The Irish Traditional Music Archive has a HUGE collections of videos recorded at Sean-Nós Cois Life festival of singing from 2001-2012. It’s a joy to just let them roll on by one after one, especially when you come across the amazing Ciarán Ó Gealbháin. I’ve loved his singing since his time with Danú.

About the song, John Daly says in the notes of The Irish Language Miscellany (1876):

“The Fair of Windgap, the subject of the above song, is held in a village distant about four miles from Clonmel, then in the County of Waterford. The author was Tomás Ó Móráin, or Tomás an Bhodhráin, so called from his propensities as an expert player on the tambourine, and on that account was present at every social and merry-making meeting in the county, principally May Boys, to which he was particularly attached. His account of the commodities sold at the fair is most humorous, far outdoing the famous Donnybrook of old, with all its devilries….”

Aonach Bhearna na Gaoithe

Bhí diversion aerach ar an aonach, mórchuid aeir is aoibhnis
Ceolta néata, spórt is scléip, feoil á gléasadh chun bídh ann
Bhí whiskey is ale ann, fíon Geneva, branda craorach bríomhar
Plúr na déise, arán sinséar, is cáis ar scales á ndíol ann.
Refrain:
’San rabhdalam raindí, rabhdalam raindí, rabhdalam raindí réidí
Rabhdalam raindí, rabhdalam raindí, is mallaithe an dream tincéirí

Bhí siúicre, síolta agus rísíní, mil na gcíor á taoscadh
Mórchuid fíona, feoil sicíní, is ba shóil blas-chaoin an gravy
Bhí ann feoil choiligh a bhí rómhilis, bhí ann feoil druide is naoscaigh
Bhí salann is leek ar anraith laoigh, ’s canna á dhíol ar réal ann.
Refrain

An bhó inlao ná beadh ró-aosta, bhí sí daor a dóthain
Sé phunt sé, deich scilling is réal, ’s ní bhfaighfeá an lao gan choráin ann
Ar sheafaid aosta gheofá aon rud, bhí gamhna daor go leor ann
Capall graí ba dheacair a dhíol, bhí an donas ar fad ar na ponies.
Refrain

Bhí seanmhná críonna laga gan bhrí ann, a dteanga líofa ag bardaíocht
Plucaireacht chainte de dheasca an aighnis, a linbh á ndeighilt óna n-ardbhruíon
Bhí bacaigh na dúiche, trick-o’-the-loop ann, dob’ aibidh do liúigh lucht cártaí
Bhí dathacha i nglúinibh sheanduine an ghúta, is é ag eascain ansúd le hardchroí.
Refrain

Bhí ba, capaill, laoigh ann, gabhair, muca is caoire, ar asail do bhí ana-éileamh
Ar bhó bhainne ghroí bhí seacht ngine buí, bhí ba seasca cuibheasach daor ann
Ar chránta is slipí bhí cheithre phunt trí agus ana-chuid díobh go léir ann
Ach ar na bainbh ní raibh ach neamhní, níorbh fhiú dhuit a ndíol in aon chor.
Refrain

***Please email SOTI if you can provide access to the English translation of this song.***