Many people know the tune ‘An Irish Lullaby’ from the singing of Bing Crosby (Going My Way, 1944), it was originally written by J.R. Shannon (1881-1946) in 1913. It premiered in Chauncey Olcott’s New York stage production of Shameen Dhu (Black Haired Jimmy.) Many Irish people learned it from their grandparents and it is still popular today. The wonderful Mary Cronin sang the song at our final intergenerational workshop- fantastic!
Irish Lullaby Lyrics
Over in Killarney, many years ago
My mother sang a song to me
in tones so sweet and low
Just a simple little ditty
in her good old Irish way
And I’d give the world if she could sing
that song to me this day
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don’t you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that’s an Irish lullaby.
Oft in dreams I wander
to that cot again.
I feel her arms a-hugging me
As when she held me then.
And I hear her voice a-hummin’
to me as in the days of yore,
when she used to rock me fast asleep
outside the cabin door.
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don’t you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that’s an Irish lullaby.
The audience were captivated by Mary’s rendition of the song
