She is the elder sister of the singer Enya, who was also briefly a member of Clannad in the early 1980s.
Her music is usually classified as New Age or Celtic. She accepts the Celtic label, but has at times indicated a slight discomfort with being seen as "New Age" as much of her music is strongly Christian, with some of her songs showing additional influences from her Catholic upbringing.
Since 2002, she has promoted herself as Moya Brennan -- a spelling closely resembling the phonetic pronunciation of her name for those not familiar with the Irish variant of the spelling.
According to her official website, her early influences included the likes of Joni Mitchell and the Beach Boys, before she discovered "the extraordinary wealth of Celtic history and melody on her doorstep".
Moya is also a member of Irish vocal supergroup T with the Maggies.
Against The Wind
Máire Brennan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burns the midnight candle
The brave arm in arm
Stands before them now
Up against the wind
Old ways up against the wind
The game is in their hands
Togetherness their courage
Recognize the power
Make a stand before them
Old ways follow the beaten track
Against the wind
Against the wind
Defying their leaders
Holding out for free will
The strong dare to echo
Nothing can stop
Nothing can stop us now
Up against the wind
Old ways up against the wind
The game is in your hands
Reach for every moment
In rising generations
Capturing the change
Make a stand before them
Old ways follow the beaten track
Against the wind
Against the wind
Against the wind
Against the wind
In Máire Brennan's song "Against The Wind", the lyrics speak of a group of people who are standing together in opposition to a larger force. The "wall strong in numbers" is a metaphor for the larger force that they are standing up against, and the "brave arm in arm" symbolizes the unity and solidarity of the group. They are facing opposition from "old ways" and are "up against the wind", which can be interpreted as a symbol of difficulty or opposition.
Throughout the song, there is a call to action for the group to "make a stand before them" and not to "follow the beaten track". The group is defying their leaders and standing up for their own beliefs and free will. The lyrics emphasize the importance of togetherness and courage, recognizing the power that comes with unity.
In the end, the lyrics shift to a more optimistic tone, with a call for the younger generation to take up the cause and "reach for every moment". The lyrics suggest that the change that the group is fighting for will be captured by the younger generation and that they too will have to stand "against the wind" in order to make a difference.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a message of hope and courage in the face of opposition, encouraging people to stand together and fight for what they believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
A wall strong in numbers
A large group with collective strength
Burns the midnight candle
Working long hours into the night
The brave arm in arm
The courageous standing together
Stands before them now
Facing opposition in the present
Up against the wind
Challenging the status quo
Old ways up against the wind
Traditions being challenged
The game is in their hands
They have control of the situation
Calling out the colour
Asking for support and solidarity
Togetherness their courage
Their unity is what gives them strength
Recognize the power
Acknowledging the strength they possess
Make a stand before them
Taking a bold stance against opposition
Old ways follow the beaten track
Not diverting from traditional paths
Against the wind
Going against difficulty and resistance
Defying their leaders
Challenging authority
Holding out for free will
Demanding personal choice and freedom
The strong dare to echo
The powerful voice their opinions
Nothing can stop
No obstacle can impede
Nothing can stop us now
Belief in ultimate success
The game is in your hands
You have control of the situation
Reach for every moment
Seizing every opportunity
In rising generations
The younger population
Capturing the change
Embracing progress and evolution
Against the wind
Challenging adversity
Against the wind
Going against difficulty and resistance
Against the wind
Facing opposition and challenge
Against the wind
Challenging the status quo
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MalonzeProductionsGaming
lyrics--
A wall strong in numbers
Burns the midnight candle
The brave arm in arm
Stands before them now
Up against the wind
Old ways up against the wind
The game is in their hands
Calling out the color
Togetherness, their courage
Recognize the power
Make a stand before them
Old ways follows the beaten track
Against the wind
Against the wind
Defying their leaders
Holding out for free will
The strong dare to echo
Nothing can stop
Nothing can stop us now
Up against the wind
Old ways up against the wind
The game is in your hands
Reach for every moment
In rising generations
Capturing the change
Make a stand before them
Old ways follows the beaten track
Against the wind..
@melomane2010
A great, sadly overlooked album, and deserving of more praise and attention. Maire (backed by her sisters) sings with an empowered, raw emotional edge that conveys a hard-fought wisdom and a strength to persevere.
@michaelburke5907
I played this for a group of black blues musicians at an after hours party in Seattle, blew them away. Couldn't believe the depth, range and sheer power of vocals and instrumentation. Opened their eyes and minds a bit that night. Like, yeah, dude, Irish can KICK IT!
@J.Chapman-Drums
This track is fantastic. The drums sound absolutely amazing!
@tubellarbells
Hipnotic energy. I'm not irish but I can sense the power of the simplicity in Maire's music. Thanks Maire and Clannad, forever in my mental jukebox.
@MalonzeProductionsGaming
lyrics--
A wall strong in numbers
Burns the midnight candle
The brave arm in arm
Stands before them now
Up against the wind
Old ways up against the wind
The game is in their hands
Calling out the color
Togetherness, their courage
Recognize the power
Make a stand before them
Old ways follows the beaten track
Against the wind
Against the wind
Defying their leaders
Holding out for free will
The strong dare to echo
Nothing can stop
Nothing can stop us now
Up against the wind
Old ways up against the wind
The game is in your hands
Reach for every moment
In rising generations
Capturing the change
Make a stand before them
Old ways follows the beaten track
Against the wind..
@TerryFerguson1984
I love this song. It always inspires me to continue fighting.
@communistjesus
Terry Ferguson inspires me to continue fighting <<< fighting??? Against whom and Where ???? GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
@usagi1641
It is on my list running motivational.
Running Anything, in motivational Way.
@judekirk519
Maybe you were never up against the wind... and I think you’re missing the point slightly anyway. Struggle is a necessary part of life. ... the song is a motif for many situations and can be read across a multitude of narratives. Personally it speaks to me and makes me feel good. On the other hand some ‘peace’ advocates I’ve encountered have turned out to be the most controlling / naive people I’ve ever met.
@AidaRaven
This song makes me want to fight the good fight. Damn, this is empowering as hell.