Transcript

Is iomaí cúirt agus caisleán, inbhear éisc agus cladach
A bhí ag na Máilligh fadó in Éirinn le haghaidh spóirt,
Níl a fhios sin ag bacaigh a d'fhaghadh cead a raise,
Ag ithe agus ag gearradh agus ag cáineadh chuile shórt.
(A Liam mhór), dhá mbeinn in t'aice is tú a bhí i gcéill gan easmailt,
Léifeadh ar Ghaeil i gceart agus thuigfeá-sa mo ghlór,
An uair nach bhfuil sin againn lénár gcroí istigh a spreagadh,
Sláinte dho léir[1] mar chleacht muid agus is fearrde muid a bheith ag ól.

Go ndéantar fuil dhon ghealaigh, im dho chlochaí glasa,
Múille dhá gach[2] marcach, caora dhá gach bó,
Cnoic le uisce a lasadh, coinnle úr' dho chrannaí,
Múnadh a chur ar sheanmhná agus gasúir a chur ó ghleo,
Éirinn a thabhairt go Manainn, Loch Coirib a chur sa nglainí[3],
Grian a thabhairt ar an talamh le ceann is a bhfuil beo,
Is fíor gach drong ó Ghaillimh, is mithid dhúinn aithris feasta,
A nádúr féin ní scarfaidh leis an Máilleach croí go deo.

Translation

There are many courts and castles, river fisheries and shores
That the O'Malleys had in Ireland long ago for sport,
That is not known to beggars who used to get the right of way (?),
Eating and cutting and condemning everything.
Big William (?), if I were near you, it is you who were wise and without reproach (?),
The Gaels would be understood properly (?) and you would understand my voice,
When we don't have that to inspire our hearts within us,
[Here's to] our health as once we had it and we are the better for drinking.

Until blood be made of the moon, until butter be made of grey stones,
Until a mule be made of every rider, until a sheep be made of every cow,
Until hills are lit with water, until new candles are made of trees,
Until manners are put on old women and children are stopped from making noise,
Until Ireland is brought to the Isle of Man, until Lough Corrib is poured into a glass,
Until the sun is brought to the ground along with all who are alive (?),
Everyone from Galway is right (?), it is time for us to proclaim it now,
Dear O'Malley will never part from his own nature.

Footnotes

Commentary

A version of this song entitled 'Máilleach Croí na gCarad' or 'Amhrán na Máilleach' was published in Mícheál and Tomás Ó Máille, Amhráin chlainne Gaedheal (Dublin, 1905). See new edition by William Mahon: Amhráin chlainne Gael (Indreabhán, 1991), 67. The editors state that the song was composed in honour of three or four O'Malley brothers who lived in Derryinver, county Galway, and were held in high regard (Amhráin chlainne Gael, 174). It contains a third verse not found in the present recording. The song is not to be confused with the song 'Caiptín Ó Máille' or 'An Caiptín Máilleach' which appears in Amhráin chlainne Gael, 129, and in Micheál Ó Tiománaidhe, Abhráin Ghaedhilge an Iarthair (Dublin, 1906). See new edition by William Mahon: Amhráin Ghaeilge an Iarthair: Micheál Ó Tiománaidhe a chruinnigh (Indreabhán, 1992), 87-8.