Transcript

Muise, siúd isteach an dreol[1] is a bhríste lena shálú,
A ghiní ina ghlaic aige is a (ghabháilín dhá mheáchan),
"Mu' ndéana tú mo (rapar dhom) is veilbhit lena cába
Beidh mé ag goil do bhata ort nó go leonaí mé do chnámha!"
Agus ólamuidí sláinte na n-éan.

Muise, siúd isteach an spideog dá hap ar an ngreen table,
Is a... Siúd isteach an spideog dá hap ar an éadach,
Thug sí lán an Bhíobla gur shil an (dreolaí éigin),
"'S a spideog bheag hababó, is ba mhinic leat a bheith bréagach,
Chonaic mé ar an gcorrach thú is do mhála is seo go léir ort,
'S ó ris a ris a ras, ('á bhfágfainn ghoil thrí ghránna)."
Agus ólamuidí sláinte na n-éan.

"Muise, (dhealg) (...) dhom le boise dhon lása,
Stocaí míne cotton agus brógú 'on leathar Spáinneach,
Trí phíosa airgid le go n-ólfainnse a shláinte,
Nár ba (lór insa gclúite) mar cosúil leis an bpápa thú,
Is a (shlainíní mhaola túda) na gruaige báine."
Agus ólamuidí sláinte na n-éan.

"Muise, mise Seán Ó (hÍcín), mac Shíle Nic Co' Ghabhna,
Tháinig mé insa tír seobh le súil a ghoil in do chleamhnas,
Tá dhá bhó is tá caoirigh agam, tá muc mhaith le haghaidh bainse,
Mu' dtuga tusa t'iníon dhom tóigfidh mé leat clampar!"
Is ólamuidí sláinte na n-éan.

"Muise, (gheallóinn é) (...),
Crochfaidh mé go cinntí thú ag seisiún Bhaile an Róba,
Tá dhá éan déag is fiche agam, hata is ceart is cóir dhom,
Tá an préachán dubh mar bhreith agam is tá an meiriliún 'na foreman."
Is ólamuidí sláinte na n-éan.

"Muise, gheallói-... Muise, gheallóinn é (...).

Translation

Musha, in comes the wren(?) with his trousers around his soles,
With his guinea in his hand and his (...),
"If you don't make me my cloak (?) and velvet for its cape
I'll be at you with a stick until I hurt your bones!"
And let us drink to the health of the birds.

Musha, in comes the robin with hopping on the green table,
And... Musha, in comes the robin hopping on the cloth,
It swore by the Bible that the wren(?) (...),
"And my little robin hababo, and you have often told a lie,
I saw you on the marsh with your bag and all of this on you,
And oh rish a rish a ras, if I left (...)."
And let us drink to the health of the birds.

"Musha, (...) of me with a handful(?) of lace,
Soft cotton socks and shoes of Spanish leather,
Three pieces of silver for me to drink his health,
Wasn't it enough (...) because you are like the pope,
And (...) of the fair hair."
And let us drink to the health of the birds.

"Musha, I am John Hickey(?), son of Síle Nic Con Gabhna,
I came to this land with a mind to arrange a match with you,
I have two cows and I have sheep, I have a good pig for a wedding feast,
If you don't give me your daughter I will make trouble with you!"
And let us drink to the health of the birds.

"Musha, I would promise it (...),
I will surely hang you at the Ballinrobe sessions,
I have thirty two birds, a proper and fitting hat,
The black crow is my judge and the goshawk is the foreman."
And let us drink to the health of the birds.

"Musha, I would prom-... Musha, I would promise it (...).

Footnotes

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 Ceallaigh (Mayo) sings the song elsewhere in the Doegen collection.