Brennan grew up as the eldest in a very musical family in a remote parish in the northwest of Ireland, a place where the Irish language and tradition was and still is very much alive. She sang along with her siblings in the family pub, Leo's Tavern. She also took part in many pantomimes in Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair, the local theatre, usually dancing and singing.
It was during 1970 that she joined her two brothers Pól and Ciarán and their mother's two twin brothers Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin and eventually formed Clannad. After enjoying a decade of being the world's foremost traditional Irish act, they graduated to chart success in 1982 with the album Magical Ring. Moya Brennan was at the forefront of the group's success and her voice suddenly became synonymous with celtic music and Irish music at the time. She has recorded 17 albums with Clannad and has won a Grammy, a BAFTA and an Ivor Novello award with the quintet.
Moya Brennan released her first solo album in 1992, Máire, on Atlantic Records. Misty Eyed Adventures on BGM followed three years later. In 1998, Brennan signed with Word Records and released Perfect Time, and Whisper To The Wild Water a year later. The album was nominated in the Grammy Awards of 2001 for Best New Age Album. 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 several of her songs centering on maintaining a relationship with Jesus Christ. Some of her songs show influences from her Catholic upbringing or seem relational due to her own views concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In total Brennan has recorded 25 albums, and has sold over 20 million records. 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.
Brennan, along with Clannad, are considered as the inventors of contemporary celtic music and are held in high esteem for their vast contribution to modernizing old Irish songs. It is Brennan's haunting voice that has left the most lasting legacy, it has become synonymic with Clannad's work and with Irish music in general. Her ethereal vocalization is considered the archetypal sound of Ireland and strains of her style have been acquired in the soundtracks to Titanic and Riverdance. Brennan is also famous for her harp playing, she has featured it on many Clannad records and her album Two Horizons is based on the discovery of the harp.
Moya is also a member of Irish traditional group, T with the Ms.
Gone Are the Days
Moya Brennan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Found sweeter moments
No worries or cost
Not guilty or lost
Never afraid to fly
Was never afraid to cry
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Long, long gone are the days
Gone are the ways, now of my life
Dreaming of hearts still young
This tide now turning
Ready to begin
Still trying to win
Nothing remains the same
Why, even the change will change
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Long, long gone are the days
Gone are the ways, now of my life
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Fada, fada go banú an lae
Long, long gone are the days
Gone are the ways, now of my life
The lyrics of Moya Brennan’s song Gone Are the Days is essentially about nostalgia and the yearning for simpler and carefree times when the singer was much younger. The opening lines say, “When I was younger then / Found sweeter moments / No worries or cost / Not guilty or lost / Never afraid to fly / Was never afraid to cry.” It reminisces about the memories of the past where the singer had no worries, was fearless in taking risks, and was not weighed down by the guilt or sense of loss. However, the overall theme of the song is the realization that the past is long gone and change is inevitable as one grows old. The chorus, which repeats the lyrics “Long, long gone are the days / Gone are the ways, now of my life” emphasizes this message by reminding the listener that what is lost will always remain lost and that nothing can go back to the way it used to be.
Additionally, the song’s title is derived from the Irish language phrase “fada, fada go banú an lae,” which means from dawn to dusk. The use of Gaelic adds to the emotional tone of the song as it reflects Brennan's Irish heritage and adds an air of mysticism to the lyrics. All in all, Gone Are the Days is a poignant and touching song that evokes memories of simpler times.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was younger then
In the past, during my youth
Found sweeter moments
Encountered joyful experiences
No worries or cost
Without concerns or expenses
Not guilty or lost
Free from blame or confusion
Never afraid to fly
Not scared to take risks
Was never afraid to cry
Did not fear showing emotions
Long, long gone are the days
The time has passed
Gone are the ways, now of my life
Past lifestyle is not present anymore
Dreaming of hearts still young
Imagining youthfulness again
This tide now turning
A new phase is beginning
Ready to begin
Prepared to start afresh
Still trying to win
Attempting to be victorious
Nothing remains the same
Transformation is inevitable
Why, even the change will change
New changes will emerge
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FIONAN DE BARRA, MOYA BRENNAN, PAUL BYRNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Mustoe
If this doesn't become more popular, then I will be convinced people are losing touch with the heart of art. This song comes straight from the heart....creativity at its most brilliant. No presumption...just goes straight inside. (could it be I'm just falling in love with Maire and nobodies seeing what I'm seeing?!!)
Gawaine687
@cymro1957 I quite agree with you! People these days seem to gravitate towards different music, but this song is hypnotically wonderful and one of my absolute favorites. This whole album is suffused with snapshots, creativity, and emotion, but this one is probably the most powerful and affecting.
Justine Jane Rundle
❤ beautiful tune ❤
David Mustoe
Will have to visit your other postings from this album. Its always rarely reassuring to come across work like this. I miss albums, where you could review a more conceptual whole of the artist. Thanks for these postings. (-: