Arthur Colahan, the man behind the song “Galway Bay”

The story of Arthur Colahan, the Irishman who wrote “Galway Bay,” is as moving as the song itself.

“Galway Bay,” made popular by Bing Crosby and featured in “The Quiet Man,” was once the third best-selling song in the world, according to the Billboard charts. It became one of the great Irish tunes of all time.

The creator of “Galway Bay” was a quiet doctor who was born in Ireland, died in England and was buried in an unmarked grave in his beloved Irish homeland. Dr. Arthur Colahan never lived to see the massive worldwide success of his song.

He was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, the eldest son of Professor Nicholas Whistler Colahan (1853-1930) and Elisabeth Quinn of Limerick (born 1866). His family moved to Galway, where he grew up.

After completing his secondary education at St Joseph’s College, Galway (the Bish), he enrolled at University College, Dublin in 1900, graduating in Letters and then studying Medicine. He moved on to University College, Galway and graduated in 1913. He was a member of the university’s Literary and Debating Society and took part in drama.

He began his medical career at Galway County Hospital and later moved to Holles Street. He joined the Royal Army Medical Corps and was severely affected by mustard gas in India. After the war he settled in Leicester where he spent the rest of his career as a neurologist.

There are numerous theories as to where the song was written or where it was first heard. Some say it was at Dr Morris’s house at 1 Montpelier Terrace, whilst others believe it was at The Vicars Croft on Taylor’s Hill, from where you could see Galway Bay.

Other songs written by Colahan include “Maccushla Mine”, “Asthoreen Bawn”, “Until God’s Day”, “The Kylemore Pass” and “The Claddagh Ring”.

The opening lines, “If ever you cross the sea to Ireland… and perhaps at the end of the day” have brought many tears to the eyes of emigrants.

More importantly, Colahan never knew that Bing Crosby changed his lyrics from “speak a language the English don’t know” to “speak a language the strangers don’t know” because Crosby didn’t want the song to be too political, according to songplaces.com.

The lyrics of the song “Light a Penny Candle” became the title of a very popular book by Maeve Binchy.

The song is up against four other great Galway songs: “The West’s Awake,” “My Own Dear Galway Bay,” Mundy’s “Galway Girl” and Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl.”

In more recent times, the Pogues revived his memory by including him in their incredible Christmas tune “Fairytale of New York.”

The lyrics to “Fairytale” are: “The NYPD Chorus Boys were singing ‘Galway Bay…'” In fact, during the filming of the video, the NYPD band didn’t know the lyrics and instead sang Disney’s Mickey Mouse song.

The Colahan family grave in Galway Cemetery makes no mention of Dr. Arthur’s burial and few members of his family attended his funeral. The song was used in the 1952 film “The Quiet Man” starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, but Arthur Colahan’s name does not appear in the credits. It seems that this composer has been forgotten by almost everyone.

The Irish Graves Association discovered that Colahan, who composed the song, was buried in a mass grave at Bohermore, Galway’s city centre cemetery. In 2007, they contacted Mayor O Brolcháin to have the grave marked with his name.

The man, who wrote the best-selling song in 1956, “has no recognition at all,” according to the mayor. “He should have his name on the grave. I thought it was a reasonable request. Although we have Colohan Road in the city, he is obviously someone a lot of people haven’t heard of.”

Ironically, the town of Leicester in England has a plaque marking the house where he lived.

By the way, Galway Bay is a real place, a large bay between Galway and Clare, 30 miles long and 15 miles wide dotted with beautiful islands and spectacular scenery.

Lyrics of the song “Galway Bay”

If you ever cross the sea to Ireland

So maybe at the end of your day

You can sit and watch the moonrise over Claddagh

And watch the sunset in Galway Bay

Just to hear the murmur of the trout stream again

Women in the meadow making hay.

Just to sit by the peat fire in a hut.

And watch the barefoot gosoons as they play

Oooh…

By the breezes that blow over the seas from Ireland

They are scented by heather when they blow

And the women in the highlands digging fields

Speak a language that strangers don’t know

However, strangers came and tried to teach us their customs.

And they despised us just for being who we are.

But they could also go in search of moonbeams.

Or light a penny candle from a star.

And if there is going to be a life after this

And in some way faith, I’m sure there will be.

I will ask my God to let me make my Heaven.

In that beloved land across the Irish Sea.

* Originally published June 2017. Updated August 2024.