Four Green Fields
Four Green Fields is een Iers folklied. Het is in 1967 geschreven door de Ierse muzikant Tommy Makem. Het gaat over een oude vrouw die vier groene velden had. Vreemden proberen dit haar af te nemen. In de strijd die ontstaat sterven haar zonen. Maar zoals de laatste zinnen bezingen, hebben ook haar zonen opnieuw zonen, even moedig als hun vaders.
Het lied wordt geïnterpreteerd als een parabel over de Britse kolonisatie van Noord-Ierland. De vier groene velden zouden daarbij slaan op de vier Ierse provincies Ulster (6 counties in het huidige Noord-Ierland, 3 counties in Ierland), Munster, Leinster and Connacht.
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"What did I have?" said an old fine woman,
"What did I have?" this proud old woman did say,
"I had four green fields,
and each one was a jewel,
but strangers came,
and tried to take them from me,
but my brave strong sons,
they fought to save my jewels,
they fought and the died,
and that was my grief," said she.
"Long time ago," said an old fine woman,
"Long time ago," this proud old woman did say,
"There was war and death,
plundering and pillage,
my children starved,
by mountain, by valley and sea,
and their wailing cries,
they reached the very heaven,
and my four green fields,
ran red with their blood," said she.
"What have I now?" said an old fine woman,
"What have I now?" this proud old woman did say,
"I have four green fields,
one of them in bondage,
in strangers hands,
that tried to take them from me,
but my sons had sons,
as brave as their fathers,
and my four green fields,
will bloom once again," said she.
"My four green fields,
will bloom once again," said she.