Galway Bay (song)


"Galway Bay" is the name of at least two different songs.
The first, " Galway Bay", is traditionally more popular and known in the Galway Bay area. The second song is more popular outside Ireland.

"(My Own Dear) Galway Bay"

This song is known alternatively as "Galway Bay", "My Own Dear Galway Bay", or "The Old Galway Bay".
It was composed in London by Frank A. Fahy, a native of Kinvara, Co. Galway, on the shores of Galway Bay. It was originally written to air of "Skibbereen".
One of the most renowned recordings of the later version was by the Irish singer Dolores Keane.

"Galway Bay"

A separate song was written by Arthur Colahan in Leicester in 1947 and was popularised by Bing Crosby. Crosby recorded the song with Victor Young and his Orchestra on 27 November 1947 and changed some of the lyrics so as to be less political. It became a huge hit around the world with Irish emigrants and reached the No. 3 position in the Billboard charts in the U.S. Crosby recorded the song again in 1966 and it appears on the album A Little Bit of Irish.
Ruby Murray included the song on her album When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.
The copyright of this version is held by Box and Cox Publications of London. A humorous version was created by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. A reference of note to Colahan's song is in The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York". Chloë Agnew of Celtic Woman also covered the song in the group's show Songs from the Heart. Philip Noone released a more modern version as a single in 2019.