Tir'Na Noir

Vamp's song 'Tir'Na Noir' is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that transports listeners to a mystical and melancholic world. The lyrics, sung in Norwegian, paint a vivid picture of longing and nostalgia. The song opens with a dark November scene, where the sea crashes against the shore, symbolizing the harsh reality that contrasts with the dream of a summer-green land. This land, Tir'Na Noir, is a mythical place, reminiscent of the Celtic otherworld, Tir na nÓg, a paradise of eternal youth and beauty. The protagonist reminisces about Mary McKear, a figure who embodies this lost paradise, evoking a sense of yearning for a time and place that can never be reclaimed.

The lyrics are rich with metaphors and imagery. The sea and the horizon represent the boundary between the known world and the mystical realm of Tir'Na Noir. The protagonist's journey is both physical and emotional, as he recalls the laughter and joy shared with Mary McKear. The repeated questioning—'Were you a dream? Were you real? Were you flesh? Were you blood?'—highlights the blurred lines between reality and memory, dream and existence. This ambiguity adds to the song's ethereal quality, making Mary McKear a symbol of an idealized past that haunts the present.

As the song progresses, the protagonist's longing becomes more palpable. He hears whispers calling him back from the dreariness of his current life to the vibrant world of Tir'Na Noir. The imagery of a 'rusty body' trudging through the hills suggests the weariness of life, while the call to return to 'skin' and 'mind' from everything gray signifies a desire to escape the mundane and reconnect with the essence of life. The final verses depict a poignant farewell, as the protagonist envisions his death as a journey westward to reunite with Mary McKear in the green paradise of Tir'Na Noir. This ending reinforces the theme of eternal longing and the hope for a reunion in a place where 'horizons do not exist' and everything touched remains forever.