The Holy Ground

The Dubliners

About The Holy Ground

The Holy Ground is a local place name in the town of Cobh, County Cork, on the southern coast of Ireland. The song "The Holy Ground" (see below) is named after this area. The name is ironic, the piece of ground known as the Holy Ground was the town's red-light district in the 19th century when the town, then known as Queenstown, was a major stopping point for ships crossing the Atlantic and had a large throughput of seafarers. There were plans to build a new yachting marina on the foreshore in front of the Holy Ground, but this is now uncertain. "The Holy Ground" is a traditional Irish folk song, performed by The Clancy Brothers, The Dubliners, The Jolly Rogers, the Poxy Boggards, the Brobdingnagian Bards, Mary Black, Pete Seeger, The Tossers, and Beatnik Turtle, among others. John Loesberg points out that although the song is now closely associated with Cobh in Co Cork, it probably originated in Wales where it was known as Old Swansea Town Once More, or sometimes as The Lass of Swansea Town. 


Year:
2005
2:15
58 

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Fine girl you are! 
Adieu to you my Dinah a thousand times adieu 
We`re going away from the Holy Ground and the girls that we love true 
We will sail the South sea over and then return for sure 
To see again the girls we love and the Holy Ground once more 

Chorus: 
Fine girl you are! Your`re the girl that I adore  
and still I live in hopes to see The Holy Ground once more. Fine girls you are! 

See the storm a-rising I see it coming soon, 
And the sky it is so cloudy you can scarcely see the moon. 
And the good old ship, she was tossing about, 
The riggin`was all tore, and still I live with hopes to see, The Holy ground once more. 

And now the storm it is over and we are safe on shore, 
We will drink a toast to the Holy Ground and the girls that we adore. 
We will drink strong ale and porter and make the rafters roar, 
And when our money is all spent we`ll go to sea for more.

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The Dubliners

The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962. The band started off as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named in honour of its founding member, they subsequently renamed themselves as The Dubliners. The group line-up has seen many changes over their fifty year career. However, the group's success was centred around lead singers Luke Kelly and Ronnie Drew, both of whom are now deceased. The band garnered international success with their lively Irish folk songs, traditional street ballads and instrumentals. The band were regulars on the folk scenes in both Dublin and London in the early 1960s, until they were signed to the Minor Major label in 1965 after backing from Dominic Behan. They went on to receive extensive airplay on Radio Caroline, and e… more »

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Written by: CIARAN PADRAIG MAIRE BOURKE, RONALD JOSEPH DREW, BARNEY MCKENNA, LUKE KELLY, DP, Barney Mackenna, Ciaran Bourke, Ronald Drew

Lyrics © Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Artist Background
"The Holy Ground" is a song performed by two prominent Irish artists, Mary Black and The Dubliners.
Song History
The song itself, also known as "The Holy Ground Once More", is a traditional Irish folk tune dating back to the 19th century.
Performance Variations
Both Mary Black and The Dubliners have their unique and distinct versions of ‘The Holy Ground’.
Lyrics Origin
The lyrics of 'The Holy Ground' depict a sailor's longing for his native land, reflecting the historical significance of seafaring in Irish culture.
Mary Black's Version
Mary Black's rendition of 'The Holy Ground' featured on her album titled 'No Frontiers', which was released in 1989.
Album Popularity
Mary’s 'No Frontiers' album became a multi-platinum selling album, and 'The Holy Ground' was one of the crowd's favorite singalongs.
The Dubliners' Version
The Dubliners, a famous Irish folk band, had their rendition of 'The Holy Ground' on their 1988 album 'Dublin'.
Music Influences
The Dubliners' version was more inclined toward the folk side, with plenty of fiddle, mandolin, and banjo.
Cultural Impact
Apart from being a popular folk song, 'The Holy Ground' is often sung in pubs across Ireland and is now a significant part of Irish music culture.
Song Recognition
The song 'The Holy Ground' holds a high regard and is considered an essential piece in Irish folk and traditional music's collective body.

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