- My Lagan Love
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"My Lagan Love" is a song to a traditional Irish air collected in 1903 in northern Donegal.
The English lyrics have been credited to Joseph Campbell (1879–1944, AKA Seosamh MacCathmhaoil and Joseph McCahill, among others).[1] Campbell was a Belfast man whose grand-parents came from the Irish-speaking area of Flurrybridge, South Armagh. He started collecting songs in County Antrim. In 1904 he began a collaboration with composer Herbert Hughes.[2] Together, they collected traditional airs from the remote parts of County Donegal. While on holidays in Donegal Hughes had learned the air from Proinseas mac Suibhne, who had learned it from his father Seaghan mac Suibhne, who in turn had learned it fifty years previously.[1]
The Lagan is the river that runs through Belfast. However, some argue that the Lagan in the song refers to a stream that empties into Lough Swilly in County Donegal, not far from where Herbert Hughes collected the song.[3]
It was arranged in a classical style by Hamilton Harty, which was used by Mary O'Hara and Charlotte Church.
Covers
- 1910 - John McCormack
- 1967 - Dusty Springfield live on her TV show
- 1968 - Emmet Spiceland on The First
- 1969 - Esther Ofarim live on the Dieter Finnern Show
- 1972 - Sandy Denny on Sandy as "The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood", with lyrics by Richard Farina
- 1976 - Horslips on The Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony" (instrumental)
- 1977 - Bob McGrath on Sleepytime Bird
- 1985 - Kate Bush on Hounds of Love re-mastered edition.
- 1988 - Van Morrison and The Chieftains on Irish Heartbeat.
- 1989 - Sarah McLachlan
- 1998 - Charlotte Church on Voice of an Angel
- 1998 - Pentangle on Passe Avant
- 2001 - Roger McGuinn on Treasures from the Folk Den, as "Pete's Song", with lyrics by Pete Seeger
- 2002 - Sinéad O'Connor on Sean-Nós Nua
- 2003 - Anuna on Invocation
- 2005 - The Corrs on Home
- 2009 - Celtic Woman on Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart
- 2010 - Fionnuala Sherry on Songs From Before
- 2011 - Celtic Thunder on Storm
References
- ^ a b Songs of Uladh (Herbert Hughes and Joseph Campbell) published in Belfast by William Mullan and Sons; in Dublin by MH Gill, 1904
- ^ Norah Saunders, 1988. Joseph Campbell: Poet & Nationalist 1879-1944, a Critical Biography
- ^ A Song for Ireland.
John A. McLaughlin: One Green Hill, 2003. Beyond the Pale, Belfast. ISBN 9781900960212.
External links
Categories:- Irish songs
- Irish folk songs
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