My Lagan Love

"My Lagan Love," also known as Roud 1418, is a traditional Irish song first collected in 1903 in northern County Donegal. The English lyrics are attributed to Joseph Campbell (1879–1944), also known as Seosamh MacCathmhaoil and Joseph McCahill. Campbell, a Belfast native with Irish-speaking heritage, began collecting songs in County Antrim and later collaborated with composer Herbert Hughes from 1904 onwards.

The melody was learned by Proinseas mac Suibhne from his father, Seaghan mac Suibhne, who had acquired it decades earlier from someone associated with the Ordnance Survey of Ireland. Campbell noted that mac Suibhne knew the tune as "The Belfast Maid," which appeared in early 19th-century broadsides but with different lyrics.

There is debate over whether "Lagan" refers to the River Lagan in Belfast or a stream near Donegal, where Hughes collected the melody. The song's arrangement by Hamilton Harty was popularized by artists like Mary O'Hara and Charlotte Church.

"My Lagan Love" has been widely performed since its inception, with notable renditions by Dusty Springfield, Van Morrison, Kate Bush, Sinéad O'Connor, and others up until 2021. The song's enduring appeal lies in its rich history and varied interpretations across generations.