Liam Clancy & Tommy Makem - The Parting Glass

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"The Parting Glass" is an Irish and Scottish traditional song, often sung at the end of a gathering of friends. It was allegedly the most popular song sung in both Scotland and Ireland before Robert Burns wrote "Auld Lang Syne". This song has a dual heritage as some of the lyrics were quoted in a letter by a Scottish man who was making his way over to Ireland; around this time there were many Scottish settlers arriving in Ireland and so the song was then combined with both cultures.

The Irish song is thoughtful and quiet, though the old Scottish version, "Good Night and Joy Be With You All," is quite lively and uses roughly the same melody, an old type of tune called the Scots Measure.

The celebrated Irish folk song collector, Colm O Lochlainn, pointed out that The Parting Glass shares its melody with Sweet Cootehill Town. This is another traditional farewell song, this time involving a man leaving Ireland to go to America.