The Foggy Dew
The Chieftains/Sinéad O'Connor & The Chieftains Lyrics


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I was down the glen one Easter morn
To a city fair rode I
There armed lines of marching men
In squadrons passed me by
No pipe did hum, no battle drum did sound it's loud tattoo
But the Angelus Bells o'er the Liffey swells rang out in the foggy dew
Right proudly high in Dublin town
Hung they out a flag of war
'Twas better to die 'neath that Irish sky
Than at Sulva or Sud el Bar
And from the plains of Royal Meath
Strong men came hurrying through
While Brittania's huns with their long range guns
Sailed in through the foggy dew
Their bravest fell and the requiem bell
Rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide in the
Springing of the year
While the world did gaze with deep amaze
At those fearless men but few
Who bore the fight that freedom's light
Might shine through the foggy dew
And back through the glen
I rode again
And my heart with grief was sore
For I parted then with valiant men
Whom I never shall see n'more
But to and fro in my dreams I go
And I kneel and pray for you




For slavery fled oh glorious dead
When you fell in the foggy dew

Overall Meaning

The Foggy Dew is a song that explores the events that transpired during the Easter Rising of 1916 in Ireland. The lyrics open with the singer recalling his encounter with marching men while he was in the Glen one Easter morning. These men were heading towards a city fair and passed him in armed lines. The singer explains that there was no music playing, and there was an eerie silence all around them. However, the Angelus Bells rang out in the Liffey swells, adding to the sombre mood around them. The second stanza talks about the Irish flag, which hung high in Dublin town, indicating that war was imminent. It was better for the Irish to fight and die under their flag in their homeland than in some foreign lands like Sulva or Sud el Bar. The third and fourth stanzas describe the war and the people who fought on both sides. The men of Royal Meath fought bravely even though Britain's huns had superior long-range guns. However, in the end, the bravest fell, and the requiem bell rang mournfully for those who died that Eastertide. The last stanza of the song recounts the singer's return to the Glen and his grief for the valiant men with whom he parted and will never see again. Yet, the singer still dreams of them and kneels and prays for them because their sacrifice facilitated Ireland's freedom from slavery.


Line by Line Meaning

I was down the glen one Easter morn
One Easter morning, I was walking in the valley.


To a city fair rode I
I traveled to attend a city fair.


There armed lines of marching men
I saw many men marching with weapons.


In squadrons passed me by
They moved past me in orderly groups.


No pipe did hum, no battle drum did sound it's loud tattoo
There was no music or drums to signal an impending battle.


But the Angelus Bells o'er the Liffey swells rang out in the foggy dew
However, the Angelus Bells rang through the foggy air, coming from the nearby river Liffey.


Right proudly high in Dublin town
In Dublin town, a flag fluttered with great pride.


Hung they out a flag of war
The flag was a symbol of war.


'Twas better to die 'neath that Irish sky
Dying beneath the Irish sky was seen as preferable.


Than at Sulva or Sud el Bar
It was better to die fighting for Ireland than in battle in other places.


And from the plains of Royal Meath
Strong men came from Royal Meath.


Strong men came hurrying through
These men rushed to fight for their country.


While Brittania's huns with their long-range guns
Meanwhile, British soldiers with powerful weapons approached.


Sailed in through the foggy dew
They advanced through the foggy air.


Their bravest fell and the requiem bell
The bravest Irish soldiers fell in battle, and a bell was rung to honor them.


Rang mournfully and clear
The bell rang with a sorrowful but clear sound.


For those who died that Eastertide in the springing of the year
The bell was rung to honor those who died around Easter time, when spring begins.


While the world did gaze with deep amaze
The world watched in awe.


At those fearless men but few
Everyone admired the brave Irish soldiers, even though there weren't many of them.


Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew
These soldiers fought for their country's freedom, even in the unclear and foggy conditions.


And back through the glen I rode again
I rode back through the valley.


And my heart with grief was sore
I was deeply saddened in my heart.


For I parted then with valiant men
I left behind the brave soldiers.


Whom I never shall see n'more
I knew that I would never see them again.


But to and fro in my dreams I go
However, I often think about them in my dreams.


And I kneel and pray for you
I kneel and pray for them.


For slavery fled oh glorious dead
I remember them as heroes who fought against oppression and tyranny.


When you fell in the foggy dew
They bravely gave their lives during the foggy battle, and their sacrifice still inspires us today.




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: J BAIRD, TRADITIONAL, PD TRADITIONAL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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