Dick Farrelly and "The Isle Of Innisfree"
- a note by his son, musician, Gerard Farrelly…

My father, Dick Farrelly was born in Kells, County Meath in 1916. His parents were publicans who owned a bar in the town. Though he joined the Irish Police Force, the Garda Síochána at the age of 23, he was always a songwriter at heart. I have many memories of my Dad jotting down lyrics and melodies on scraps of paper or on the back of an envelope taken from his jacket pocket whenever he would get an idea for a song

Surrounded by the activity that a family of five children can bring, he somehow managed to detract himself from the reality of life into his own world of song writing, it was never far from his mind. Dick wrote over 200 songs and poems during his lifetime and it was his song "The Isle Of Innisfree" which brought him worldwide fame and the song for which he will always be remembered.

Dick Farrelly at the piano (1982), Holding the sheet music of "Innisfree"

Early in 1949 Dick was returning to duty in Dublin by bus from his native Kells where he had spent the weekend with his parents.  By the time he reached Dublin he had written the words and music of “The Isle Of Innisfree”.  That evening he committed the song to manuscript before going to bed.  He said that had he not put the song down on paper that night while it was still in his head, it would probably have never existed.  The song expresses the sense of longing of an Irish emigrant for his native land.  It has the most beautiful haunting melody and a lyric that is like poetry. ‘I wander o’er green hills thro’ dreamy valleys And find a peace no other land could know I hear the birds make music fit for angels  And watch the rivers laughing as they flow’.

Many people mistakenly think that my father was writing about the small island of Innisfree in county Sligo, made famous by the poet W.B.Yeats in his poem, “The Lake Isle Of Innisfree”.  However, the song has nothing whatsoever to do with Innisfree in County Sligo, the song is about Ireland.  In a radio interview for RTE with broadcaster Peter Murphy, my father said – “I used the word Innisfree as another name for Ireland and it was Ireland I had in mind when I wrote the song”.

“The Isle Of Innisfree” was published in 1950 by Peter Maurice Music Publishing Co. Ltd.  In early 1952 Bing Crosby recorded it and subsequently it became his biggest ever UK hit. John Ford fell in love with the song and was so struck by the beauty and passion of the melody that he decided to use it as the principle musical theme of “The Quiet Man”.  “The Isle Of Innisfree” almost totally dominates the sound track of the movie and is used whenever there is intense emotion or feeling.  It is first heard over the opening credits with the majestic Ashford Castle in the background at sunset.

The song has since appeared in the soundtracks of the films – ET (1982), when a clip from “The Quiet Man” is shown, and “Distance Voices, Still Lives” (1988).“Innisfree” has been recorded by hundreds of artists worldwide – Joe Loss, Vera Lynn, Val Doonican, Joseph Locke, Finbar Furey and Tommy Fleming to name but a few, and endures as one of the most loved Irish songs.

Other successful songs for Dick include the Joe Lynch hit, “Cottage By The Lee”, “If You Ever Fall In Love Again”, a hit for Anne Shelton, “The Gypsy Maiden”, recorded by Diarmuid O’Leary & The Bards and “We Dreamed Our Dreams”, recorded by The Fureys & Davy Arthur and Sean Keane.  Finbar Furey has made a second recording of “We Dreamed Our Dreams” with the BBC Radio Orchestra on his solo album of the same name.

Sinead Stone & Gerard Farrelly

When my Dad died in 1990, I discovered an old suitcase of his full of songs, many of which I had previously no knowledge of.  In 2002 my wife, singer Sinead Stone and I recorded an album of some of these songs.  The CD is called “Legacy Of A Quiet Man”, which links of course to the title of the movie.  However, it refers more to the character and nature of my Dad.  Dick himself was indeed a quiet and unassuming man.  My mother Anne who is also very sadly missed would agree too that he was a romantic and a dreamer.  Dick left behind a legacy of songs and poetry, which is celebrated on our CD, “Legacy Of A Quiet Man”.  Our recording of “The Isle Of Innisfree” is featured as the background music to this Quiet Man Movie Club Website.

The CD is a collection of some of our favourites and includes the songs –  “Annaghdown”, “We Dreamed Our Dreams”, “Cottage By The Lee” and of course “The Isle Of Innisfree”.  Also featured on the album are two songs Dick wrote in the Irish language, “Seolta Bána” and “Siobhán”.  The album is available through our website www.stoneandfarrelly.com   If anyone wishes to contact either Sinead or myself we would be delighted to hear from you.