Lyrics
Aisling Bhán lyrics
- Dhéanainn Súgradh
- Thíos Cois na Trá Domh
- Seachrán Chairn tSiail
- Cuach mo Londubh Buí
- Aisling Bhán
- Tiocfaidh an Samhradh
- Two Sisters
- Rince Philib a’ Cheoil
- ‘dTigeas a Damhsa?
- An Mhaighdeán Mhara
- Mo Mháire
Dhéanainn Súgradh
NOTES
Trad. Arr. Robbi McMillen. ‘Dhéanainn Súgradh’ is a Scots Gaelic waulking songs that I first heard from Mairí MacInnes, one of my favourite singers from Albain. She has recorded so many beautiful songs, but this one really stood out for me, the rythm and tune. It was also recorded by Clannad in their own style.
LYRICS
Dheanainn sùgradh ris an nighinn duibh,
Agus éiridh moch ’s a mhaduinn;
Dheanainn sùgradh ris an nighinn duibh.
Dheanainn sùgradh ris a’ ghruagaich
Nuair a bhiodh a’ sluagh nan cadal.
Dheanainn sùgradh ris a’ ghruagaich,
Ri nighinn duinn a’ chuailein chleachdaich.
‘S bòidheach leam cumadh do chalpa,
‘S bòidhche na sin t’ fhalbh is t’ astar.
‘S nuair a théid thu null a dh’Éirinn
Gheibh thu ‘m bréid nach feum am paitseadh.
Di-Luain an déidh Di-Dòmhnaich
Dh’fhalbh sinn le Seònaid a Arcaibh.
‘S ann Di-Luain an déidh Di-Dòmhnaich
Sheòl sinn a Steòrnabhagh a’ chaisteil.
Reef ‘ga cheangal, ’s reef ‘ga fhuasgladh
Muir fo cluais is fuaim fo planca.
Bha muir gorm a’ ruith fo cuinnlein
‘S i cur still a grunnd an aigeil.
Null ma Chaolas na Ròimh
B’fheudar dhuinn am boom a leaiseadh.
Null ma Chaolas na Fraing
Maide ‘na làimh ’s gaoth ‘ga greasad.
Dh’fheumadh pòrsan thigh’n a bùth dhith
Ged a bhiodh e crùn an cairteal.
Ged a bhiodh e crùn an òirleach
Dh’fheumadh pòrsan dheth thigh’n dhachaidh.
Thíos Cois na Trá Domh
NOTES
Trad. Arr. Robbi McMillen. The title means ‘Down by The Beach’. One story, probably the most poignant is that the song relates to a seaside graveyard and is a lament by a lone man who discovers his comrades are interred there. He bids farewell to his friends, both past and present.
LYRICS
Thíos Cois Na Trá Domh i ndoimhneacht na hoíche
An saol mhór ina gcodladh, ’s mise liom féin
Na h-éanacha mara ag scairtí go léanmhar
Cosúil le h-anamnacha bochta i bpéin
Iomlán gealaí ’s iomlán rabharta
Aoibhneas ’s ciúnas, ’s áilleacht sa domhain
Crónán na farraige ‘dul siar ar mo chluasa
Bog-cheol an uisce ag sileadh san abhainn
Istigh ar h-inseáin tá sean-reilig bheannaithe
An áit inar mhaireadh naoimh san aimsir fadó
Tá daoine istigh ann ag chaith seal do h-aerach
Ní shiúlfaidh siad thar fán chladaigh níos mó
Bhuail uaigneas m’intinn ’s mé ag amharc ar an reilig
‘S mé ag meabhrú ar dhaoine istigh ann ina luí
Fir is mná óga, seandaoine is páistí
Muintir mo mhuintir is cairde mo chroí
Tá na coiligh ag glaoch ’s na réalta ag bánú
Tá an gealach ina luí ’s ní fada go lá
Slán agat anois a shean-reilig bheannaithe
‘S na daoine a shiúlfadh liom thíos cois na trá
Seachrán Chairn tSiail
NOTES
Trad. Arr. Robbi McMillen. The song of a poet wandering around meeting beautiful women – quite the chancer… of course! I heard this song from a recording by Donegal singer Gearóidín Breathnach. Another recording is that of Albert Fry which I have still to learn.
LYRICS
Ar mo tharraingt siar go Carn tSiail dom,
Go haonach bliantúil n Féil’ Muire Mór
Tharla an ainnir as an taobh aniar dom
Is í go cianmhar ‘gabháil tharam sa ród.
Dar liom féin, ó, gur scar mo chiall uaim
Mar bheinn ag siabhrán nó seal ag ól,
Chonacthas domhsa gur dhorcha an ghrian gheal
Le taobh ‘ach dealramh ‘raibh ina grua mar rós.
Bheannaíos féin go preab don mhaighdean
Agus feasbhaidh céille ní raibh in mo ghlór,
D’fhiafir mé féin dí ‘raibh aon fhear in Éirinn
A ghlacfadh sí ‘e roghain orm ins an ród.
D’fhiafir sí domhsa cá raibh mo léine,
Mo bhuig, mo bhéabhar, ’s gan fiú na mbróg,
Go mb’annamh a chonaic sise sac ma éideadh
Ar fhear ag bréagadh cailín óg.
A chúileann fáinneach, má thug mé grá duit
Ná cuir i gcás mé fá bheith gan dóigh,
Agus gheobhaidh tú aoibhneas ar hallaí bána,
Fíon na Spáinne gheobhair seal le hól.
D’fhiafir sí domhsa an mar siúd ba ghnách liom
Bheith ag siúl na n-ardán ar bheagán stró.
Is é duirt mé léithi nár chleacht mise ‘athrach,
Ach ainnir álainn agus gloine ar bord.
Níl siúd áit ó íochar Fhanad
Nach bhfuil mé i ngrá le bean nó dhó,
Bean sna Rosa thiar i Mín na Manrach,
Ó thaobh Ghleann Átha ‘go dtí ‘n Mhucais Mhór,
Dís i mBaoilleach, dis i mBáineach,
Bean in Árainn ’s a chois Ghaoth Dobhair,
Ó Leitir Ceanainn go dtí mullach Gháigin
‘S go Curraoin Mhanuis a chois an róid.
Cuach mo Londubh Buí
NOTES
Trad. Arr. Robbi McMillen; tune by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. I had no idea what this song was about, but loved it! I heard the version from Altan who have included the story in the sleeve notes of their album, ‘The Blue Idol’: This song tells the story of a man whose wife was lured away by the Gruagach, a hairy Otherworld figure, whose name may contain a double-entendre. The title, which is also used as a chorus, is essentially untranslatable but makes reference to a cuckoo and a yellow blackbird! On Tory Island it is widely believed that the song was got from the slua sí, or fairies. James Stephens translated a version of this song as “The Brown and Yellow Ale” and it was reputed to be the favourite song of the great Irish writer, James Joyce.
LYRICS
Bhí mise’s mo bhean bheag lá gabháil a’ bóthar,
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
Is cé chásfaidh dúinn ach Gruagach an óir bhuí,
Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
D’fhiafair sí domhsa an ‘níon domh an óigbhean,
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
A’s dúirt mé féin gurb í mo bhean phósta í,
Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
D’Tabharfaidh tú domhsa choíche go deo í?
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
Muna ndéanfaidh tú sin liom dhéanfaidh mé’ n cóir leat,
Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
Gabh thusa ‘na mullaí ‘gus mise ‘na móinte,
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
‘S ca bith fear a leanfaidh sí bíodh sí go deo aige,
Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
Chuaigh seisean ‘na mullaí ‘gus mise móinte,
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
‘Gus lean sí an Gruagach, b’aige a bhí ‘n óige,
Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
D’fhill mé ‘na bhaile go buartha cráite,
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
Gus shuigh mé síos ar mo leabaidh trí ráithe,
Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
D’fhan sí amuigh aige bliain is trí ráithe,
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
Agus tháinig sí, ‘na bhaile, mo Mhallaí gan náire,
Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
A ghiolla adaí istigh caidí mar atá tú?
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
Mar is olc le mo charaid is maith liom mo námhaid,
Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
Caidé a dhéanfá dá bhfaighinnse bás uait?
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
Chuirfinn ort cónair dara na gcúig gclár,
Cuach mon lon dubh buí.
Cuach inniu agus cuach amárach,
‘S oró grá mo chroí,
‘Gus cuach bheag eile achan lá go ceann ráithe,
Cuach mon on dubh buí.
Aisling Bhán
NOTES
Written by Robbi McMillen. I wrote this for a friend I knew a while back. The song is quite undescriptive but just seems to flow well and was suited to the person to whom it was dedicated.
LYRICS
Aisling Bhán – téigh slán,
Bí i gconaí i m’ aice.
Nuair a deirtear, go bhfuil muid ‘nár gcairde,
Osclaím mo lámh, sínean mo cheann.
Ó, Aisling Bhán,
Téigh slán.
One bright star,
A few steps to heaven.
One love lost?
Or a friendship gained?
Ó, Aisling Bhán,
Téigh slán.
Tiocfaidh an Samhradh
NOTES
Trad. Arr. McMillen. The most touching, sombre traditional song I have ever heard, and one which I have recorded on all of my projects and will continue to record. The last verse doesn’t appear on ‘Aisling Bhán’, although the full version was released as a bonus track on iTunes Germany.
LYRICS
Tiocfaidh an samhradh agus fásfaidh an féar
Tiocfaidh an duilliúr glas ar bharr na gcraobh
Tiocfaidh mo rúnsearc le bánú an lae
Agus buailfidh sí tiún suas le cumha ‘mo dhiaidh
Is óg ’s óg a chuir mé dúil i ngreann
Do dhéanfainn súgradh le mo rún ar faill;
Níl baile cuain ar bith a ngluaisfinn ann,
Nach bhfaighinn maighdean óg dheas a shiúltadh liom
Brón ar an fharraige mar ’s í tá mór
‘Sí tá gabháil idid mé a’s mo mhíle stór
D’fhág sí ar an bhaile seo mé a’ déanamh bróin
‘S gan aon tsúil chasta agam a choiche níos mó
Scairt me aréir ag an doras thall
Scairt mé arís ar mo ghrá go teann
‘Se dúirt a daidí liom nach raibh sí ann
Ná gur éalaigh sí aréir leis an bhuachaill donn
Shiúil mé thoir agus shiúil mé thiar
Shiúil mé Béal Feirste agus Baile Átha Cliath
Shiúil mé an baile seo faoi dhó le bliain
A dh’iarraidh mo stóirín ‘bhain díom mo chiall
Two Sisters
NOTES
Written by Robbi McMillen. This song has been recorded in hundreds of different settings and with hundreds of versions. This version was collected by Brian Mullen from Derry. Many of the songs he has collected are broadcast on his BBC Radio Foyle music show ‘Cáschlár’. I also had the honour of hearing him sing it live (a few year after this recording) with a small group in Belfast. I happily sang along to the repeated lines as did my secondary school Technology teacher. What a cheerful tune to a terrible ending… quite funny though… when performed live!
LYRICS
There were two sisters side by side
Sing aye dum, sing aye day
There were two sisters side by side
The boys are bound for me
There were two sisters side by side
The eldest for young Johnny cried
I’ll be true unto my love if he’ll be true to me
Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring
Sing aye dum…
Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring
The boys…
Johnny bought the youngest a gay gold ring
He never bought the eldest a single thing
I’ll be true…
Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat
The eldest didn’t think much of that
As they were a walkin’ by the foamy brim
The eldest pushed the youngest in
Sister, oh sister give me thy hand
And you can have Johnny and all his land
Oh sister I’ll not give you my hand
And I’ll have johnny and all his land
So away she sank and away she swam
Until she came to the miller’s dam
The miller he took her gay gold ring
And then he pushed her in again
The miller he was hanged on the mountain head
The eldest sister was boiled in lead
Rince Philib a’ Cheoil
NOTES
Trad. Arr. McMillen. A happy wee children’s song from Donegal. Many versions have been recorded, this version is the one I heard on a Clannad album. The song seems a bit silly, but is so much fun to sing! As the late John Whatmough once wrote: “a simple dance tune with a simple message – every man to his own instrument. I’ll play my pipes and you can dance.”
LYRICS
Poirtín Sheáin a tSíoda ’s rince Philib a’Cheoil
Déansa domhsa rince, ’seinnfidh mise an ceol
Cúrfá
Ó sé bhean nach deas í; ó sé bhean nach seoigh
Ó sé bhean nach deas í; rince Philib a’Cheoil
Poirtín Sheáin a tSíoda ’s rince Philib a’Cheoil
Sin mar bhí go dú seo, ’s amhlaidh bhéas go deo
Poirtín Sheáin a tSíoda ’s rince Philib a’Cheoil
Greas do choróin phíoba, meidhreach agus go beo
Poirtín Sheáin a tSíoda ’s rince Philib a’Cheoil
Aoibhinn linn an rince, an siamsa agus an ceol
‘Tigeas a Damhsa?
NOTES
Trad. Arr. McMillen. A simple children’s dance song as recorded by Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, a famous Conamara sean-nós singer. The song is on a new collection of Ní Ghuairim’s recordings, released on Gael-Linn.
LYRICS
Chorus:
‘dTigeas a damhsa damhs’, dtigeas a damhsa dom?
‘dTigeas a damhsa damhsa damhsa, dtigeas a damhsa dom?
Goirm i gconaí gconaí, goirm i gconaí dom
Goirm i gconaí gconaí gconaí, maidin Dé Luain a b’fhearr.
Buachaill aniar aniar, buachaill aniar a b’fhearr
Buachaill aniar aniar aniar, is cailín ó Shliabh na bPeann
Buachaill maith súiste súiste, buachaill maith súiste a b’fhearr
Buachaill maith súiste súiste súiste, is cailín deas ‘tuirne leann
An Mhaighdeán Mhara
NOTES
Trad. Arr. McMillen. I first heard this from my friend, and amazing singer, Róise Nic Chorraidh.
This song is about a mermaid who falls in love with a man. She removes her crown and becomes human and marries, having two children. So that she would not return to the sea, her husband hides the crown in a place he feels she will never find it. Their children find it though, as it is a childs imagination that imagines all of the wonderful things in this life, and as they are playing, they lift the crown and run to show it to their homesick mother.
Her eyes light up, but then she cries, the pull of her sea home being too much. She kisses her son and daughter goodbye and returns to the sea, putting on her crown and again becomes a mermaid.
There are a few slightly different stories, this being the oldest I could get my hands on. It is a beautiful song, and many of you will have heard Moya Brennan sing it acapella in concert. This story is also told in an interview with Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan, who has also recorded this song.
This song seems to be from the North-West coast of Tír Chonaill in Donegal, although has been said to be from the Inis Eoghain Peninsula, facing out towards Scotland where the mermaid is told to be from in a few versions of the story. Some singers tell of how she now dwells by the the Isle of Lewis, keening her childrens deaths years after leaving Donegal. In the sleeve notes of various albums, the crown is replaced by the cloak, although a crown seems more fitting for a mermaid.
LYRICS
Is cosúil gur mheath tú
nó gur thréig tú an greann
Tá an sneachta go frasach
fá bhéal na mbeann’
Do chúl buí daite
is do bhéilín sámh
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh
is í i ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
‘A mháithrín mhilis,
‘dúirt Máire bhán
Fá bhruach an chladaigh
is fá bhéal na trá
‘Maighdean mhara
mo mháithrín ard’
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh
is í i ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
Tá mise tuirseach
agus beidh go lá
Mo Mháire bhruinneall
is mo Phádraig bán
Ar bharr na dtonnta
is fá bhéal na trá
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh
is í i ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
Mo Mháire
NOTES
Trad. Arr. McMillen. A song that praises the merits and beauty of a girl called Máire, or Mary. The tune is identical to that of the Irish traditional song ‘The Maid That Sold Her Barley’ and is similar in story too!
LYRICS
Ag feis nó dáil níl bean le fáil
Chomh sciamhach le mo Mháire
Tá aice cneas bog bán a ’s deas
Do chuirfeadh lil’ faoi náire;
’san domhan seo, níl aon chroí chomh díl
Nó cailín tá níos fíre -
‘measc óg nó sean ’sí plúr na mban
Is ise bród na tíre.
Tá gruaig mo stóir mar fháinni óir
A’titim síos go talamh;
Thar muinéal ban a ’s guaille lán
A cuma ‘tá mar dhealbh.
Gí glan soiléar gach réalt ’san spéir
Tá súil mo ghrá níos glaine
’s binne glór mo chailín óig
Ná cláirsí ciúin na cruinne.
‘Measc aos óg i leathar bróg
Ar urlár, cúirt nó pairliúin
Níor sheas le taobh aon fhear ariamh
Bean-rinceoir leath chomh hálainn
Má bhris sí croí aon óganiagh
Gan bréag do bhris si céadta
‘gus tá na mná fáil bháis gach lá
Le troim’is neart a n-éada.
Ag feis nó dáil níl bean le fáil
Chomh sciamhach le mo Mháire
Tá aice cneas bog bán a ’s deas
Do chuirfeadh lil’ faoi náire;
’san domhan seo, níl aon chroí chomh díl
Nó cailín tá níos fíre -
‘measc óg nó sean ’sí plúr na mban
Is ise bród na tíre.