Lisa Hannigan (born Lisa Margaret Hannigan on 12 February 1981 in Kilcloon,… Read Full Bio ↴Lisa Hannigan (born Lisa Margaret Hannigan on 12 February 1981 in Kilcloon, County Meath, Ireland) is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician. Originally coming to public attention in 2001 as the female vocalist from Damien Rice's best-selling breakthrough albums O and 9, she began her solo career in 2007. Since then she has released the albums Sea Sew (2008), Passenger (2011) and At Swim (2016). Hannigan's music has received award nominations both in Ireland and the USA.

A stunning vocalist, Hannigan regularly performed live with Rice from early 2001 until March 2007 when Rice's official website announced that his professional relationship with Hannigan had "run its creative course". During 2005 Hannigan and Rice co-wrote Unplayed Piano which was released to support the Free Aung San Suu Kyi 60th Birthday Campaign. Hannigan also appeared on backing vocals on Mic Christopher's album Skylarkin, as well as the soundtrack to "Goldfish Memory".

In 2006 Hannigan featured as part of The Cake Sale, a collective of mostly Irish, but featuring some international artists, formed by Brian Crosby of Bell X1. On 3rd November 2006 they released a self-titled album in Ireland to raise money for Oxfam and the Irish Make Trade Fair campaign. The album was so successful that it was given an international release the following year; released 10th September 2007 in the UK and 16th October 2007 in the US.

Hannigan has since gone on to pursue her own solo career, releasing her first album Sea Sew in Ireland on September 12th 2008, debuting at number 4 and earning her a Choice Music Prize nomination, two Meteor Music Award nominations and has been shortlisted for the Mercury Prize 2009. The album's first single was Lille followed by I Don't Know.

Sea Sew got an official US release on February 3rd 2009 and a UK release on May 4th 2009. On 21 July 2009, two days after a triumphant performance in torrential rain at the Latitude Festival, it was announced that Sea Sew had been nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize in the UK.

The O Sleep Songfacts reports that Hannigan began writing for her second album in late 2009 and only completed it in March 2011. However, she and producer Joe Henry spent a mere week laying down the tracks in Wales. Passenger was released in the US and Canada on September 20, 2011 and in the Republic of Ireland on October 7, 2011.

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Anahorish
Lisa Hannigan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My "Place Of Clear Water"
The first hill in the world
Where springs washed into
The shiny grass

And darkened cobbles
In the bed of the lane
Anahorish, soft gradient

Of consonant, vowel meadow

After image of lamps
Swung through the yards
On winter evenings
With pails and barrows

Those mound dwellers
Go waist deep in mist

To break the light ice
At wells and dunghills

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lisa Hannigan's song Anahorish are a stunning tribute to a place of natural beauty that is deeply rooted in the singer's memories. The opening lines, "My place of clear water, the first hill in the world, where springs washed into the shiny grass" are a vivid depiction of a landscape that is both familiar and mystical. The use of language is simple and gentle, yet striking in its evocation of a place that is precious to the singer's heart. The darkened cobbles in the bed of the lane and the soft gradient of consonant, vowel meadow convey a sense of peacefulness and harmony with nature.

As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is reminiscing about her childhood in Anahorish. The images of lamps swung through the yards on winter evenings, with pails and barrows, suggest a community that is tightly knit and united in its struggle to withstand the harshness of the weather. The reference to "mound dwellers" who go waist deep in mist to break the light ice at wells and dunghills is an example of the hardiness and resourcefulness of the people of Anahorish in the face of adversity. The overall effect of the song is to capture the beauty of a place and the resilience of its people, leaving the listener with a sense of longing to experience this magical land for themselves.

Line by Line Meaning

My "Place Of Clear Water"
The singer is talking about their special place, a body of water that is clean and clear.

The first hill in the world
The place the singer is referring to is a hill in Anahorish, which they believe to be the first hill in the world.

Where springs washed into
The hill is where springs flow into and feed into the surrounding landscape.

The shiny grass
The grass around the springs appears shiny due to the presence of water.

And darkened cobbles
The lane leading to Anahorish is covered with cobbles that have been darkened over time due to weather and use.

In the bed of the lane
The cobbles are situated in the middle of the lane.

Anahorish, soft gradient
Anahorish is a gently sloping landscape where the gradient is soft.

Of consonant, vowel meadow
The meadow in Anahorish is filled with a combination of consonant and vowel sounds from nature, such as birds and nearby water sources.

After image of lamps
The artist is describing how, in their memory, they envision the lamps being carried around Anahorish in the evenings.

Swung through the yards
The lamps are being carried around the yards and other open spaces in Anahorish.

On winter evenings
The lamps are being carried around in the wintertime.

With pails and barrows
The people carrying the lamps are using pails and barrows to transport materials for various tasks.

Those mound dwellers
The singer is referring to people who live near Anahorish, who often live in houses built into mounds.

Go waist deep in mist
The people living near Anahorish have to deal with mist that is so thick, it goes up to their waists.

To break the light ice
Even though the mist goes up to their waists, the people still have to break up light ice that forms on wells and dunghills.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Lisa Margaret Hannigan, Seamus Heaney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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