Since March 2005 Paddy Schmidt once again leads the band Paddy Goes To Holyhead. He tours throughout Europe with and without the band with over 250 performances annually.
The Fields Of Athenry
Paddy Schmidt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I heard a young girl calling
Michael they have taken you away,
For you stole trevelyn corn
So the young might see the morn,
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay
CHORUS
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,
Its so lonely round the Fields of Athenry
By a lonley prison wall
I heard a young man calling
′Nothing matters Mary, when you're free′
Against the famine and the crown,
I rebelled, they brought me down
Now its lonley round the fields of athenry
CHORUS
By a lonley harbour wall
She watched the last star falling
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
Sure she" live in hope and pray
For her love in Botney Bay
Its so lonely round the Fields Of Athenry
The Fields of Athenry is a song of sadness and loss that tells the tale of a man named Michael who was sent to prison for stealing corn to feed his family during the famine in Ireland. The song is written from the perspective of Michael and his love interest Mary. The first verse describes Mary standing outside the prison, desperately calling to Michael. She knows that he's been taken away and that he's on his way to a prison ship waiting in the bay. The chorus speaks to the devastation that has befallen their village, once a place of prosperity and freedom. "Low lie" suggests that the village is now depressed and disheartened. They used to watch the small, free birds fly but now they are alone, with "dreams and songs to sing" but no one to share them with.
The second verse is from Michael's perspective, describing his despair and how he once rebelled against the famine and the crown, but they brought him down. He too feels lonely in the prison, but at least he'll know when he's free, unlike Mary who is left to wait and pray for him. The final verse is from Mary's perspective again, watching the last star falling as the prison ship sails out into the sky. She lives in hope and prays every single day, knowing that her love is in Botney Bay, possibly never to return. The song is a powerful reminder of the struggle that so many Irish people faced during the famine and the aftermath and the devastating effect that it had on the country.
Line by Line Meaning
Bu a lonely prison wall
The singer is standing by a prison wall, and it is empty and lonely.
I heard a young girl calling
The singer hears the voice of a young girl, who seems to be calling out for someone.
Michael they have taken you away
The girl is calling out for Michael, who has been taken away. It seems that he has been arrested for stealing corn.
For you stole trevelyn corn
Michael has been arrested because he stole corn from a man named Trevelyn.
So the young might see the morn
Michael's intention for stealing the corn was to help the young people of his community have food to eat.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay
Michael is now being held on a prison ship that is docked in the bay.
Low lie, The Fields Of Athenry
The singer is describing how the fields of Athenry are now in a state of ruin.
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
The artist remembers a time when the fields of Athenry were beautiful and free, and the birds were able to fly there without being encumbered.
Our love was on the wing
The artist and someone they love used to enjoy spending time together in the fields of Athenry, where they felt free and happy.
We had dreams and songs to sing
The artist and their loved one had big dreams for the future, and they enjoyed singing together in the fields of Athenry.
Its so lonely round the Fields of Athenry
The singer laments that the fields of Athenry are now in shambles, and there is no longer anyone there to enjoy them or keep them company.
By a lonely prison wall
The artist is now standing by a different prison wall, which is also empty and lonely.
I heard a young man calling
The singer hears the voice of a young man, who seems to be speaking to someone named Mary.
′Nothing matters Mary, when you're free′
The young man is telling Mary that nothing in life matters as much as being free.
Against the famine and the crown
The young man explains that he rebelled against both the famine and the ruling authority at the time.
I rebelled, they brought me down
The young man's rebellion against authority resulted in him being captured and imprisoned.
Now its lonely round the fields of Athenry
The artist laments that the fields of Athenry are still in shambles and that the absence of freedom and companionship makes it feel even emptier.
By a lonely harbour wall
The singer is now standing by a harbor wall, where they observe the twinkling of the last star in the night sky.
She watched the last star falling
The singer describes how they watched the last star fall as they stood by the harbor wall.
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
As the artist watches the star fall, they also observe a prison ship leaving the harbor and sailing out to sea.
Sure she'll live in hope and pray
The artist is hopeful that the person they are referring to, likely Michael or Mary, will maintain hope and faith in the midst of their struggles.
For her love in Botney Bay
The female speaker is praying for her love, who is currently imprisoned in Botney Bay.
Its so lonely round the Fields Of Athenry
The singer reiterates that the fields of Athenry remain a lonely and desolate place, even as people all around them hope and pray for better things to come.
Contributed by Joshua H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.