Transcript

Ar neoin inné sea chualas féin go raibh Seán Paor á phósadh
Le Cáit Ní Dhuibhir ó Bhaile Uí Ghlaisín, iníon Taidhgín na Feola.
Is níor mheasas don scéal ach bladaireacht béal is níor chuireas aon spéis san ráfla
Mar cheapas nár bhaol go gcuirfeadh an saol fé cheangail na cléire Seán bocht.
Is an raindí babh-rabha is an raindí babh-rabha is an raindí babh-rabha is an ré-ró,
Is an raindí babh-rabha, ba scamall gan dabht bheith tamall ar phósadh an Phaoraigh.

Tréis obair an lae do[1] mhaith liom braon tae, bhíos díreach ag suí chun a thógta
Nuair a dh'airíos ciscéim[2], bogshodar is léim, is bhí an Paorach ina sheasamh im chóngar.
"A Mhicil, a chroí," ar seisean gan mhoill, "bí tapaidh is scríob do bhróga!
Tá bairille dí sa chistin ina shuí, agus caithfir teacht síos ' dtí an bpósadh!"
Is an raindí babh-rabha is an raindí babh-rabha is an raindí babh-rabha is an ré-ró,
Is an raindí babh-rabha, ba scamall gan dabht bheith tamall ar phósadh an Phaoraigh.

Do phreabas ón gclár is do ghlaos ar Shiobhán go dtabharfadh sí aníos mo chasóig chugham,
Thugas coirce don láir, chuireas easair fén gcráin, is níorbh fhada gur bhogas chun bothar.
Nuair do shroiseas an áit bhí Seán is Cáit is an tigh acu á ghlanadh don gcóisire,
Is sa chúinne ina luí ina scraiste gan bhrí sea do dhearcas Taighdín na Feola.
Is an raindí babh-rabha is an raindí babh-rabha is an raindí babh-rabha is an ré-ró,
Is an raindí babh-rabha, ba scamall gan dabht bheith tamall ar phósadh an Phaoraigh.

Ach bhailigh na daoine i gcaitheamh na hoíche is geallaim go raibh rince is ceolta ann;
Bhí píopairí dalla ag seinm[3] cois falla agus talamh á ghreadadh le mórtas;
Bhí Peadair Ó Riain, Seán Fada is a chliamhain is n'fheacasa[4] riamh aon seó ach iad,
Mar mhairfidís go Nollaig is an diabhal a mbeadh cortha do shodar trí Waves of Tory.
Is an raindí babh-rabha is an raindí babh-rabha is an raindí babh-rabha is an ré-ró,
Is an raindí babh-rabha, ba scamall gan dabht bheith tamall ar phósadh an Phaoraigh.

Translation

It was yesterday afternoon that I heard that Seán Paor was being wed
To Cáit Ní Dhuibhir of Ballyglassin, the daughter of Taidhgín na Feola.
And I thought the news was only idle talk and I didn't heed the chatter
Because I thought it was certain that poor Seán would never be tied by the clerical knot [of marriage].
And randy bow-row and randy bow-row and randy bow row and ray-row,
And randy bow-row, it sure was a wonder, the time spent at Paor's wedding.

After the day's work I wanted a cup of tea, I was just sitting down to take some
When I heard footsteps, an easy trot and a jump, and Paor was standing near me.
"Micil, my dear," said he without pause, "hurry up and scrape clean your shoes!
There's a barrel of drink sitting in the kitchen and you will have to come down to the wedding!"
And randy bow-row and randy bow-row and randy bow-row and ray-row,
And randy bow-row, it sure was a wonder, the time spent at Paor's wedding.

I leaped from the table and called on Siobhán to bring my coat up to me,
I gave the mare oats, I put a strawbed under the sow, and it wasn't long until I hit the road.
When I reached the place Seán and Cáit were cleaning the house for the feast,
And who did I see in the corner lying like a lifeless vagrant but Taidhgín na Feola.
And randy bow-row and randy bow-row and randy bow-row and ray-row,
And randy bow-row, it sure was a wonder, the time spent at Paor's wedding.

And the people gathered throughout the night and there was dancing and music I promise you;
There were blind pipers playing by the wall and the ground was stamped on proudly;
Peadair Ó Riain, long Seán and his son-in-law were there and I never saw such a spectacle,
Because they could go on until Christmas and there wasn't a hope that they would tire of trotting through the Waves of Tory.
And randy bow-row and randy bow-row and randy bow-row and ray-row,
And randy bow-row, it sure was a wonder, the time spent at Paor's wedding

Footnotes

Commentary

A version of this song was published in An Claisceadal 6 (1930s?), 10-11. Although the song itself seems largely unknown today, the melody is particularly popular and is often called 'Billy O'Rourke's the Buachaill'. Breandán Breathnach published the melody as 'An Bóthar ó Thuaidh go hÁrainn' in Ceol rince na hÉireann II (BÁC, 1976), 37. P.W. Joyce published 'The Fairies' Song' to the same melody in Irish music and song (Dublin, 1901), 21-22. The poet Tomás 'na mBodhrán' Ó Móráin's 'Aonach Bhearna na Gaoithe' is sung to the same tune. The melody is still very popular with poets and lyricists today and is often used in the lúibíní ('witty verse') competition at the annual Oireachtas na Gaeilge festival. Elsewhere in the Doegen collection, Fionán Mac Coluim sings 'Beidh Ríl Againn' to the same melody. On the present recording, Séamas Breathnach sings four verses of the song. He recites the same opening verse and chorus on a separate recording in the Doegen collection.