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Juliana

by Seán Lyons

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about

While in the Collins Barracks museum in Dublin a few years ago, I stumbled across an exhibition about foreign involvement in the Irish pursuit of sovereignty through the ages. I came upon the story of La Juliana; a merchant vessel that was commandeered by King Philip II of Spain in 1586 and was part of the Spanish Armada in 1588 as it made its way to Britain's shores.

King Philip II had a few goals; to overthrow Elizabeth I, to bring Britain under Spanish rule and to "restore" Catholicism as the dominant religion in Britain. The conquest ultimately failed as the armada suffered severe losses during its voyage. La Juliana was wrecked at Streedagh Strand near Rosses Point in Sligo in September 1588 along with two other ships; La Lavia and La Santa Maria de Vison.

The exhibition posited that a Spanish conquest of Britain could have changed the course of Ireland's history as it would have brought our then staunchly Catholic nation under the rule of a potentially more benevolent Catholic monarch . This song is a lament for La Juliana from the perspective of Ireland.

lyrics

I wake up to the call of Juliana
Echoing across the raging main
I hear her in the crashing of the waves against the rocks
It’s a voice that can only come from Spain
She tells me that she’s come to sooth my sorrows
She tells me that this isn’t just a dream
I know that if she’ll come, my troubles will be done
Juliana, oh what could’ve been

A flicker in the dark is Juliana
A flicker that may soon become a flame
And a fire grows within me that could set this land ablaze
At even the merest mention of her name
When she comes across the stormy ocean
She’ll bring me joy that I have never seen
I’ll see my dread and fear forever disappear
Juliana, oh what could’ve been

It pains me now to think of Juliana
And how my naive hopes faded away
I wish that I was resting in the warmth of her embrace
But now she’s resting at the bottom of a bay
No more I’ll dream of having her beside me
For now I know she’ll never be my queen
The tyrant of the sea has parted her from me
Juliana, oh what could’ve been

credits

released January 6, 2023
Music and lyrics by Seán Lyons

Seán Lyons - vocals & acoustic guitar
Maria Ryan - fiddle
Caimin Gilmore - double bass
Ben Wanders - percussion

Recorded and mixed by Ben Wanders at Wanderland Studios, Limerick
Mastered by Richard Dowling

Artwork by George Cole

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Seán Lyons County Clare, Ireland

Seán Lyons is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Growing up in a musical family, he played the tin whistle and uilleann pipes from a young age, regularly competing and performing around Ireland and overseas. At age 15, he began singing, playing the guitar and writing songs. He is influenced by jazz and the broader folk genre but his music is deeply rooted in Irish traditional music. ... more

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