Track 04 · The Coming Storm

The Castles
of Ireland

Another Feckin’ Castle

A graceful landscape song—until one unscheduled ruin too many sends it into a reel.

Credits

Written by: Ryanne Flynn and Mary Flynn
Arranged by: Sisters Erie
Lead vocal: Ryanne Flynn

Behind the song

Two versions of the beginning.

The Castles of Ireland began—depending upon which sister tells the story—as either a graceful song Mary was writing about the Irish landscape or Ryanne losing patience with yet another unscheduled stop at a ruin.

Mary had the slow-air opening.

Ryanne had the title.

Gael found the reel hiding inside the argument, and Aileen built the turn where one song abruptly became the other.

The family eventually agreed that neither half was quite as good without the other.

The words

Lyrics

When the wild Atlantic darkens,
Storm clouds gather over sea,
Rain comes sweeping through the valleys,
Wind runs hard 'cross field and tree.

Then the clouds break wide asunder,
Gold spills down on hill and shore,
Stone walls gleam beneath the sunlight,
And Atlantic waters roar.

Ancient roads beneath the heather,
Bearing names no tongue recalls,
Kings and saints have come and vanished,
Moss lies green on abbey walls.

There are faerie hills at twilight,
Circles best left where they lie,
Never cut the lonely hawthorn,
Wisdom left from days gone by.

Every mile reveals a wonder,
Every turn, a different view,
Something in this ancient island
Finds a way to stay with you.

For all the Celtic glory,
Wherever you may be,
It doesn't matter where you look,
There's something you will see...

And that's—

Aaaaaaa—

ANOTHER FECKIN' CASTLE!

High upon the hillside—
ANOTHER FECKIN' CASTLE!

Waiting by the roadway—
ANOTHER FECKIN' CASTLE!

One above the valley,
One beside the sea,
Turn around—what's waiting there?
ANOTHER FECKIN' CASTLE!

We wandered down through County Clare,
Where cliffs fall to the sea,
Then crossed the fields of Galway,
As green as green can be.

Kerry gave us mountains,
Donegal gave ocean blue—
But every bloody road we took,
What came into view?

I think you know the answer—
ANOTHER FECKIN' CASTLE!

High upon the hillside—
ANOTHER FECKIN' CASTLE!

Waiting by the roadway—
ANOTHER FECKIN' CASTLE!

One above the valley,
One beside the sea,
Turn around—what's waiting there?
ANOTHER FECKIN' CASTLE!

A tower by the crossroads,
Some ruins on the hill,
A crumbling wall beside the road—
Oh look, there's something still.

A manor with a battlement,
A fort from long ago—

"Technically, that's a tower house—"

"I KNOW."