The Foggy Dew (Irish War Song)

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#TheFoggyDew #sineadoconnor #TheChieftans #IrishMusic #Irish #Trad #Folk #Celtic

[saxonhermit]

Well sung. The Foggy Dew is best sung as a lament, in addition to a war song. We grieve our fallen fathers, and we honor their fight. Well sung, indeed. I appreciate this a lot.

[Nmc]

Lyrics, for anyone interested:

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's swell, rang out in the foggy dew

Right proudly high in Dublin Town, hung they out a 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 through in the foggy dew

The 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 no 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

[saludanite]

Things have a way of returning.
Do not forget these verses.

[countsmyth]

I'm an Irishman living abroad, getting ready for my trip home in August. Real people, real music and real Guinness.

[jonathanymusic]

I WOULD DIE FIGHTING THE ENGLISH BESIDE YE, COLM MCGUINNESS

[alexm-e]

My great grandfathers on my dad’s side were in the Post Office and at Bolands Mill in 1916. I never got to meet them but they both lived through to see their republic flourish. Even if they were on opposite sides of the ensuing civil war. 🇨🇦🇮🇪

[melijov]

What a powerful voice! What a glorious fight for freedom. Long live Irish people and their music !!!

[Lechu]

I am from Argentina, but I feel a deep and inexplicable admiration for the Irish brothers and their culture. This song and others like The Parting Glass or Ireland's Call move me to the verge of tears. Long live the Irish people!

[H.P.Loveshack]

There's another verse that's not included in most versions, but it's so good.

Oh the night fell black, and the rifles' crack made perfidious Albion reel,
'Mid the leaden rain, seven tongues of flame flashed over the lines of steel.
By each shining blade a prayer was said that to Ireland her sons be true.
And when the morning broke, the war flag shook its folds out o'er the foggy dew.

[Minilena]

Fun fact: On the Celtic Circle CD featuring this wonderful song performed by The Chieftains and Sinéad O'Connor, the track on the disk is actually called The Froggy Dew if you check the track names through a computer. Listened to it so many times growing up <3

[skycendre]

it was St Patrick's Day last year and I tried to sing this song like you're doing, full voice and putting my heart in it. At the line "Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew" I started crying, that's just how powerful this line is. Next time I'll have your voice to do it for me <3

[andreav]

Wow. THIS is the reason I love Irish folk music - so much emotion. It cuts deep and tells stories you feel...and Colm, your voice is one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. Please never stop singing and making music. You're so talented. Your music speaks to my very core.

[BitDinosaur]

Dude, im literally walking home at night and a massive fog rolled in. The timing of this song is immaculate

[MasonShmason]

Your keening is so strong, I got shivers. The vocal fry adds to your lament so well. My family was Catholic in what's now Northern Ireland...fled Ireland for many reasons long before the Easter Rising. We diaspora need to educate themselves on things like this, our fathers' brothers are still family, and they fought like hell for a free Ireland.

[izzydiangelo]

I am in a class called Irish History, I personally have majority of my family from Tuam, Galaway, and when my teacher and I met up the teacher that day the queen passed as we sang this song, I felt the irish pride coming through from my grandmother and from her family who faught through the troubles fearlessly and proud.

[MrZemme]

The breath control this requires even at normal speed is intense and he took it slower. I'm blown away. The instrumentalization behind this is breathtaking too, especially in the beginning around "The Angelus Bells".

[brahmpayton]

My family came over a century-ish ago. I've never felt like anything other than American.

But I feel this song in my bones. You did it beautifully.

[karukun]

Back again. I am memorizing this now. I have a hard timer getting through it without tears. They flow both for my ancestors/people and all they gave in so many ways for Irish freedom, and for us now who face the same challenge, and how meaningful that is.

[kimraudenbush]

These are the full lyrics, including the verse he omitted.
"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 bell o'er the Liffy's swell
Rang out in the foggy dew.

Right proudly high over Dublin town
They hung 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 Brittania's Huns with their long-range guns
Sailed in through the foggy dew.

[Oh the night fell black and the rifle's crack
made perfidious Albion reel.
Mid the leaden rain seven tongues of flame
did shine o'er the lines of steel.
By each shining blade a prayer was said
that to Ireland her sons be true.
When the morning broke still the war flag shook
out its fold on the foggy dew.

'Twas England bade our wild geese go
That small nations might be free.
But their lonely graves are by Suvla's waves
Or the fringe of the grey North Sea.
Oh had they died by Pearse's side
Or fought with Cathal Brugha,
Their graves we would keep where the Fenians sleep
'Neath the shroud of the foggy dew.]

Oh the bravest fell, and the requiem bell
Rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide
In the springing of the year.
And the world did gaze in deep amaze
At those fearless men but few
Who bore the fight that freedom's light
Might shine through the foggy dew.

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 the more
but to and fro in my dreams I'll go
and I'll kneel and pray for you
oh slavery fled oh glorious dead
when you fell in the foggy dew"

[lamiagumbo]

One of my favorite things about this artist is that his voice is so full of emotion. It's one thing to be good in a technical sense but his voice just has so many colors to it, I love it!