Transcript

Phósfainn Brídín Vesey
Gan (cóta,) bróig ná léiní,
Is a stór mo chroí, dhá m'fhéidir liom
Go dtroiscfinn leat naoi dtráth,
Gan bia gan deoch gan éadach
In oileáinín i Loch Éirne
Dh'fhonn mé agus tú a bheith in éindí
Nó go réití muist an cás.

A ghrua ar dhath na gcaora,
Sí cuaichín barr na gcraobh í,
Do gheallúint ná déan bréag liom
Ach éirigh leis an lá,
Agus ainneoin dlí na Gréige,
Óra, thoghfainn tú mar chéile,
Is a dhaoine, nár bhreá an féirín dom
Ag éalú le mo ghrá.

Agus gheit mo chroí naoi n-uaire
Agus scanraigh sé le buaireamh,
An mhaidin údaí a chuala mé
Nár rabh tú romham le fáil,
Is a liachtaí lá faoi shuairceas,
Ó, do chaith mé agus tú in uaigneas
Gan neach ar bith dhár gcumhdach
Ach an jug is é ar an gclár.

Ó, dá bhfaghainn amach do thuairisc
(I) do dhiaidh go bun Chruaiche,
Ó, raghadh an scéal go crua orm
Nó leanfainn do mo ghrá.
Is go mb'fhearr liom sínte suas leat
Ar leaba fraoigh nó luachair
Ná ag éisteacht leis na cuacha
Bhíonns ag seinm ag (éirí lá).

Is tú ábhar m'osna is m'éagaoine
'S ar maidin chiúin dá n-éirím,
A chúl na lúb is a phéarla,
Is ní tú a bhí dhomhsa i ndán.
Is gur binne (...) sin mar fhéirín,
Óra, mé agus tú bheith in éindí
In áit eicín in aonraic
Nó go leagainn ort mo láimh.

Ó, do sheinnfinn tiúin ar théadaí
Go binn le barr mo mhéire,
Thréigfinn mná na hÉireann
Agus leanfainn tú sa snámh,
Ach dá mbeinn ' mo rí ar Éire
Nó i mo phrionsa i bPennsylvania
Bhronnfainn suas an méid údaí
Ar phéarla an bhrollaigh bháin.

Translation

I would marry Bridget Vesey
Without a coat, shoe or shirt,
And, o love of my heart, if I could,
I would fast with you for nine days,
Without food or drink or clothing
On an island in Lough Erne
So that you and I could be together
Until we resolve the difficulty.

O cheek the colour of sheep,
She is the little dove in the tops of the branches,
Promise me you will not lie to me
But arise with the day,
And in spite of the law of Greece,
Oh, I would take you as a wife,
And my people, what a fine gift for me
To elope with my love.

And my heart jumped nine times
And it broke asunder with anguish,
That morning that I heard
That you were not there for me,
After all the days of fun,
You and I spent alone
Without anything binding us
Except the jug on the table.

Oh, if I found out where you were
(...) to the bottom of the mountain (?),
Oh, the story would hurt me greatly
Or I would follow my love.
I would prefer to lay beside you
On a bed of heather or rushes
Than to listen to the cuckoos
That sing at the break of day.

You are the reason for my sighing and lamenting
In the quiet morning when I awake,
My curly-haired pearl,
You were not the one meant for me.
And sweeter (...) as a gift,
For you and I be together
Somewhere by ourselves
So that I could touch you with my hand.

Oh, I would play a tune on chords
Sweetly with the top of my finger,
I would forsake the women of Ireland
And I would follow you on the sea,
But if I were king of Ireland
Or a prince in Pennsylvania
I would give up all of that
For the white-breasted pearl.

Commentary

This love song was composed by Antaine Raiftearaí (Antaine Ó Reachtabhra, Anthony Raftery) (1779-1835) of Killedan, near Kiltimagh, county Mayo. Douglas Hyde writes: '[Raftery] came to the Priest's house in Loughrea, and found a new servant girl before him who did not know him, and was unaware that the priest had given orders that as often as he called he should have a bed and entertainment while he chose to remain. He asked where the other girl, Bríghid na Chathasaigh (Briget Casey) was, and heard she had gone to the Protestant minister's house at the other end of the town' (Abhráin grádh chúige Connacht; or love songs of Connacht (Dublin, 1893), 155-6). Missing the girl deeply, Raftery composed this song on hearing the news. Hyde includes a longer version and provides additional folklore relating to the background of the song in Abhráin agus dánta an Reachtabhraigh (Dublin, 1933), 101-8. He also discusses the interpretation of the coexisting titles 'Brídín Vesey' and 'Brídín Bheusach' ('Courteous Breed'). Hyde's lyrics are used in Eibhlín Bean Mhic Coisdealbha (ed.), Amhráin Mhuighe Seóla (Dublin, 1923), 56-60, to accompany a melody got from Patrick Garvey of Headford, county Galway. She notes that another well-known song 'Sheagháin a Mhic mo Chomharsuin' is sung to this same melody, for which see Charles Villers Stanford, The complete collection of Irish music as noted by George Petrie (London, 1902-5), nos. 1437-8. An edition of the song is included in Ciarán Ó Coigligh, Raiftearaí: amhráin agus dánta (Dublin, 1987), 93-7, 179.