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Transcript:
Ó, faraor géar, níl éadach agamsa ná bláth
Ná mo ghearráinín aerach a bhéarfadh mé go Sliabh Bán,
Ó, go Bleá Cliath na dtéarmaí má théim ann ní fhillfead go brách,
Ó, agus bíodh a rogha céilí ag Péarlaí Deas an tSléibh' Bháin.
Muise, ach muireach[1][2] an t-ól bheadh cóitín deas ar[3] mo dhroim,
Bheadh ba agam agus caoirigh agus mo mhian de chailín bheag bhán,
Ach anois ó tá an aois orm agus gur liath mo cheann,
Ó, ní baolach faoi (...)(beag agus tá an bhliain seo fann).
Ó, faraor géar (sea) gan mise in mo lacha bheag bhán
Ag imeacht liom féin in éadan na tuile insa tsnámh,
Mar shúil le Mac Dé (is) go réiteochaidh (Muire)
mo chás,
Ó, is mur ndearna mé bréag is tú Péarlaí Deas an tSléibh' Bháin.
1. = murach. Cf. Heinrich Wagner, Linguistic atlas and survey of Irish dialects (4 vols, Dublin, 1958-69), vol. 1, 172.
2. = murach. Cf. Heinrich Wagner, Linguistic atlas and survey of Irish dialects (4 iml., BÁC, 1958-69), iml. 1, 172.
3. Leg. aire?
Commentary:
Is amhrán grá an-choitianta é seo agus tá leaganacha de le fáil ar fud na hÉireann. Foilsíodh leagan de in Dubhghlas de hÍde, Abhráin grádh chúige Connacht; or Love songs of Connacht (BÁC, 1893), 84-7. Tá leaganacha Ultacha le fáil in Énrí Ó Muirgheasa, Dhá chéad de cheoltaibh Uladh (BÁC, 1934), 123-4, agus in Padraigín Ní Uallacháin, A hidden Ulster (BÁC, 2003), 187-9, áit a dtugtar 'Péarla Deas an Chúil Bháin' air. D'fhoilsigh Colm Ó Lochlainn leagan ceithre véarsa de mar aon le nodaireacht cheoil in An Claisceadal 35 (1940). Tá dhá chóiriú den fhonn foilsithe in Charles Villiers Stanford, The complete collection of Irish music as noted by George Petrie 1789-1866 (Londain, 1902), uimhreacha 1113-4, agus is cosúil an dá leagan seo go pointe áirithe leis an leagan a chastar ar an taifeadadh seo. Casann an t-amhránaí sean-nóis Sorcha Ní Ghuairim leagan as Conamara ina gcomhairlítear do bhean óg fear óg ar comhaois léi féin a phósadh seachas seanfhear liath atá in iomaíocht leis. Féach Ríonach uí Ógáin, Sorcha: amhráin Shorcha Ní Ghuairim (BÁC, 2002), 41.
Translation:
Alas, I have neither clothing nor prosperity
Nor my lively little gelding that would bring me to Slieve Bawn,
If I go to Dublin of the (...) I will never return,
And may the pretty pearl of Slieve Bawn have her choice of husband.
If it were not for the drink I would have a fine coat on my back,
I would have cows and sheep and my choice of fair bride,
But now since I have aged and my hair is grey,
There is no fear (...).
A great pity that I am not a little white duck
Paddling off by myself into the flow,
Hoping to the Son of God that Mary(?) will resolve my plight,
Oh, and if I do not lie, you are the Pretty Pearl of Slieve Bawn.
Commentary:
This is a very popular love song and versions of it are known throughout Ireland. It
is included in Douglas Hyde, Abhráin grádh chúige Connacht; or Love
songs of Connacht (Dublin, 1893), 84-7. Ulster versions can be found in Énrí
Ó Muirgheasa, Dhá chéad de cheoltaibh Uladh (Dublin, 1934),
123-4, and in Padraigín Ní Uallacháin, A hidden Ulster
(Dublin, 2003), 187-9, where it appears as 'Péarla Deas an Chúil Bháin'. Colm Ó
Lochlainn published a four-verse version along with the melody in staff notation in
An Claisceadal 35 (1940). Two settings of the melody are
published in Charles Villiers Stanford, The complete collection of
Irish music as noted by George Petrie 1789-1866 (London, 1902), nos. 1113-4,
and they both relate to some degree to the version sung on the present recording. The
sean-nós singer Sorcha Ní Ghuairim sings a Conamara version where a young woman is
given the advice of marrying a young man of her own generation rather than an old
grey-haired rival. See Ríonach uí Ógáin, Sorcha: amhráin Shorcha Ní
Ghuairim (Dublin, 2002), 41.