I honestly don’t remember when I first heard this song. I know it was sometime in the mid 1980’s, and was probably through me liking U2 since they are both Irish bands. Bono did a duet with Clannad’s lead singer Maire Brennan called In A Lifetime so that is more than likely the reason. Clannad were an Irish band that played traditional Irish music, but they also strayed into pop and new age territory.

It was apparently written by the band for a three part drama television show about the Troubles in Northern Ireland called Harry’s Game, and it was also used in the Sean Bean film Patriot Games. This song is just so damn haunting! I still get goosebumps when I listen to it. In 88 I saw them live in Berkeley California, and when they played this song it totally made me teary. I will always love this song!