Galway Shawl Lyrics
BrierMusic Video
The Galway Shawl
Near Orenmore in the County Galway,
One pleasant evening in the month of May,
I spied a damsel, she was fair and handsome
And her beauty fairly took my breath away.
She wore no jewels, no costly diamond
No paint or powder, oh no, none at all.
She wore a bonnet with ribbons on it
And round her shoulder was a Galway Shawl.
She kept on walking, and she kept on talking,
'Till her father's cottage, it came into view.
Said she: “Come in, sir, and meet my father,
And play to please him The Foggy Dew.”
[Traditional verse omitted by the artist:]
She sat me down beside the fire
I could see her father, he was six feet tall.
And soon her mother had the kettle singing
All I could think of was the Galway shawl.
I played The Blackbird, The Stack of Barley,
Rodney's Glory and The Foggy Dew,
She sang each note like an Irish linnet.
Her tears came into her eyes of blue.
She wore no jewels, no costly diamond
No paint or powder, oh no, none at all.
She wore a bonnet with ribbons on it
And round her shoulder was a Galway Shawl.
'Twas early, early, all in the morning,
I took the road for old Donegal.
She sighed and kissed me, then she said “Goodbye Sir”
But my heart remains with that Galway shawl.
She wore no jewels, no costly diamond
No paint or powder, oh no, none at all.
She wore a bonnet with ribbons on it
And round her shoulder was a Galway Shawl.
Song Details
Album cover
🎶 Music & Lyrics: Traditional
✍️ Collection:
The first known version of the song was collected by Sam Henry from Bridget Kealey in Dungiven in 1936. Sam Henry (1870-1952) was an Irish Folk Song collector with the largest collection of folk songs from Northern Ireland between the wars. His works included Songs Of The People and Songs Of The People Part Two - both works were comprehensive and diverse including native Irish songs as well as songs from other origins including England, Scotland, and North America.
📝 Song Brief:
Galway Shawl is a traditional Irish love song set in the west of Ireland, where the narrator meets a young woman in Oranmore one evening in May. She is described with quiet admiration — a bonnet with ribbons, a Galway shawl around her shoulders, and a natural beauty that leaves him breathless.
They walk and talk together until they reach her home, where she invites him inside to meet her father. The narrator plays a set of well‑known hornpipe tunes, and she sings along softly, moved to tears. By morning he must leave for Donegal, and their farewell is tender and heartfelt. Though they part, he carries the memory of her and her Galway shawl with him always.
📖 Glossary:- County Galway — A county on Ireland’s west coast, known for its coastline, traditional music, and the city of Galway.
- Oranmore — A village in County Galway, located just east of Galway City near the shores of Galway Bay.
- The Blackbird — A traditional Irish air often played as a hornpipe, known for its graceful, expressive melody.
- The Stack of Barley — A well‑known hornpipe with a bright, flowing tune commonly heard in traditional sessions.
- Rodney’s Glory — A traditional hornpipe with a strong rhythmic lift, popular among Irish musicians.
- The Foggy Dew — A traditional
- Irish air with several versions; in this context it refers to the instrumental tune rather than the song of the same name.
🍀 Genre: Irish Folk Song
👥 Covers: The Dubliners, Daniel O'Donnell, Finbar Furey, Four to the Road, Ryan's Fancy, Celtic Woman, Patrick Street, The Poxy Boggards, Dervish feat. Steve Earl), Daoiri Farrell, The Clancey's.
🎤 Featured Artists: Brier - Irish folk group known for their vocal blends and traditional arrangements. Active mainly through the 1990s and 2000s, they recorded a mix of popular ballads and lively session tunes, often appearing on Irish folk compilations.
💿 Album: Beautiful Galway (March 6, 2009 - Compilation - Various Artists)
