Transcript

Níl cnocán dá aeraí, mo léan géar, nach n-aithneoinn mo mhian,
Níl maighdean dá chéillí, ó, mo léan géar, nach dteagann 'un suain;
Ó, bhfuil sé beo in Éirinn dho mo ghaolta cé thiocfadh ar cuairt,
Tá mo ghrá dho mo thréiscint le céile bean eile is nach trua.

Muise fan go Féil' Bríde agus dar m'fhírinne gheobhfaidh tú duais,
Nach gcruinneoidh mo mhuintir agus dhéanfadh siad eallach dhom suas;
Beidh ba agus caoirigh a'inn, ó, go cinnte faoi bhun Chnoic an Dúin,
Cead codladh go suímhneach gan bhuíochas le mala gan gruaim.

Tá mo gháirdín breá ina fhásach agus, a ghrá geal, ní miste leat é;
Tá aibhinne bhreá amháin ann nach bhfásann thríthi aiteann ná fraoch;
Níor chualas ceol cláirsí ag goil an tsráid seo ná ceiliúr na n-éan
Ó d'éalaigh mo ghrá uaim, cúilín álainn, go Caisleán Uí Néill.

Ó, is i gCaisleán Uí Néill atá an té úd a bhain daom mo shnua,
Sé an tsamhail a bhéarfainn dá méin deas is do leagan a súl,
Sé an tsamhail a bhéarfainn dá méin deas is do leagan a súl,
Ó, fíoruisce an tsléibhe is é a bheith ag ealú ar maidin sa drúcht.

Sé fuaim bhinn do bhéilín ' chuirfeadh éiníní na coille 'un suain,
Tá mo ghrá dho mo thréiscint le céiléachaí eile, is nach trua.

Translation

There is no hill, however airy, alas, where I would not know my desire,
There is no maiden, however sensible, alas, who doesn't come to rest (?);
Oh, is any relative of mine alive in Ireland who (?) would come to visit,
My love is leaving me with another woman's husband and isn't it sad.

Well, wait till Saint Bridget's Day and, by my oath, you will get a reward,
Won't my people come together and give me a herd of cattle;
We will have cows and sheep for certain at the foot of Cnoc an Dúin,
Leave to sleep soundly, in spite of all (?), with a gloomless brow.

My fine garden is gone wild and, my love, it does not matter to you;
There is one fine avenue there through which no furze or heather grows;
I have not heard the music of the harp on this street or the singing of the birds
Since my love left me, beautiful tresses, and went to O'Neill's Castle.

In O'Neill's Castle is the one who took from me my complexion,
I would compare her fine mind and the look of her eye,
I would compare her fine mind and the look of her eye,
To the spring water of the mountain flowing through the morning dew.

It is the sweet sound of your mouth which would send the birds of the forest to sleep,
My love is leaving me for other partners and isn't it a sad.

Commentary

Popular in both Connacht and Munster, 'Caisleán Uí Néill' is the lament of a young girl who has been left by her lover. Like many songs in the Irish tradition, the narrative tends to be more lyrical and allusive than clear. In some versions, the man appears to have left the young girl for another lover residing in O'Neill's castle, and in others, it may be interpreted that the man is a member of that noble family. According to Nicholas Carolan (Seoltaí séidte (Gael Linn CD booklet, 2004), 91), a version of the song was sung in county Mayo in the 1790s. Edward Bunting published a melody under this title (see Ancient Irish music (London, 1796), 14). The song has been widely published. See, for example: George Sigerson (ed.), Poets and poetry of Munster: second series (Dublin, 1860), 82; An Gaodhal (January 1886); Douglas Hyde, Love-songs of Connacht (Dublin, 1893), 22, 26; An Lóchrann (July 1909); Tomás Ó Máille, An ghaoth aniar (Dublin, 1920), 70-1; Eibhlín Bean Mhic Coisdealbha (ed.), Amhráin Mhuighe Seóla (Dublin, 1923), 9-12, 136; Proinnsias Ní Dhorchaí, Clár amhrán an Achréidh (Dublin, 1974), 27-8; Ríonach Ní Fhlathartaigh, Clár amhrán Bhaile na hInse (Dublin, 1976), 74; Tomás Ó Concheanainn, Nua-dhuanaire III (Dublin, 1978), 31, 87; Brian O'Rourke, Blas meala (Blackrock, Co. Dublin, 1985), 120-8.