Transcript

Tá teach ósta ag an dreoilín chomh (daingean) is 'tá i bhFlanders,
Tá fíon is uisce beatha aige, tá beoir agus brandy,
Tá rum ag tíocht 'na thuile aige anall ó Rí na Fraince,
Tá an crotach mara ag seinniúint ann 'gus an uile rón ag damhsa,
Agus ólamuidí sláinte na n-éan.

Tháinig an dreoilín breabhsanta go doras theach an táilliúir,
Bhuail sé cic ar an doras agus bhris sé lena sháil é,
"Mura ndéana tú mo chóta mór dhom agus veilbhit lena chába
Ach beidh mé ag goil dho fhuip ort nó go leona mé do chnámha!"
Agus ólamuidí sláinte na n-éan.

Tháinig an chorr scréachóg le salann 'un an fhéasta,
"Míle mora agus Muire dhaoibh," a dúirt sí leis na héanlaith,
Mur dtuga sibh dhomhsa cosamar le caitheamh in mo mhéadail
Nach rachaidh mé go hIorrus mar gach bocht ag iarraidh déirce!"
Agus ólamuidí sláinte na n-éan.

Translation

The wren has a pub as strong(?) as is in Flanders,
He has wine and whiskey, beer and brandy,
He has rum coming over in floods to him from the King of France,
The curlew is playing music there and all the seals are dancing,
And let us drink to the health of the birds.

The sprightly wren came to the door of the tailor's house,
He hit the door with a kick and he broke it with his heel,
"If you don't make me my overcoat and velvet for it's cape
I will be at you with the whip until I hurt your bones!"
And let us drink to the health of the birds.

The crane came to the feast with salt,
"Greetings to you," she said to the birds,
"If you don't give me sweepings to throw into my stomach
I will go to Erris like every pauper seeking charity!"
And let us drink to the health of the birds.

Commentary

A version of this drinking song was published under the title 'Ólamuid sláinte na n-eun' in Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge, September 1894. Father Pádraig Breathnach published a six-verse version of it in Sídhe-cheól: cuid a dó (Dublin, 1926), 60, where he indicates that it is sung to the melody of 'An Dreóilín'. It is listed as 'Amhrán an Dreoilín' or 'Sláinte na nÉanla' in Ríonach Ní Fhlathartaigh, Clár amhrán Bhaile na hInse (Dublin, 1976), 243-4. Lillis Ó Laoire sings an Ulster version entitled 'Sláinte na nÉanach' on Bláth gach géag dá dtig (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 1992). Tomás Ó Lócháin, county Galway, sings the song elsewhere in the Doegen collection.