Is é fáth mo bhuartha - Frank McGinty
Thu, 10/11/2012 - 14:03 | by Eoghan
Recording: [Download audio file]
[Download AIFF audio file (of processed ‘user’ version)]
[Download AIFF audio file (of archive version)]
Transcript
Nach é fáth mo... Nach é fáth mo bhuartha nach bhfaghaim cead cuairte
Ins an ngleann seo uaigneach a mbíonn mo ghrá?
An áit a bhfuil mil ar luachair, im ar uachtar,
I dtús an fhuaicht bíonn (...) ann.
Translation
Is not the reason for my sorrow that I am cannot visit
The lonely valley where my love dwells?
Where there is honey on rushes, butter on cream,
At the beginning of winter there is (...) there.
Commentary
This is the opening verse of the well-known love song 'Sé Fáth mo Bhuartha'. It is a song of unrequited love in which the poet tells of his sorrow that he cannot be with a certain beautiful woman who lives in the valley. In later verses, he describes the beauty of the valley itself and the beauty of his beloved woman. A five-verse version was published by Micheál and Tomás Ó Máille in Amhráin chlainne Gaedheal (Dublin, 1905). See new edition by William Mahon, Amhráin chlainne Gael (Indreabhán, 1991), 31, 165. The editors could not ascertain who composed song. Micheál Ó Tiománaidhe collected a song entitled 'Cor Shliabh' that includes the first verse of 'Is é Fáth mo Bhuartha', which he attributes to Dick Bairéad. See Abhráin Ghaedhilge an Iarthair, no. 8. However, Nicholas Williams rejects this claim in Riocard Bairéad: amhráin (Dublin, 1978), 51. Another version, entitled 'A Mhúirnín Bán', may be examined in Father Pádraig Breathnach, Ár gceól féinig (Dublin, 1920), no. 78. The melody is very popular with instrumentalists. A rendition by the celebrated uilleann piper Willie Clancy can be heard on The gold ring (RTÉ, 2009).
Title in English: The cause of my sorrow
Digital version published by: Doegen Records Web Project, Royal Irish Academy
Description of the Recording:
Speaker:
Frank
McGinty from Co. Mayo
Person who made the recording:
Karl Tempel
Organizer and administrator of the recording scheme: The Royal Irish Academy
In collaboration with: Lautabteilung, Preußische Staatsbibliothek (now Lautarchiv,
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
Recorded on 11-09-1930 in University College,
Galway. Recorded on 11-09-1930 in University College,
Galway.
Archive recording (ID LA_1128g1, from a shellac disk stored in
Galway) is 00:33 minutes long. Archive recording (ID LA_1128g1, from a shellac disk stored in
Galway) is 00:33 minutes long.
User recording (ID LA_1128g1, from a shellac disk stored in Galway)
is 00:22 minutes long. User recording (ID LA_1128g1, from a shellac disk stored in Galway)
is 00:22 minutes long.
