Cliffs of Dooneen Lyrics
PlanxtyMusic Video
Cliffs of Dooneen
You may travel far far from your own native home
Far away o'er the mountains far away o'er the foam
But of all the fine places that I've ever seen,
There's none to compare with the cliffs of Dooneen
Take a view o'er the mountains fine sights you'll see there
You'll see the high rocky mountains on the West coast of Clare
The towns of Kilkee and Kilrush can be seen
From the high rocky slopes of the cliffs of Dooneen
Its a nice place to be on a fine Summer's day
Watching all the wild flowers that ne'er do decay
The hare and lofty pheasant are plain to be seen
Making homes for their young round the cliffs of Dooneen
Fare thee well to Dooneen fare thee well for a while
And to all the fine people I'm leaving behind
To the streams and the meadows where late I have been
And the high rocky slopes of the cliffs of Dooneen
[Instrumental]
You may travel far far from your own native home
Far away o'er the mountains far away o'er the foam
But of all the fine places that I've ever seen,
There's none to compare with the cliffs of Dooneen
Song Details
🎶 Composer: Traditional
✍️ Lyricist: Jack McAuliffe - circa 1930's.
📝 Song Brief:
The song was originally written as a poem by the author who was from Lixnaw, County Kerry. His inspiration came after visiting his sister who lived near the cliffs around Dooneen Point near Beale, North Kerry in the south west of Ireland. The poem was later set to a traditional melody by a local musician.
The song paints a vivid picture of the West Clare and North Kerry coastline — the high rocky slopes, the wildflowers, the hare and pheasant, and the distant views of Kilkee and Kilrush.
📖 Glossary:- Dooneen: A place name associated with the West Clare coastline. In the song, it represents home, beauty, and familiar landscape.
- Kilkee: A coastal town in County Clare, known for its cliffs and Atlantic views.
- Kilrush: A town on the Shannon Estuary in County Clare.
🍀 Genre: Irish Folk Song
👥 Covers / Albums:
- Nicola McGuire (But for Now)
- The Corrib Folk (Cliffs of Dooneen)
- John McDermott (When I Grow Too Old to Dream)
- Johnny McEvoy (The Best of Irish Ballads)
- Paddy Reilly (The Best Of Paddy Reilly)
- The Boys of the Isle (Golden Irish Songs, Vol. II)
🎤 Featured Artists - Planxty:
Irish Folk Band formed in 1972 originating from Kildare and Dublin. Their initial line-up consisted of:
- Christy Moore (vocals, acoustic guitar, bodhrán)
- Andy Irvine (vocals, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, hurdy-gurdy, harmonica)
- Dónal Lunny (bouzouki, guitars, bodhrán, keyboards)
- Liam O'Flynn (uilleann pipes, tin whistle).
💿 Single:
Released: 1972
Country: Ireland
Format: 7" Vinyl
Label: Polydor
💿 Album: The Planxty Collection
Released: 1975
Country: Ireland
Format: 12" Vinyl
Label: Polydor
