Carrickfergus (Jim McCann with the Dubliners).

I think this is fantastic.
I wish I was in Carrickfergus
Only for nights in Ballygrand
I would swim over the deepest ocean
Only for nights in Ballygrand
But the sea is wide and I cannot swim over
And neither have I the wings to fly
If I could find me a handsome boatman
To ferry me over my love and I
My childhood days bring back sad reflections
Of happy time there spent so long ago
My boyhood friends and my own relations
Have all passed on now like the melting snow
So I?ll spend my days in this endless roving
Soft is the grass and shore my bed is free
But to be home now in carrickfergus
On the long road down to the salty sea
And in Kilkenny it is reported
On marble stone there as black as ink
With gold and silver I would support her
But I'll sing no more now till I get a drink
For I'm drunk today and I'm seldom sober
The handsome rover from town to town
Ah but I am sick now my days are numbered
Come all me young men and lay me down

[@billmuncey6147]

It's a grand song and if they don't sing it at my funeral, I'm not going.

[@MonaLisa-lu8zi]

🤣 👍

[@ralphporsch2438]

Man, that's the most excellent plan one can possibly make. 🍀☺👍

[@lindalucas6318]

😜😝😉

[@1gerard47]

Well said ❤

[@jeanneobrien7381]

LOL

[@jacobtaylor4258]

i worked with a lot of irishmen in my younger days in manchester, and this song reminds me of the sorrow i seen in there eyes, when a ballad like this was played, there eyes said it all, WHY IN GODS NAME DID I LEAVE MY BELOVED COUNTRY AND MY FAMILY, it did then and still does bring a lump to my throat, i thank the lord for knowing and drinking with such men, i had my chances to go back to my ancestral routes, i wish i could turn back the clock.

[@Joe-gj1ut]

Fuck me beautiful

[@Joe-gj1ut]

Why can't you

[@d_tyros5282]

ITS NEVER TO LATE TO GO HOME MY FRIEND I WAS IN THE SAME POSITION THERES LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNELL BELIEVE ME HOMEIS HOME AND GREAT SUPPORT THERE IN IRELAND XXXX

[@stevencully7184]

was trying to get my dad over to n.ireland to spend the last part of his life there but he died last night in my arms , this was one of the songs he loved ! im in tears sometimes plans dont work out ,not enough time !

[@sammcewan8295]

Steven Cully the thought was there friend

[@Account-qb4lh]

Rip to him amen

[@4pitos4556]

I'm sorry man

[@jackharvey2127]

My commiserations friend, on losing YOR dad at such time.

[@johnoreilly4940]

God love you

[@Silverblade61]

Irish doesn't need Orchestra ! Only the traditional instruments and a great voice. And the wonderful songs... I Miss this land so much . Thank you for the music !

[@d_tyros5282]

WELOOK AFTER OUR OWN ITS NOT AN ORCHESTRA WE NEED ITS SUPPORT FROM US IRISH TO NOT TO FORGET ABOUT THE IRISH THAT EMIGRATED ABROAD SOME MADE IT SOME DIDNT WERE NOT PLAYING A VIOLAIN WERE SPEAKEKING ABOUT US IRISH THAT DID AND DIDNT MAKE IT YOU MAY MISS THE LAND DO YOU MISS YOUR IRISH PEOPLE THAT EMIGRATEDXXXX

[@glennsprigg2378]

No one past present or future, will play/sing this as well as Jim !!!! xoxoxox May Jim now rest in Peace!!!

[@catherineoloughlin7451]

I heard this first in a little co clare town, at a funeral...everything was quiet and a man at the rear of the church began to sing this...omg, what amazing emotion....the 'lady of the day' happened to love this song, but when it started it was beyond any feeling i have ever known.....go ennistymon

[@JohnWick-pm5yq]

Just pure beautiful, my late mother peggy loved the dubliners, god bless them all, great people

[@richardcardozo8664]

one of the most beautiful irish songs EVER !!!!

[@Deejaay83urj38]

Indeed

[@denisemayger7479]

This song carries me over the deepest ocean, to my family my mother father relatives most have passed fills me with a joy and sorrow at the same time im 74 now and feel part of this song

[@leonstone4738]

There is no doubt that Jim MCCan sings Carrickfergus with great feeling and conviction. One can't help but cling to every word .

[@jamescantrell1916]

I am an American of Irish descent and I always feel a connection to this music

[@paulwhite3489]

You would it's where you came from your folks probably lived in Ireland for thousands of years. America maybe a couple of hundred years?

[@luismartinperez5800]

The most amazing performance of this melancholic masterpiece. Greetings from Madrid to all the Irish People and fabulous St Patrick's Day...🥇👏👏👏👏

[@Marlondurran]

Great stuff 👍

[@genadelapena5861]

HAPPY ST.PATRICK'S DAY!I!❤

[@genadelapena5861]

LUV IT!!! ❤

[@angelicaluce3230]

Every time I hear this beautiful song I am reduced to a SOBBING SHELL - memories of my golden childhood in Callow, COUNTY MAYO in the West of Ireland, the country that I LOVE the MOST in this world. I'm thousands of miles away from that glorious place - why I cry..

[@brianocallaghan7172]

blessings and greetings from galway city

[@johnloftus21]

I pass through Callow every day, it's still a beautiful place almost untouched by change.....I feel your sense of loss Angelica but lucky the person who has a childhood so precious. My childhood days were spent in Kildangan, Co Kildare...glorious times, different world.

[@ivanbuick3028]

I live in Carrickfergus. I love this, what absolutely beautiful music.

[@RUBYLUD]

It puts me in thought of my own dear parents and grandparents, Scots/Irish, no longer with us. May the good Lord bless them and keep them. God bless dear old Ireland

[@ianbhoy7]

Same as me Martin. Miss them so much. Jim is one of the few singers who seem to feel the emotions that brings me to tears. HH

[@terrietackett8964]

God bless my precious and brave family, who came over to America from County Down, Ireland in the 1800's. God's speed to them...Thank you!!

[@morleybolero]

Nailed it.

[@franksammon7853]

As an Irish Australian of many years. Always lovely to hear Jim sing this beautiful song. R.I.P. Mate.

[@Deejaay83urj38]

Yep

[@patrickryan2451]

This song is for you Dad ! You died a few weeks ago in these heartbreaking times ! We couldn't give you the send off you deserved , you will always be our handsome boatman that we love and miss

[@karyngrubb4410]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Losing our parents is something we dread our entire lives.

[@patrickryan2451]

@@karyngrubb4410 Thanks Karyn

[@joemcinally4334]

Thoughts and commiserations to you and yours on the passing of your Dad. As you say it is heartbreaking in these times that friends and relations are unable to give their love ones a proper send off. I can only say that you picked a very fine song to remember your Dad and hopefully he is enjoying it .

[@maureenwalsh988]

I'm desperately sorry. Stand, as the Irish always have. Hold on Patrick.

[@cathymcateer1016]

I'm from Carrickfergus...my dad's favourite song who Also has passed ❤️

[@jackblack804]

`Perhaps the most moving songs I have ever heard in my life

[@fredferd965]

I sometimes think the Irish, of all the peoples of the world, are the ones who live in the past, the everlasting now, and in worlds elsewhere, and yet to come - somehow, they travel among them with ease. The price is a song, a tear, a hope, a love, and part of your heart. Beautiful.

[@kieransavage3835]

A really lovely comment Thank You .Irish Exile.

[@fredferd965]

@@kieransavage3835 You are a thousand times welcome, and may the sun shine always in your path.....

[@conormccrory4595]

As a proud irishman i couldn't have put it better myself

[@fredferd965]

@@conormccrory4595 thank you, my friend - it comes from the heart.

[@davidbosquette2940]

Those words are poetry 🇮🇪💚🙏

[@AnnesleyPlaceDub70]

Absolutely fantastic. Another great balladeer now plies his trade in heaven. R.I.P Jim, Up The Dubs!

[@patrickspoint]

OhMyGod, you've just ruined my day, I didn't know he had died, another one gone. I'm away now to cry my eyes out. RIP Jim

[@chrismcgreevy2234]

made your life though

[@sheilagaughan2206]

Chris Mc Greevy ge

[@seanmcgloin8378]

up leitrim

[@josephandrewatkinson6618]

Hill16Dub. We The

[@BAHZ]

The most beautifull Irish song ever. Nobody could sing this better than JmC

[@peterjohn8447]

Bahz Listen to VAN the MAN.s version and I think you.ll change your mind.

[@peterjohn8447]

Bahz he. does it with the cheiftains

[@michaelfurtwangen1662]

mhh dont know. One among many I would say. Irish music has so many great gems that I coundn't choose one over all the others 😅 But if it counts as an Irish song it might be "Spancil hill" for me. It speaks to my german melancholy. This bitter sweet longing for the good old times that might never were. I have to think about the villige I grew up in. Small town near Mannheim. I knew all the streets, places, other kids and their parents. Then we moved away and I never felt this kibd of belonging to a place anymore. I visited the villiage years later and it changed so much, I couldn't really recognize it anymore and most of the people I knew were replaced by strangers. There is no return to the safety of your childhood. This song and some others like "dirty old town" are therefore among my favourites

[@phcoh]

There is another version of this that Jim did way back and with youth behind him its 100% better.

[@Texans9517]

Listen to Allison Moorer's version. She is my wife's cousin and has an incredible voice! She is a Country singer from Alabama and is very popular in the UK.

[@birdiejimenez719]

I never tire of listening to this song . A masterpiece !

[@ckelly094]

From carrickfergus but Listening to this over the water at uni (England) has me near in tears 😓

[@Dubliners39]

Really missing the old days ☘️🥃

[@rene-pierreblanc1657]

Quelle belle voix ! Quelle belle chanson ! Repose en paix, l'ami Jim !

[@genadelapena5861]

BEAUTIFUL! Can't help but CRY, Reminiscing...💞🙇‍♀️

[@dianescotter8089]

Still one of me favs. You were all so lucky to have these men and musicions in your era ❤️x

[@johngoldsmith4064]

Wonderful. I went there on my holidays. This song stuck in my head xxxxx

[@jamiecorrigan3241]

I worked with The Dubliners a few times in the 1970s, well, 'They' were on Stage, while myself was fetching The Carlsberg Specials !!! Wonderful Muscians And Great People !!!

[@kingshamie1332]

Well done Jim good night and God bless 👍

[@Silverblade61]

Brings me back to Ireland I.visited a long Time ago and loved it from the first second I arrived... 🤩

[@denisemayger7479]

this is the sweetest Irish ballad i have heard beautiful

[@katieheile6178]

First day of spring today. Love you dad.

[@ThrustusSimmonds]

What a performance! And one of the few instances that include the entirety of the lyrics. The hard McCann!.

[@houndzark]

I first heard this on a CD sung by a wonderful female singer while I was driving to an orchestra rehearsal. When I parked, I stayed in the car till the last minute listening again and just tearing up. Was dang well almost late. I could barely focus on whatever we were doing for this melody just demanded my attention. I love it still! Thank you.

[@paulpaulc4523]

The first time I heard this song was in a Scottish T.V. drama called Dr. Finlay and i love it.

[@TheAnarchistGaming]

Fergus Gibson, I just love the meaning of this song, or just sit, listen, and simply cry. Something inside me tells me to just cry because the song has so many life events that are sometimes just hard for me to express.

[@BennySF74]

Beautifully said.

[@dannyinaus]

Wow, you really have some deep seated emotional issues. No doubt you were raised by women after your useless father abandoned you. You need to suck up it buddy, and get on with life. If you love something, set it free, and if it doesn't come back to you, hunt it down and fucking kill it.

[@patrickdowling676]

One could write an endless elegy extolling the virtues of this song, this performance, that moment. But instead you could just say "wow".

[@japh1999]

Another great singer gone RIP Jim McCann a great voice and thank you

[@GILLEBRATH]

Beautiful rendition R.I.P. Jim ,Thank you .

[@WingManPilot]

...such an amazing piece of music

[@BarryHawk]

Besides the obvious wonder of Jim's singing , imlove the build on this song and Barney's banjo is beautiful

[@KevinMurphy0403]

What an incredibly moving song. RIP Jim.

[@stevejones9740]

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

[@eikegehrts9961]

RIP, old friend. I first saw Jim McCann on stage with the Dubliners during a concert in Hamburg in the late 1970'ies, but I really I got to know him during his solo career in 1983-1985, when I lived and worked in Clonmel/Co. Tipperary. We met at many occasions, firstly at Hearns Hotel, Clonmel, and afterwards at The Hidden Inn, Ballynacarbry, Co. Waterford. For Jim, I was his "friend from Hamburg" , and during his concerts, he mostly dedicated the song "Spancil Hill" to me. I was triuly shocked to learn that Jim had passed away in 2015. Again "RIP, old friend".

[@Blossom1948]

Jim is certainly THE MAN!.....what a sterling job he made of this wonderful song!

[@catarinacosta805]

This song is great! I love it. I Know it by heart!

[@sebdetyra651]

I'm livin in England; when i've had a few i open up with 'cause i'm drunk today and i'm seldom sober' And god bless them, they went to the extent of checkin the song out and they all love it now.

[@cararevelscrittenton806]

WOW 2024 what a beautiful song first time hearing it. It was on the TV Show Waking the Dead.

[@anndurcan9540]

Beautiful song sung by the great Jim McCann.

[@davidmorrison4027]

My mums fav. Always brings a tear to my eye. RIP mum xx

[@irishtim55]

i listen to this when i have had a few beers it just sends me somewhere else and i love it

[@OldSkoolWax]

I love the history of this song. Formed in the 19th century from a few different song. When Cork boys and Belfast boys used to mingle in pubs during the linen boom (those two cities became trade linked).

[@sianbarbaraallen1330]

A beautiful song with a beautiful man singing it. Rest in Peace, Jim McCann.

[@dominiquesoulierdsbreizh]

Amazing song, amazing voice ! Thank you

[@johnoreilly4940]

Fantastic

[@sheenareid]

This is the best version of Carrickfergus - ever xx

[@ianbhoy7]

Aye hen. Its my fav too. xx

[@JohnWilson-bn1xs]

I dunno. It's fine...but have you heard VAN MORRISON'S VERSION ?

[@Hauntedlavvy-GeorgeFawcett]

@@JohnWilson-bn1xs Best version ever by Scottish band The White Heather Tubes.

[@davidbosquette2940]

Agree 100%

[@kelleefiola5854]

1st time heard on the movie Belfast-just beautiful-had to work hard to find it...pretty sure this is the version in the movie...never heard the Dubliners before-just gorgeous

[@grahamdonachie6298]

The Dubliners..and the lads who keep their legend on to all who love them....I love them all....

[@timothygraham4304]

I still can't actually believe I've seen this man perform live for free in my local! Tickets to this man's shows, should cost what touts charge!

[@tom7471]

Absolutely beautiful! What an amazing version of this astonishingly touching song! RIP, Mr. McCann...

[@johnking1167]

There should be a statue of the DUBLINERS. Its a shame there is not any yet.

[@megaklesrogakos3807]

I too wish I was in Carrickfergus!

[@johanbisschop6271]

Rest in Peace... and thank you for all those lovely ballads...

[@Texans9517]

I have traced my family back to Cookstown, Tyrone County, Northern Ireland. My Great Grandfather X6 Hugh Quinn left for America in 1750. Cookstown is not far from Carrickfergus. Listening to this sad, beautiful song makes me want to visit Ireland so badly!

[@karlaisbitt4819]

jim we loved you rest in peace my old buddy..

[@FFM0594]

He's the voice for this song. Almost perfect!

[@celticjimfox]

Rest In Peace Jim McCann

[@ReyPalustre]

One of the best versions I've heard!

[@garoto1707]

Oh my God, beautiful! From Brazil!

[@newbrabird]

Yeath...traditional Irish song.From a brazilian living in Ireland.

[@fgilroy50]

I was 17 the first time I heard this song. It was in the famed Old Sheiling Hotel in Raheny, Dublin, on a Saturday evening in the summer of 1972. And who was the singer? A solo artist named Jim McCann. After his show when the barroom had emptied I presumed to go and talk to him at the bar. What a gentleman. If I am not mistken he told me he was soon to be married and we drank to his good fortune.

[@phillipjarvis5867]

i just love this song

[@ThefightingCelt]

RIP Jim , you did The Dubliners proud .

[@sheilamcfeely8462]

A great voice! I enjoy listening to him sing........especially "Grace."

[@puredeadgallus]

R.I.P. Jim Thank you for so many great songs of Ireland you were the MAN

[@grimsmith1]

Bloody shame htis guy is not with us anymore - RIP and bless

[@peterblake7980]

God bless you Sis never forget you xxx

[@Dnubass]

tis songs like this here weigh heavy on the heart of all us Irish who are gone from the country for the unforeseeable future. Sure there is no place like it in the worl. d

[@BalingMusicFactory]

Strange to hear it in 6/8, I'm used to hear it in 4/4, but still it's at great song and a great preformance.

[@karlaisbitt4819]

IN THE 80,S AND 90,S I SAW JIM MULTIPLE TIMES LIVE IN DUBLIN AND WHEN JIM SANG THIS THE PUB WOULD GO TOTALLY SILENT YOU COULD HEAR A PIN DROP ! R.I.P JIM YOU ARE SORELY MISSED BY MANY..

[@T1C4]

Boardwalk Empire brought me here, and yes it´s a beautiful song, Ireland, Croatia loves you :)

[@chrisbond2868]

R I P Jim. One of a kind. You will be greatly missed xx

[@TheWalkingsouls]

Great voice, great lyrics. Big thumbs up from Pakistan.

[@franzbernasek4058]

fantastic great Jim McCann

[@d_tyros5282]

A CLASSIC SONG OMG

[@Hughie1922]

I came across this by accident; a very fortuitous one. Totally brilliant rendition.

[@leif967]

The voice and the song is perfect together!

[@koichiakiyama2922]

I heard them first time now, and it is wonderful to become one of his/their funs.

[@Glasgow1966]

Memories of my late brother such great song 🌟

[@stephenconway3485]

I'm drunk today . . . . great song, great performance 😅

[@snowcat20]

Great song! Absolutely fantastic!

[@wellticklemytummy]

I will learn this and always aim to surpass this absolute master of melody. We are so fortunate to observe this expression of body and soul belonging to an era of change and understanding. God bless the work.

[@honestguy77]

Jim McCann was a musical genius. What true air the like of which is very rare. RIP Jim

[@imedi]

sometimes you forget these people are gone and with us no more

[@simonetondo4094]

A dream 💚

[@REDLEN308GTB]

How wonderful these words sung by Jim McCann, as only he could portay these true feelings. What a Man. Muriel xxx Thanks for posting classican.

[@patrickfagan9784]

Brilliant Balladeer. So sorry to hear you have died Jim. Rip.

[@anncosten7022]

Beautiful, heartbreakingly poignant. Makes you wonder what it is all about. Shows that we waste so much time on nonsense, that makes no difference in the end. Please, god, why not give peace a chance. "My days are numbered" as are us all. Remember that today is the oldest you have ever been and the youngest you will ever be again.

[@johnflynnsenior4540]

I love this version

[@sianbarbaraallen1330]

I love the singer and the song. I have shared this with friends and been back to hear Jim McCann sing this at least 20 times--Rest in Peace, Jim

[@tommyroche2264]

Beautiful song from a legend Jim McCann

[@ianbhoy7]

One of my fav songs fae one of Ireland's greatest singers. Beautiful. RIP Jim.

[@SheilaMcintosh-oq3vl]

Lovely. First time I have heard it.