The Holy Ground

Traditional Irish

The Holy Ground is a traditional nineteenth-century folksong from County Cork, Ireland and is based on a Welsh sea shanty, The Lass of Swansea Town.“The Holy Ground” is a neighborhood in the town of Cobh (pronounced “Cove”) on the southern coast of Ireland. Ironically the area known as the “Holy Ground” was once the town’s re-light district.The Holy Ground has been performed and recorded by many popular and well-known folk singers including The Clancy Brothers, The Dubliners, Tommy Makem, Mary Black, and Pete Seeger. It is often sung with great vigor in Irish pubs with everyone shouting “fine girl you are!” However, this arrangement is slower and more reflective to underscore the sad sentiment of the lyrics.This setting by Mark Sirett is dedicated to Canadian conductor, manager and publisher, Diane Loomer (1940 - 2012). She was the founding director of Vancouver’s well-known male chorus, Chor Leoni. It is a reflective arrangement of what is often a boisterous “tavern song”.