Raglan Road (Irish song)

Raglan Road is a well known Irish song made famous by such artists as The Dubliners, Sinead O'Connor, Luke Kelly and Dire Straits. The lyrics were written by the famous Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh and set to the traditional air "Fainne Gael an Lae" or "The Dawning of the Day" composed by Thomas Connellan in the 17^th Century.

Lyrics:

On Raglan Road of an Autumn day

I saw her first and knew,

That her dark hair would weave a snare

That I might someday rue.

I saw the danger and I passed

Along the enchanted way.

And I said,"Let grief be a fallen leaf

At the dawning of the day."

On Grafton Street in November, we

Tripped lightly along the ledge

Of a deep ravine where can be seen

The worth of passion play.

The Queen of Hearts still making tarts

And I not making hay;

Oh, I loved too much and by such and such

Is happiness thrown away.

I gave her gifts of the mind,

I gave her the secret signs,

That's known to the artists who have known

The true gods of sound and stone.

And her words and tint without stint

I gave her poems to say

With her own name there and her own dark hair

Like clouds over fields of May.

On a quiet street where old ghosts meet

I see her walking now,

And away from me so hurriedly

My reason must allow.

That I had loved, not as I should

A creature made of clay,

When the angel woos the clay, he'll lose

His wings at the dawn of day.

Raglan Road is also an actual street running between Pembroke Road and Clyde Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland. It is the setting of the first verse in the above song.