This song was written in 1984 about Achill and the Islands of Ireland. The air was inspired by the gift of a fife from the 1882 fife and drum band to John 'Twin' by Martin Joe McNamara. The fife had been played by Martin's brother Sonny.
While John 'Twin' was trying out the fife the air to this song came to him. At the time he was looking over across the river from his home at the ‘Joe’ brothers walking up their land to harvest the crops.
lyrics
The islands of Ireland on lake and on sea
Have a magic and a charm they’re steeped in history
And of all those lovely islands, the pearl of the sea
Is that island, Achill Island home sweet home to me
Down through the ages you’ve been lashed by the waves
From the wild Atlantic ocean they have formed your caves
They have moulded your inlets your fine strands and bays
Still your headland stands firm in the teeth of the gales
It's the place where I was born many, many, years ago
In those days when emigration forced the young and old to go
And I’m hoping and I’m praying to return and feel free
On that island Achill Island, home sweet home to me
The storied Hy-Brasil it briefly appears
From the mist on the ocean once in every seven years
And when you’re in Achill in the beautiful west
You may catch one rare glance of that isle of the blessed
The flowered Isle of Gougane Barra, Lake Isle of Inishfree
Off the coast of Connemara, those famous islands three
Way up North lies stormy Rathlin, south peaceful Inish Clear
Lambay, Arranmore, and Tory, Inishbofin, Turk and Clare
Sadly, many now abandoned, Gola, Blasket, Inis Gé
And historic Inis Gluaire, ancient home of Clanna Lir
But of all those lovely islands, the pearl of the sea
Is that island, Achill Island, home sweet home to me
It’s the place where I was born many, many, years ago
In those days when emigration forced the young and old to go
And I’m hoping and I’m praying to return and feel free
On that island Achill Island, home sweet home to me
West stands mighty Croaghaun, with its lake Corrymore
Let your eyes take a wander they’ll meet the grand Slievemore
Standing tall as a monument to all gone before
From their homeland Achill Island to their heavenly shore
Not forgetting scenic Minaun, those cathedral cliffs so blue
Mountains decked with purple heather and ferns of russet hue
The houses are still whitewashed, the curraghs plough the sea
Round that island Achill Island home sweet home to me
It’s the place where I was born, many, many, years ago
In those days when emigration forced the young and old to go
And I’m longing and I’m praying to return and feel free
On that island Achill Island, home sweet home to me
Sadly, many now abandoned, Gola, Blasket, Inis Gé
And historic Inis Gluaire, ancient home of Clanna Lir
But of all those lovely islands, the pearl of the sea
Is that island, Achill Island, home sweet home to me
It’s the place where I was born many, many, years ago
In those days when emigration forced the young and old to go
And I’m hoping and I’m praying to return and feel free
On that island Achill Island, home sweet home to me
West stands mighty Croaghaun, with its lake Corrymore
Let your eyes take a wander they’ll meet the grand Slievemore
Standing tall as a monument to all gone before
From their homeland Achill Island to their heavenly shore
Not forgetting scenic Minaun, those cathedral cliffs so blue
Mountains decked with purple heather and ferns of russet hue
The houses are still whitewashed, the curraghs plough the sea
Round that island Achill Island home sweet home to me
It’s the place where I was born, many, many, years ago
In those days when emigration forced the young and old to go
And I’m longing and I’m praying to return and feel free
On that island Achill Island, home sweet home to me
On that island Achill Island, home sweet home to me!
credits
from Oileán m'Aislingí / Island of my Dreams,
released October 24, 2022
Lyrics: John 'Twin' McNamara
Music: John 'Twin' McNamara
Musical accompaniment: Michael Lavelle (Whistles),
Cian McNamara (Accordion) & Caoilte Ó Cuanaigh (Guitar)
John 'Twin' McNamara is one of Achill’s most important historians, folklorists and collector of songs, poetry and stories
associated with Achill and its connections to significant aspects of our local and national cultural heritage. His life has been dedicated to the promotion of Achill and in particular its language, music, and culture. He was the driving force behind the revival of Scoil Acla,...more
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