What is the Irish story of the ballad “Danny Boy”

Did you know that “Danny Boy” wasn’t written by an Irishman? Singer Cathy Maguire explains the story behind the famous ballad.

You can probably hum the tune of “Danny Boy” without thinking about it, and you may have even sung it out loud on an evening out. But do you know the story behind the famous ballad?

In this video, Irish singer Cathy Maguire travels to Limavady, County Derry, Ireland to uncover the true story behind the global phenomenon of the song “Danny Boy.”

She explains that the ballad is based on a traditional Irish song-like vocal or instrumental composition called “Derry Air”. Jane Ross of Limavady is said to have received this composition in the mid-19th century from an unnamed musician she met.

Later, Margaret Enright Weatherly hears the tune played by Irish emigrants and sends it to her brother Frederic Weatherly, an English lawyer and lyricist.

He had written the lyrics of “Danny Boy” to a different melody at the time, but it was not successful. However, when he combined the song with the melody of “Derry Air”, he found that it was a perfect fit.

Watch Irish singer Cathy Maguire discover the story behind the famous ballad. She even treats the audience to a powerful rendition of the song!:

Weatherly passed the song on to the English opera singer Elsie Griffin, who brought it to a wider audience. The first recording was made in 1915 by the German singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink.

There are many theories about the lyrics of “Danny Boy”. Some popular theories are that a parent wishes for their son to return to them before they die, or that a parent is sending a message to their son while they are at war.

* Originally published in 2021, updated August 2024.