Translation differences

[Bryan Dongray <btd@cray.com>]

Recently Richard (overdijk@noord.bart.nl) wrote:
> Kate Bush: Mna na h-eirann
> (O Riada)
> arranged by Kate Bush, Fiachra Trench & Donal Lunny
> Translation from Gaelic
> 
> there's a woman in Ireland who'd
> give me a gem and my fill to drink,
> there's a woman in Ireland to whom
> my singing is sweeter than the music of strings
> there's a woman in Ireland who
> would much prefer me leaping
> than laid in the clay and my belly under the sod
> 
> there's a woman in Ireland who'd envy me
> if I got naught but a kiss
> from a woman at a fair, isn't it strange,
> and the love I have for them
> there's a woman I'd prefer to a battalion,
> and a hundred of them whom I will never get
> and an ugly, swarthy man with
> no English has a beautiful girl
> 
> there's a woman who would say
> that if I walked with her I'd get the gold
> and there's the woman of the shirt
> whose mien is better than herds of cows
> with a woman who would deafen baile
> an mhaoir and the plain of tyrone
> and I see no cure for my disease
> but to give up the drink

Yet a while back, Wieland Willker wrote:
> The Women of Ireland  (Michael Davitt)
> 
> There's a woman in Erin who'd give me shelter and my fill of ale;
> There's a woman in Ireland who'd prefer my strains to strings being played;
> There's a woman in Eirinn and nothing would please her more
> Than to see me burning or in a grave lying cold.
> 
> There's a woman in Eirinn who'd be mad with envy if I was kissed
> By another on fair-day, they have strange ways, but I love them all;
> There are women I'll always adore, battalions of women and more
> And there's this sensuous beauty and she shackled to an ugly boar.
> 
> There's a woman who promised if I'd wander with her I'd find some gold
> A woman in night dress with a loveliness worth more than the woman
> Who vexed Ballymoyer and the plain of Tyrone;
> And the only cure for my pain I'm sure is the ale-house down the road.

My guess is one is a literal translation, and one is the "meaningful"
translation. So I'm asking any Gaelic experts to give us a proper
translation of what is actually said, which Wieland reported as:

> Mna na hEireann    (Peadar O/ Dorinin (?1704-1769))
> 
> Ta bean in Eirinn a phronnfadh sead damh is mo shaith le n-ol
> Is ta bean in Eireann is ba bhinne leithe mo rafla ceoil
> No seinm thead; ata bean in Eirinn is niorbh fhearr lei beo
> Mise ag leimnigh no leagtha i gcre is mo tharr faoi fhod
> 
> Ta bean in Eirinn a bheadh ag ead liom mur bhfaighfinn ach pog
> O/ bhean ar aonach, nach ait an sceala, is mo dhaimh fein leo;
> Ta bean ab fhearr liom no cath is cead dhiobh nach bhfagham go deo
> Is ta cailin speiriuil ag fear gan Bhearla, dubhghranna croin.
> 
> Ta bean a dearfadh da siulann leithe go bhfaighinn an t-or,
> Is ta bean 'na leine is is fearr a mein no na tainte bo
> Le bean a bhuairfeadh Baile an Mhaoir is clar Thir Eoghain,
> Is ni fhaicim leigheas ar mo ghalar fein ach scaird a dh'ol

Also does Kate actually sing what is above, or are there variations?

I am waiting for the proper translation which I'll put on my Kate lyric
web page, which has "what is actually said" as opposed to what is printed,
which is often in error!

			Bryan Dongray