The Full Wiki



More info on Only Our Rivers Run Free

Only Our Rivers Run Free: Wikis


Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles.

Encyclopedia

Updated live from Wikipedia, last check: May 22, 2013 13:00 UTC (48 seconds ago)
(Redirected to Mickey McConnell article)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mickey MacConnell (born 1947) is an Irish musician and song writer.

Life and work

Mickey MacConnell was born in Bellanaleck near Enniskillen in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. He is the youngest member of a musical family. He worked in Dublin for Irish Press Group and, later, with The Irish Times.

Mickey began writing songs very early in his life. In 1965 he wrote Only Our Rivers Run Free about the constitutional status of Northern Ireland; it became an instant hit in Ireland. This encouraged him to seriously devote himself to writing music and he moved to Listowel, County Kerry where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

His first album "Peter Pan and Me" [1] ; was released in 1992 to critical acclaim and included the haunting ballad "Lament for Judy Garland".

Many of his songs have been recorded internationally by such artists as Christy Moore , The Wolfe Tones, Mary Black and many more including The James Last Orchestra.

The album "Joined Up Writing"; features many new songs and takes a wry look at life and politics, not just in Ireland but worldwide.

MacConnell's work has been greatly influenced by the The Troubles in Northern Ireland and his songs reflect that there are those who suffer on all sides. "Follow the Flag" is an example of this. "The Little Drummer Boy" is a song that uses the story of the drummer boys of the old days (similar to the sentiments evoked by the more famous Minstrel Boy by Thomas Moore) to remind us of the influence of the poets and singers on public opinion.

See also

Music of Ireland


"Only Our Rivers Run Free" is a song written by Mickey MacConnell in 1965. It was made famous by Irish Ballad Singer Christy Moore.

Lyrics

When apples still grow in November,
When Blossoms still bloom from each tree,
When leaves are still green in December,
It's then that our land will be free,
I wander her hills and her valleys,
And still through my sorrow I see,
A land that has never known freedom,
And only her rivers run free
I drink to the death of her manhood,
Those men who'd rather they died,
Than to live in the cold chains of bondage,
When to bring back their rights were denied,
Oh where are you now when we need you,
What burns where the flame used to be,
Are you gone like the snows of last winter,
And will only our rivers run free?
How sweet is life but we're crying,
How mellow the wine but it's dry,
How fragrant the rose but it's dying,
How gentle the breeze but it sighs,
What good is in youth when it's aging,
What joy is in eyes that can't see,
When there's sorrow in sunshine and flowers,
And still only our rivers run free

External links








Got something to say? Make a comment.
Your name
Your email address
Message