Lyrics to Mna na hEireann

["SEAN TWOMEY (ARCHAEOLOGY) PG" <TWOMEYS@acadamh.ucd.ie>]

Hi all ,

As you will  know if you got the Common Ground album, the lyrics are 
included  in the album sleeve in the English translation but Kate of 
course sings the song in Irish . So I thought I'd look in my college 
library for the actual poem by Peadar O Doirnin , just to show you 
all how awkward the Irish language can look to a non-speaker ..... 
this is an eighteenth century poem ...... see if you can spot the     
words that Kate sings ........ 

                                        Mna na hEireann
                                     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
                                 1

Ta bean in Eirinn  a phronnfadh sead damh is mo shaith 
       le n-ol
Is ta bean in Eirinn is ba binne leithe mo rafla ceoil
No seinm theid; ata bean in Eirinn is niorbh fhearr 
       lei  beo
Mise ag leimnigh no leagtha i gcre is mo tharr faoi fhod.

                                  2

Ta bean in Eirinn a bheadh ag ead liom mur bhfaighinn
       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


                                 6
                       
Ta bean a dearfadh da siulainn 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 Eoghann,
Is ni fhaicim leigheas ar mo ghalar fein ach scaird 
       a dh'ol  

( note : taken from " Peadar O Doirnin :  Amhrain " edited by 
Breandan O Buachall 1969 ) 

                      - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - 

The poem has six verses but I think these are the ones sung by Kate. 
Please note that I don't know how to put accents by e-mail , but you 
get the gist ......... not as easy as it sounds to sing this right ! 
. 
So all you budding Irish balladeers , take a deep breath, stick on 
Common Ground, and annoy the neighbours !!!

SEAN : )
p.s. does Kate only sing three verses ? ...... I'm doing this from 
college without the aid of the album !