Songfacts®:

• Ride On is regarded as one of the best possible introductions to the work of Irish folk singer Christy Moore and its title track is one of his most popular songs.
• "Ride On" was written by one of Ireland's most famous songwriter's, Cork man Jimmy MacCarthy. His songs have been recorded by many Irish artists including Mary Black, The Corrs and Westlife. MacCarthy explained on Radio Eireann in February 2010 that this song's lyrics hark back to his days as an apprentice jockey. When they first began training for races the younger horses would gallop behind the older horses. But as the younger horses developed, they needed the horses in front to go faster, so the jockeys would shout out "Ride On."
• Christy Moore wrote in his book One Voice regarding the song's meaning: "Many people wonder what it's about but Jimmy McCarthy keeps that to himself. All we need to know is what it means to us individually."
• Mary Coughlan also recorded the song on her 1987 album Under the Influence and Irish five piece Celtic Thunder covered it on their 2008 disc Act Two.