Which came first the chicken or the egg. I first learned about "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" from a popular American version written during the Civil War. That song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was first published in 1863 as "Words and Music by Louis Lambert," which was a pseudonym for Patrick Sarsfield, 1829-1892. Patrick was a native of Ireland who emigrated to Boston. "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is a rousing song about a hero returning from war. The first published version of "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye" came out several years after Sarsfield's song. Nevertheless, it is strongly believed to have originated in Ireland. It's a much more somber song that tells about the woes and horrors of war in the popular folk tradition of describing the body parts blown off a soldier who does not come home to his love. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording pick up our CD, A Collection of Irish Pub Songs at www.IrishSong.net or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

Morbid comical song from Newfoundland folk song written by Johnny Burke (1851-1930), a popular St. John's balladeer. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording pick up our CD, A Collection of Irish Pub Songs at www.IrishSong.net or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

Irish lyrics to the tune of "Old Swansea Town Once More". The "Holy Ground" is a quarter of Cobh (once known as Queenstown), which was inhabited mainly by fisherman. The tune is also refered to as The Cobh Sea Shanty. It was popular on the docks of Cork and Cobh as well as on the ships. The tune was originally a capstan shanty - a song sung as sailors turned the capstan to raise the achor. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording pick up our CD, A Collection of Irish Pub Songs at www.IrishSong.net or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

This is a beautiful visual song about a boy who learns about his father's support for Irish independence and decides to follow in his father's footsteps. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording pick up our CD, A Collection of Irish Pub Songs at www.IrishSong.net or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

This song dates back to the 1700s. It is Child Ballad #289 and super popular on the Renaissance festival circuit where many new verses were written like the ones we added to this recording. If you enjoy this recording pick up our CD, A Collection of Irish Pub Songs at www.IrishSong.net. Released under a Creative Commons Noncommercial ShareAlike License. If you enjoy this recording pick up our CD, A Collection of Irish Pub Songs at www.IrishSong.net or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.

An old Scottish song popularized by The Corries. Over-fishing in the Greenland sea during the early 19th century had a devastating toll on the whale stocks. A new hunting ground, the South-West Fishery, was discovered in the region of the Davis Straits and it was mostly here that The Diamond fished. In 1830 The Diamond, Eliza Swan and The Resolution along with seventeen other whaling ships were caught in the ice of Melville Bay. The ships were lost and many sailors lost their lives. If you enjoy this recording pick up our CD, A Collection of Irish Pub Songs at www.IrishSong.net or by calling 1-800-BUY-MY-CD.