Ó Dheara, ‘Sheanduine

A clever little song about a young woman who marries an old man, thinking he’ll be dead soon enough. What ensues is something completely different. The video is from a performance by Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh with Danú. There’s also a clever animation of the song with Seamus Beagley singing in the Anam an Amhráin video series, which is where the still frame above comes from.

Ó Dheara, ‘Sheanduine

Comhairle a fuaireasa amuigh ar an mbóthar
Ó rógaire sagairt an seanduine a phósadh
Ach ba chuma leis siúd ach go méadóinn a phóca
Is go mbeinn fad a mhairfinn ag brath ar na comharsainn

Curfá:
Ó dheara ‘sheanduine, leatsa ní gheobhadsa
Ó dheara ‘sheanduine, loscadh is dó ort
Ó dheara ‘sheanduine, leatsa ní gheobhadsa
Is dá mbeinnse i mbéal dorais ná beirimse beo ort

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Bean Pháidín

Here’s another great collaboration from TG4’s Anam an Amhráin series - which, by the way is now available on DVD. I highly recommend it. This fun little song is sung by John Beag.

Bean Pháidín

Curfá:

‘S é’n trua nach mise, nach mise
‘S é’n trua nach mise bean Pháidín
‘S é’n trua nach mise, nach mise
‘S an bhean atá aige bheith caillte

Rachainn go Gallaí’ go Gallaí’
Is rachainn go Gallaí’ le Pháidín
Rachainn go Gallaí’ go Gallaí’
Is thiocfainn abhaile sa mbád leis

Curfá

Rachainn go haonach an Chlocháin
Is siar go Béal Á’ na Báighe
Bhreathnóinn isteach tríd an bhfuinneog
A’ súil is go bhfeicfinn bean Pháidín

Curfá

Go mbristear do chosa, do chosa
Go mbristear do chosa bean Pháidín
Go mbristear do chosa, do chosa
Go mbristear do chosa ‘s do chnámha

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TG4’s “Anam an Amhráin”

Ireland’s TG4 (Teilifís na Gaeilge) created an amazing series of animated Irish language songs. Several have found their way onto YouTube, so I’ve gathered them into a playlist. Here’s their version of the rousing Óró sé do Bhata Abhaile, which tells the story of the 16th century chieftain and pirate Grainne O’Malley (Gráinne Ní Mháille).

Óró, sé do bheatha abhaile,
Óró, sé do bheatha abhaile
Óró, sé do bheatha abhaile
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh.

‘Sé do bheatha, a bhean ba léanmhar,
Do b’ é ár gcreach tú bheith i ngéibheann,
Do dhúiche bhreá i seilbh méirleach,
Is tú díolta leis na Gallaibh.

Tá Gráinne Mhaol ag teacht thar sáile,
Óglaigh armtha léi mar gharda,
Gaeil iad féin is ní Franc- ná Spáinnigh,
Is cuirfidh siad ruaig ar Ghallaibh.

A bhuí le Rí na bhFeart go bhfeiceam,
Mura mbeam beo ina dhiaidh ach seachtain,
Gráinne Mhaol agus míle gaiscíoch,
Ag fógairt fáin ar Ghallaibh.

English

Óró, you are welcome home!
Óró, you are welcome home!
Oro, you are welcome home!
Now that the Summer is coming.

Welcome, o woman who was so afflicted,
It was our ruin that you were in bondage
Our fine land in the possession of thieves,
Sold to the Foreigners.

Please the Great God that we may see,
Although we may only live a week after it
Gráinne Mhaol and a thousand warriors,
Dispersing the Foreigners.

Gráinne Mhaol is coming over the sea
Armed warriors along with her as a guard
They are Irish themselves, not Foreigners nor Spaniards,
And they will rout the Foreigners.