The verse by verse is really great. Sally maclennane is the name of a stout (i.e. beer like Guiness) as per wikipedia.
The 2nd and 3rd chourus, as previously said, are largely symbolic since it's a metaphor for an irish wake. At an irish wake, people get drunk and have a big party because going to heaven is supposed to be a good thing. Hence, why they knew they'd "be seeing him again".
It's a really song of loss and death, but captures the high-spirit of the irish/religious belief that one shouldn't be sad at departures since we all end up seeing each other again in the end.
The verse by verse is really great. Sally maclennane is the name of a stout (i.e. beer like Guiness) as per wikipedia.
The 2nd and 3rd chourus, as previously said, are largely symbolic since it's a metaphor for an irish wake. At an irish wake, people get drunk and have a big party because going to heaven is supposed to be a good thing. Hence, why they knew they'd "be seeing him again".
It's a really song of loss and death, but captures the high-spirit of the irish/religious belief that one shouldn't be sad at departures since we all end up seeing each other again in the end.