The band has recorded many albums of instrumental Irish folk music, as well as multiple collaborations with popular musicians of many genres, including Country music, Galician traditional music, Cape Breton and Newfoundland music, and rock and roll. They have performed with Van Morrison, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Roger Daltrey, Elvis Costello, Tom Jones, Sinéad O'Connor, James Galway, Jackson Browne, Nancy Griffith and numerous Country-western artists. In 1975, the group won praise for their playing of "Women of Ireland" for Stanley Kubrick's movie Barry Lyndon.
They have won six Grammy Awards and have been nominated eighteen times. In 2002 they were given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the UK's BBC Radio 2. The front covers of the first four albums were designed by Edward Delaney.
Paddy Moloney is the band's leader, and composes or arranges most of the band's music. While the band's members changed numerous times in the band's early history, the membership solidified in 1979 when Matt Molloy replaced Michael Tubridy.
From then until 2002, members included:
Paddy Moloney (uilleann pipes, tin whistle, button accordion, bodhrán)
Matt Molloy (flute, tin whistle)
Kevin Conneff (bodhrán, vocals)
Seán Keane (fiddle, tin whistle)
Martin Fay (fiddle, bones) (born 1938; died 14 November 2012)
Derek Bell (Irish harp, keyboard instruments, oboe) (born 21 October 1935; died 17 October 2002)
In 2002, Fay retired from active membership. In the same year, Bell died due to complications following a minor operation. Fay died on 14 November 2012.
Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
The Chieftains Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the 23rd of May
We were taken on board by a pleasant crew
Bound for Americay
Fresh water there we did take on
Five thousand gallons or more
In case we'd run short going to New York
Far away from the Shamrock shore
So fare thee well, sweet Lisa, dear
And likewise to Derry town
And twice farewell to my comrades bold
Who still dwell on that sainted ground
If ever fortune, it should favor me
And I do have money in store
Well, I'll come back and I'll wed the sweet lassie I left
On Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
We sailed three days, we were all seasick
Not one on board was free
We were all confined to our bunks
With no one to pity me
No fond mother dear, our father kind
To comfort my head went to sore
This made me think more on the girl I left
On Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
Well, we safely reached the other side
In fifteen and twenty days
We were taken as passengers by a man
And he led us in six different ways
So then we all drank a parting glass
In case we'd never meet more
And we drank our health to old Ireland
And Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
So fare thee well, sweet Lisa dear
And likewise to Derry town
And twice farewell to my comrades bold
Who still dwell on that sainted ground
If ever fortune, it should favor me
And I do have money galore
Well, I'll come back and I'll wed the sweet lassie I left
On Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
The Chieftains' song "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore" is a beautiful and melancholic ballad about an Irishman leaving his home and loved ones behind to sail to America in hopes of a better life. The song describes the singer's departure from Derry Quay on the 23rd of May, aboard a ship bound for New York. The crew takes on fresh water in case of shortages on the long journey across the ocean. The singer is bidding farewell to his beloved Lisa, his fellow comrades, and the old Ireland.
The first verse of the song tells us about the singer's departure from Derry Quay and his journey to America. He's joined by a friendly crew and together they set sail on a ship carrying over five thousand gallons of fresh water. This is crucial because water was a precious commodity during long voyages. They prepare themselves for a long journey far away from their homeland, singing about their beloved homes and the people they leave behind.
In the second verse, the singer talks about the difficulties of the long journey across the ocean. He and his comrades were all seasick for three days and confined to their bunks. They missed the comfort of their families and the people they left behind. They are reminded of the girl he left behind on Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore, which only adds to his homesickness. However, after 15 to 20 days, they safely reach the other side, and the song ends with a bittersweet farewell to Ireland and the hope of returning home someday.
Line by Line Meaning
From Derry Quai we sailed away
We departed from Derry Quai.
On the 23rd of May
We set sail on May 23rd.
We were taken on board by a pleasant crew
We were greeted by a pleasant crew who took us on board.
Bound for Americay
We were headed for America.
Fresh water there we did take on
We stocked up on fresh water.
Five thousand gallons or more
We took on at least 5,000 gallons of fresh water.
In case we'd run short going to New York
We took on extra water in case we ran out during our trip to New York.
Far away from the Shamrock shore
We were leaving behind the Shamrock shore and heading far away.
So fare thee well, sweet Lisa, dear
Goodbye, my dear Lisa.
And likewise to Derry town
Goodbye to Derry town as well.
And twice farewell to my comrades bold
Goodbye to my brave comrades, doubly so.
Who still dwell on that sainted ground
Who remain on that blessed land.
If ever fortune, it should favor me
If I am ever blessed with good fortune.
And I do have money in store
And if I have money saved up.
Well, I'll come back and I'll wed the sweet lassie I left
I will return and marry the sweet girl I left behind.
On Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
Back on the beautiful green shores of Ireland.
We sailed three days, we were all seasick
We spent three days at sea, all of us seasick.
Not one on board was free
None of us were free from seasickness.
We were all confined to our bunks
We were all stuck in our bunks, too sick to move.
With no one to pity me
Nobody felt sorry for me.
No fond mother dear, our father kind
No loving mother or father to care for me.
To comfort my head went to sore
To ease my aching head.
This made me think more on the girl I left
This made me think even more about the girl I had left behind.
Well, we safely reached the other side
We arrived safely at our destination.
In fifteen and twenty days
It took us between fifteen and twenty days.
We were taken as passengers by a man
A man took us on as passengers.
And he led us in six different ways
He showed us six different paths.
So then we all drank a parting glass
We all raised a glass to say goodbye.
In case we'd never meet more
In case we never saw each other again.
And we drank our health to old Ireland
We toasted the health of Ireland.
And Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
And to the beautiful shores of Ireland that we left behind.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEVIN CONNEFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tom canterbury
on North Amerikay
the great accapella version by kevin on tribute to their harpist