This song has been in my psyche since the early 90's it is the most beautiful lament, filled with hope and deep loss- bittersweet to the last. Just such a touching set of lyrics as they tell the truth of the historical migration, but also how it reaches the stories of all of us as life ebbs and flows, precious relationships get pulled apart and vacuums poorly filled- yet fath love and hope remain....superb, thank you!
I cannot listen to this without crying. It is the most poignant song I have ever heard about the migrant experience from the point of view of those left behind. I first heard this on the BBC series Bringing It All Back Home about 30 years. Heart wrenching.
I’m Irish American I play guitar I would love to cover this cause I think it’s one of the most beautiful pieces of lyrics I’ve ever heard .. I cry after years of hearing it
One of my all-time favorite songs. Every time I hear it I try to imagine what my great great grandmother on my father's side must have went through and what they had to overcome.
I saw this at a gala event at the University of Trinity in Dublin. This was for their 450 anniversary celebration. People in the audience, watching this for the first time, were openly crying very hard, it had such a deep impact on people. I will never forget this song.
It's St Paddy's Day 2024...I come back to this song a few times a year... have loved it since the first version I heard in the 90s...it's simply sad and beautiful at the same time....☘️
It's truly devastating, heartbreaking for those Mothers and Fathers of those times. Their child would meet somebody and get married, have friends and a comfortable lifestyle, and no doubt they were lonely, but the parents had little to look forward to as child after child took off to find work and life.
Somehow I had completely forgotten about this song. I can remember listening to this a lot with my Dad. This song is definitely a mood. It's such a beautifully sad song.
For sure one of the saddest Songs I ever heard, but I love it. It touched me deep inside since I first found it a few years ago. Just an amazing performance. Robbies Voice is pure Gold 😍
looking back, when germany died, searching for an ireland. Ire rescued german children nobody new... everything in quiet. I just can love the Eire enlessly. Bad times come back again no more. There is a big honor from germany for Ireland and a deep duty. Wow!
I first heard Kilkelly in 1991 on a cassette of folk songs from a duo out of Minnesota, and it still brings tears to my eyes.. The photos in the video only add to the emotion. Thank you so much for posting this.
My parents immigrated from Ireland to Chicago in 1965 where I was born...I ended up coming back to live in Ireland in 1992...funny how things turn out...
The lyrics: Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 60, my dear and loving son John Your good friend the schoolmaster Pat McNamara's so good As to write these words down Your brothers have all gone to find work in England The house is so empty and sad The crop of potatoes is sorely infected A third to a half of them bad And your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell Are going to be married in June Your mother says not to work on the railroad And be sure to come on home soon Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 70, dear and loving son John Hello to your Mrs and to your 4 children May they grow healthy and strong Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble I suppose that he never will learn Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of And now we have nothing to burn And Brigid is happy, you named a child for her And now she's got six of her own You say you found work, but you don't say What kind or when you will be coming home Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 80, dear Michael and John, my sons I'm sorry to give you the very sad news That your dear old mother has gone We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly Your brothers and Brigid were there You don't have to worry, she died very quickly Remember her in your prayers And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning With money he's sure to buy land For the crop has been poor and the people Are selling at any price that they can Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 90, my dear and loving son John I guess that I must be close on to eighty It's thirty years since you're gone Because of all of the money you send me I'm still living out on my own Michael has built himself a fine house And Brigid's daughters have grown Thank you for sending your family picture They're lovely young women and men You say that you might even come for a visit What joy to see you again Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 92, my dear brother John I'm sorry that I didn't write sooner to tell you that father passed on He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful And healthy right down to the end Ah, you should have seen him play with The grandchildren of Pat McNamara, your friend And we buried him alongside of mother Down at the Kilkelly churchyard He was a strong and a feisty old man Considering his life was so hard And it's funny the way he kept talking about you He called for you in the end Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit We'd all love to see you again
I come from a big Family in co Limerick , my father was born in 1908 my grandfather was born at the time of the famine , I have only recently found out that a lot of my father’s Family went out to America, the sad and confusing thing is , my father lived to be 85 and he had 9 Brothers and sisters , not one of them ever told us anything about the people who immigrated to America , seems like when you were gone you are forgoting, God bless Ireland and all his sons and daughters Who are scattered all over the world☘️
Thank you Jimmy for posting this. It is one of the most beautiful and emotional songs I've ever heard. I first heard it on the BBC series Bringing It All Back Home and the CD is one of my most treasured. I played this in its entirety to the 6th formers at the after-school music class I ran. They were visibly moved.
The faces of some of the children in the photos - so much suffering, unbearable to see; how much worse to live. Maybe they grew up to find peace and security, let's hope - if they avoided the TB, the wars etc. God. A perfect epistolary short story in song form.
Every Irishman is entitled to a homesick song.
This song has been in my psyche since the early 90's it is the most beautiful lament, filled with hope and deep loss- bittersweet to the last. Just such a touching set of lyrics as they tell the truth of the historical migration, but also how it reaches the stories of all of us as life ebbs and flows, precious relationships get pulled apart and vacuums poorly filled- yet fath love and hope remain....superb, thank you!
Left Germany 16 years ago for a better life in the United States. I can relate to the lyrics.
I cannot listen to this without crying. It is the most poignant song I have ever heard about the migrant experience from the point of view of those left behind. I first heard this on the BBC series Bringing It All Back Home about 30 years. Heart wrenching.
Same here. Tried to learn it for 2 decades but every time I really think of the lyrics I can't go on.
I’m Irish American I play guitar I would love to cover this cause I think it’s one of the most beautiful pieces of lyrics I’ve ever heard .. I cry after years of hearing it
One of my all-time favorite songs. Every time I hear it I try to imagine what my great great grandmother on my father's side must have went through and what they had to overcome.
I saw this at a gala event at the University of Trinity in Dublin. This was for their 450 anniversary celebration. People in the audience, watching this for the first time, were openly crying very hard, it had such a deep impact on people. I will never forget this song.
It's St Paddy's Day 2024...I come back to this song a few times a year... have loved it since the first version I heard in the 90s...it's simply sad and beautiful at the same time....☘️
It's truly devastating, heartbreaking for those Mothers and Fathers of those times.
Their child would meet somebody and get married, have friends and a comfortable lifestyle, and no doubt they were lonely, but the parents had little to look forward to as child after child took off to find work and life.
Excellent musicianship and singing
Somehow I had completely forgotten about this song. I can remember listening to this a lot with my Dad. This song is definitely a mood. It's such a beautifully sad song.
This song always makes me tear up. Our family life set to music, And it was based on a real story. 😔
For sure one of the saddest Songs I ever heard, but I love it. It touched me deep inside since I first found it a few years ago. Just an amazing performance. Robbies Voice is pure Gold 😍
looking back, when germany died, searching for an ireland. Ire rescued german children nobody new... everything in quiet. I just can love the Eire enlessly. Bad times come back again no more. There is a big honor from germany for Ireland and a deep duty. Wow!
One of my favorite songs of all time.
best song ever, straight from the heart
Wish I could find a copy of the documentary "Irish Music in America - A Musical Migration", which is where I first saw this particular clip
I first heard Kilkelly in 1991 on a cassette of folk songs from a duo out of Minnesota, and it still brings tears to my eyes.. The photos in the video only add to the emotion. Thank you so much for posting this.
My parents immigrated from Ireland to Chicago in 1965 where I was born...I ended up coming back to live in Ireland in 1992...funny how things turn out...
The lyrics:
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 60, my dear and loving son John
Your good friend the schoolmaster Pat McNamara's so good
As to write these words down
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England
The house is so empty and sad
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected
A third to a half of them bad
And your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell
Are going to be married in June
Your mother says not to work on the railroad
And be sure to come on home soon
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 70, dear and loving son John
Hello to your Mrs and to your 4 children
May they grow healthy and strong
Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble
I suppose that he never will learn
Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of
And now we have nothing to burn
And Brigid is happy, you named a child for her
And now she's got six of her own
You say you found work, but you don't say
What kind or when you will be coming home
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 80, dear Michael and John, my sons
I'm sorry to give you the very sad news
That your dear old mother has gone
We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly
Your brothers and Brigid were there
You don't have to worry, she died very quickly
Remember her in your prayers
And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning
With money he's sure to buy land
For the crop has been poor and the people
Are selling at any price that they can
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 90, my dear and loving son John
I guess that I must be close on to eighty
It's thirty years since you're gone
Because of all of the money you send me
I'm still living out on my own
Michael has built himself a fine house
And Brigid's daughters have grown
Thank you for sending your family picture
They're lovely young women and men
You say that you might even come for a visit
What joy to see you again
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 92, my dear brother John
I'm sorry that I didn't write sooner to tell you that father passed on
He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful
And healthy right down to the end
Ah, you should have seen him play with
The grandchildren of Pat McNamara, your friend
And we buried him alongside of mother
Down at the Kilkelly churchyard
He was a strong and a feisty old man
Considering his life was so hard
And it's funny the way he kept talking about you
He called for you in the end
Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit
We'd all love to see you again
Thank you ☘️
So much loss and sorrow
Oh my gosh. Peter Jones' composition lives
I come from a big Family in co Limerick , my father was born in 1908 my grandfather was born at the time of the famine , I have only recently found out that a lot of my father’s Family went out to America, the sad and confusing thing is , my father lived to be 85 and he had 9 Brothers and sisters , not one of them ever told us anything about the people who immigrated to America , seems like when you were gone you are forgoting, God bless Ireland and all his sons and daughters Who are scattered all over the world☘️
Ireland will be last White nation in western countries of Europe.
This one makes my eyes cry.
Thank you Jimmy for posting this.
It is one of the most beautiful and emotional songs I've ever heard. I first heard it on the BBC series Bringing It All Back Home and the CD is one of my most treasured.
I played this in its entirety to the 6th formers at the after-school music class I ran. They were visibly moved.
Must have been a good group of youths...
And my tears dwell once again.
Existential performance
Literally tears… wow!
I love this song so much 🍀💚
Beautiful misery
Love it
Incredibly sad and powerful. Ní dhéanfaidh mé dearmad riamh ar an t-amhrán seo go scara m'anam le mo chorp.
By far my favorite version of this touching song.
Can't listen to this without my eyes leaking...beautifully sad.
Impresionante, me saltan las lágrimas, y me trae recuerdos de nuestra emigración a Hispanoamérica.
Totally beautiful! Just gorgeuos! Go raibh maith agat!
Awesome
farewell Mick
God bless michael
Perhaps the saddest song ever.
Thank you kind sir. God Bless you and yours as well.
Wow. Robbie is such a young fella here. Any idea how what or when on the video?
The faces of some of the children in the photos - so much suffering, unbearable to see; how much worse to live. Maybe they grew up to find peace and security, let's hope - if they avoided the TB, the wars etc. God. A perfect epistolary short story in song form.
Wow! What year is this video from?
About 1989 or so
Sounds like Michael Stipe is singing this song.
He may have heard it and influenced by it. Maybe he has some Irish in his blood...