sean garvey

This well-known Irish song is based on a a poem written by Sigerson Clifford and is titled after the street of the same name in Cahersiveen, County Kerry.

The poem tells the story of Clifford’s friends during the Black and Tan period and up to the Irish Civil War. “Hunting for the wren” is an old Irish tradition on St. Stephen’s Day (December 26 - Wren Day).

Here it is sung by three Kerrymen, the young Padraig Ó Sé (of Dún Chaoin, Co. Kerry) with two masters, Seán Garvey and Tim Dennehy.

The Boys of Barr na Sráide

Oh the town, it climbs the mountain and looks upon the sea
At sleeping time or waking, ’tis there I’d long to be
To walk again that kindly street, the place where life began
And the Boys of Barr na Sráide went hunting for the wren

With cudgels stout they roamed about to hunt the dreólín
We searched for birds in every furze from Litir to Dooneen
We sang for joy beneath the sky, life held no print nor plan
And the Boys of Barr na Sráide went hunting for the wren

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A great bit of sean-nós. Sean Garvey sings from the Gradam Ceoil stage in 2006. I’d be grateful for any leads on the translation to English.

Iníon an Fhaoit’ Ón nGleann

Siúil, a chuid, bí ag gluaiseacht gan scíth, gan stad, gan fuarú,
Tá an oíche ghairid shamraidh ann is beam araon ar siúl,
Mar a bhfaighimid radharc ar chuanta, ceol, aoibhneas, bailte móra,
Is, a Dhia, nach ró-bhreá an uain í d’iníon an Fhaoit’ ón nGleann.

Táimse lán de náire, trí gach beart dá ndearna,
Mar is buachaill óg a chráigh mé is d’imigh uaim mo ghreann.
Ní beo mé mí ná ráithe mura bhfaighe mé póg is grá uait,
Agus fáilte chaoin ó do chairde, a iníon an Fhaoit’ ón nGleann.

Bhí mé lá breá aerach i mo shuí ar bhinn an tsléibhe amuigh
Sea chuala an lon is an chéirseach ag seinm os mo cheann;
Is deas a scríobhfainn bhéarsaí is ní deise ná mar léifinn
Stair do do mholadh féinig, a iníon an Fhaoit’ ón nGleann.