Paddy Reilly   •   The Fields Of Athenry (2002)

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  • The Fields of Athenry
    • 2002 - Dolphin DOLCD 205 CD [IRL]
  • Tracklist
    1. Fields Of Athenry (St. John)
    2. Bunch Of Thyme (Trad. P. Reilly)
    3. The Crack Was 90 In The Isle Of Man (Rush)
    4. John O Dreams (Bill Caddick)
    5. Scorn Not His Simplicity (Coulter)
    6. Farewell To The Rhonda (Hennessy)
    7. Mulligan And Me (Roy Taylor)
    8. Beautiful Dreamer (Trad. P. Reilly)
    9. Champion at Keeping Them Rolling (MacColl)
    10. Dancing At Whitsun (Trad. P. Reilly)
    11. Farewell to Dublin (Warfield)
    12. The Galtee Mountain Boy (Trad. P. Reilly)
    13. Farewell To Nova Scotia (Creighton)
    14. Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore (Trad. P. Reilly)
    15. Jim Larkin (John)
    16. Only Our Rivers Run Free (McConnell)

  • Track Sources & Notes
    • Tracks: 3, 6 & 10-15 are from Green Shamrock Shore (1980)
    • Tracks: 2 & 5 are from a single release in 1981 (Dolphin DOS 156)
    • Track: 1 is from a single release in 1982 (Dolphin DOS 169)
    • Tracks: 4, 7 & 8 first appeared on the original 1984 LP [1] release.
      • All Paddy Reiily album releases of "The Fields of Athenry" have slightly different track lists.

Sleeve Notes

This album features the original hit recording of Paddy Reilly's "The Fields of Athenry" with remained in the Irish Charts for over a year. Written by Pete St. John, this song has become one of the most recorded Irish ballads of all time and has also established itself as one of the great sporting anthems.

From the terraces of Glasgow Celtic's Parkhead to Landsdowne Road to Thomand Park or 'Muzzer', "The Fields … " has become entrenched in the Irish psyche. We do not always reach the promise of sporting glory, but we'll die trying and singing till we're hoarse. "Dreams And Songs To Sing" in a nut shell.

Perhaps it's the struggle against adversity that strikes a chord with Irish sports fans everywhere. Front the terraces of Glasgow's Celtic Park to Lansdowne Road, to Thomond Park or “Muzzer", The Fields... has become entrenched in the Irish psyche establishing itself as one of the great sporting anthems. We do not always reach the promised land of sporting glory hut we'll die trying and singing till we're hoarse. “Dreams And Songs To Sing" in a nutshell. 'This great ballad was written by Pete St John, and tells the story of a young mans struggle to feed his wife and child during the great famine of 1847. Lord Trevelyan, the British Government's Relief Commission appointee, brought a supply of com back from America in a bid to battle starvation, Unfortunately it was Indian corn too hard to be milled, so useless. However, local people thought it would save them, broke into stores, were arrested and deported to Australia never to see their families again. Perhaps it's this struggle against adversity that strikes a chord with Irish sports fans everywhere. From the terraces of Glasgow Celtic's Parkhead to Landsdowne Road, to Thomond Park or “Muzzer". The Fields... has become entrenched in the Irish psyche establishing itself as one of the great sporting anthems. We do not always reach the promise land of sporting glory but well die trying and singing till we're hoarse. "Dreams And Songs To Sing" in a nutshell.