Four Green Fields

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"Four Green Fields" is a 1967 folk song by Irish musician Tommy Makem, described in the New York Times as a "hallowed Irish leave-us-alone-with-our-beauty ballad". It is probably Makem's only composition to have truly entered the common repertoire of Irish folk musicians.

The song tells of an old woman who had four green fields, and how strangers tried to take them from her as how her sons died trying to defend them. At the end of the song, one of her fields remains out of her hands:

"But my sons have sons, as brave as were their fathers;

My fourth green field will bloom once again," said she

The song is interpreted as a parable of the British colonization of Ireland and the current status of Northern Ireland. The four fields are the provinces of Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connaught.

Lyrics

"What did I have?" said the fine old woman

"What did I have?" this proud old woman did say

"I had four green fields, each one was a jewel

But strangers came and tried to take them from me

I had fine strong sons, they fought to save my jewels

They fought and died, and that was my grief" said she

"Long time ago" said the fine old woman

"Long time ago" this proud old woman did say

"There was war and death, plundering and pillage

My children starved by mountain valley and sea

And their wailing cries, they shook the very heavens

My four green fields ran red with their blood" said she

"What have I now?" said the fine old woman

"What have I now?" this proud old woman did say

"I have four green fields, one of them's in bondage

In stranger's hands, that tried to take it from me

But my sons have sons, as brave as were their fathers

My fourth green field will bloom once again" said she

References

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