lonely prison wall,
The singer is by a wall near a prison, feeling isolated.
I heard a young girl calling
The singer hears a young girl shouting.
Michael, they have taken you away,
The authorities have taken Michael away.
For you stole Trevelyan's corn,
Michael was accused of stealing corn that belonged to Trevelyan.
So the young might see the morn.
Michael stole the corn to help feed the young so they can live to see another day.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.
There's a ship waiting to take Michael away to prison.
Low lie the fields of Athenry
The fields of Athenry are located at a low elevation.
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
The artist and someone else used to watch small birds fly in the fields of Athenry.
Our love was on the wing, we had dreams and songs to sing
The artist and the someone else used to be in love and have dreams and songs to share.
It's so lonely 'round the fields of Athenry.
The fields of Athenry are now lonely and empty without the artist and the someone else.
By a lonely prison wall,
The singer is back at the prison wall.
I heard a young man calling
The artist now hears a young man calling out.
Nothing matters, Mary when you're free
The young man, Michael, tells Mary that nothing matters if he's free.
Against the famine and the Crown,
Michael rebelled against the government's failure to help during the famine.
I rebelled, they cut me down.
Michael was punished for his rebellion.
Now you must raise our child with dignity.
Mary, Michael's partner, is left alone to raise their child with dignity.
By a lonely harbor wall,
The artist is now by a harbor wall.
She watched the last star falling
Mary watches the last star fall.
As that prison ship sailed out against the sky
The prison ship containing Michael sailed away.
Sure she'll wait and hope and pray,
Mary will wait, hope, and pray for Michael's return.
For her love in Botany Bay
Michael is now in Botany Bay.
It's so lonely 'round the fields of Athenry.
The fields of Athenry are still lonely and empty without the characters.
Writer(s): TOM KOCHAN
Contributed by Miles D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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