The Parting Glass - a real Irish goodbye with the song's back story.

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The Parting Glass gives the true meaning of an Irish goodbye, after a life well lived. It's one of the top ten favourite folk songs in Ireland according to an RTÉ poll.

It’s been popular in Ireland since at least the 18th century, and it’s not hard to see why. The beautifully moving melody is matched by wonderful bitter-sweet lyrics to create a true masterpiece of a song.

As listeners we can’t be sure why the singer is leaving. Does he know the days of his life are numbered, or is he emigrating, or simply needing to move on for some unspecified reason.

Whatever the cause, it’s a beautifully evocative song, painting a picture of a life well lived by a man well liked by everyone he meets, at least that is, according to him. On the whole, we’re happy to take his word for it, perhaps because he’s ready to accept he made mistakes.

The Parting Glass was a popular New Year’s Eve song in both Ireland and Scotland before it was superseded by Auld Lang Syne.

It shares its melody with another old Irish song called Sweet Cootehill Town, which also tells of departure as the singer prepares to leave for America.

The parting glass, or ‘stirrup cup’ which was drunk on horseback, was the final act of hospitality towards a guest as they departed.

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