The Foggy Dew
The Chieftains with Sinead O'Connor Lyrics
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To a city fair rode I
There armed lines of marching men
In squadrons passed me by
No pipe did hum, nor battle drum
Did sound its loud tatoo
But the angelus bells o'er the liffey swells
Rang out in the foggy dew
Right proudly high in Dublin town
Hung they out the flag of war
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky
Than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar
And from the plains of Royal Meath
Strong men came hurrying through
While Britannia'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
As back through the glen I rode again
And my heart with me fell sore
For I parted then with valiant men
Whom I never shall see 'more
But to and fro in my dreams I go
And I kneel and pray for you
For slavery fled a glorious dead
When you fell in the foggy dew
"The Foggy Dew" is a traditional Irish song that has been covered by many Irish musicians, but Sinead O'Connor's version is one of the most powerful and moving. The song opens with a description of the singer's journey to a city on Easter morning. He witnesses a procession of armed men passing by, but there is no sound of bagpipes or battle drums - only the ringing of church bells. The lyrics suggest that the men are marching in a parade to show their support for Irish independence and sovereignty. The "foggy dew" refers to the misty weather that shrouded the city that day.
The second verse of the song speaks specifically of the Irish rebellion against British rule in 1916. The "flag of war" alludes to the proclamation of the Irish Republic that was read out on Easter Monday in Dublin. The singer suggests that the Irish fighters were willing to die for their cause, because they believed it was better to die on Irish soil than to be killed in battlefields far away. The arrival of British troops with their "long range guns" confirms that this was indeed a military conflict.
The final verse of the song is a lament for the fallen heroes of the Easter Rising. The singer mourns the loss of brave men who died in the struggle for Irish freedom. He describes them as "those fearless men but few, who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew." Despite the sadness and pain of remembering those who have passed on, the singer concludes that their sacrifice has been worthwhile, because it has brought about an end to slavery and oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
As down the glen one Easter morn
I rode through the valley on an Easter morning
To a city fair rode I
I headed to a fair in the city
There armed lines of marching men
I saw rows of militarily-equipped soldiers
In squadrons passed me by
They marched past me in groups
No pipe did hum, nor battle drum
Neither bagpipes nor war drums made any noise
Did sound its loud tatoo
Neither did any other kind of percussion instrument
But the angelus bells o'er the liffey swells
The angelus bells chimed over the neighboring Liffey River
Rang out in the foggy dew
Resounding echoes could be heard in the misty atmosphere
Right proudly high in Dublin town
In central Dublin, there stood a display of great pride
Hung they out the flag of war
They flagrantly waved a symbol of conflict
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky
It was preferable to perish under the Irish sun
Than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar
Than to suffer the same fate in Suvla or Sud-El-Bar
And from the plains of Royal Meath
Men from Royal Meath's plains
Strong men came hurrying through
Rushed to join the battle's aid
While Britannia's Huns with their long range guns
While their opposition overwhelmed with exceptionally long-range artillery
Sailed in through the foggy dew.
Penetrated through the foggy atmosphere
Their bravest fell and the requiem bell
Their most courageous men perished and the funeral bell tolled
Rang mournfully and clear
Uttered a clear yet sad sound
For those who died that Eastertide
For those who perished during Easter
In the springing of the year
At the very beginning of spring
While the world did gaze with deep amaze
Regardless, the world watched with admiration
At those fearless men but few
At the brave but scarce number of men
Who bore the fight that freedom's light
Who fought for the essence of freedom to prevail
Might shine through the foggy dew
Ready for the luster of liberty to be seen through the mists of war
As back through the glen I rode again
On my journey back through the valley
And my heart with me fell sore
My heart ached with grief
For I parted then with valiant men
Parting with courageous male colleagues
Whom I never shall see 'more
Whom I may never meet again
But to and fro in my dreams I go
But in my dreams, I move back and forth
And I kneel and pray for you
I kneel and pray for the fallen
For slavery fled a glorious dead
The end of slavery resulted in a magnificent sacrifice
When you fell in the foggy dew
When the fog enhanced the intensity of the battle's fatalities
Contributed by Chloe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@funnypoison8481
As 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 its 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, O glorious dead
When you fell in the foggy dew
@adriantoader4341
Rest in peace to Sinead O'Connor, one of the few true voices of the Irish isle. We'll deeply miss you.
@kenadams5504
Her son's death (last year) was obviously too much for her to cope with . I've suffered two Familly bereavements in the past 21 months , and it is difficult . I think time eases such pain , though , and its important to remember that . R.I.P to an Irish favourite from a time when we could produce musicians who had soul, talent and character.
@Macthe67
Very special lady RIP 💚
@paulwagner688
Go Raibh Suaimhneas Síoraí Di
@wilekrowan3610
RIP to a real one
@greedy381
Heartbreaking. Oíche mhaith Sinéad 💚
@CarolanIvey
The fire and passion of a thousand years of ancestors rings through that voice. Shivers.
@davesherry5384
LOL! Didn;t know the stack could be that long!
@markschafer7510
Compelling and Chilling...Love!! Erin go Brahg
@carlos81pimenta
Too bad Sinéad don't give a shit about our ancestry, in fact, in her own words, she hates white people. She's a shame for Europe.