Thirteen traditional songs in Irish with contemporary guitar accompaniment. Complete texts, translations, and notes supplied.
Includes unlimited streaming of Casadh na n-Amhrán / Turning the Song
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about
‘Slán le Máigh’ was written by Aindrias Mac Craith (1708–1795), known as ‘An Mangaire Súgach’ (‘The Jolly Pedlar’), an 18th century hedge schoolmaster from Croom, Co. Limerick. Banished by the parish priest because of his amorous involvement with a young woman, he offered himself for conversion to the rival parson, but was rejected. His heartfelt sense of exile from the banks of his beloved Maigue was conveyed from the nearby town of Ballineety.
The music collector George Petrie (1720–1866) harboured ambivalent attitudes towards Mac Craith. Although he described him as ‘clever, but deplorably licentious’, he considered ‘Slán le Máigh’ to be ‘an unobjectionable specimen of the talents and thoughts of one of the most distinguished of a class of men – usually hedge schoolmasters – who, for nearly a century, by their writings, teachings, and, too generally, reckless lives, exercised an influence over the minds and, as may be feared, even the moral feelings, of the fine-hearted but excitable peasantry of Munster, to which too little importance has been attached by the Irish historian.’
lyrics
Slán le Máigh
Ó slán is céad ón dtaobh so uaim,
Cois Máighe na gcaor, na gcraobh, na gcruach, Na stád, na séad, na saor, na slua,
Na ndán, na ndréacht, na dtréan gan ghruaim!
Curfá
Is och, ochón, is breoite mise,
Gan chuid, gan chóir, gan chóip, gan chiste, Gan sult, gan seód, gan spórt, gan spionna, Ó seoladh mé chun uaignis.
Slán go héag dá saorfhir suairc,
Dá dáimh, dá cléir, dá héigs’, dá sua,
Do m’ chairde cléibh, gan chlaon, gan chluain, Gan cháim, gan chaon, gan chraos, gan chruas.
Is fánach faon mé, is fraochmhar fuar, Is támh-lag tréith, ’s is taomach trua, I mbarr an tsléibhe gan aon monuar. Im pháirt ach fraoch is gaoth aduaidh.
Ó dháil an chléir dom céile nua,
Cois Máighe go h-éag ní h-é mo chuairt, Go brách lem’ ré táim réidh lem’ chuach, Is le’ mná an tsaoil chuir mé ar buairt.
Is och, ochón, mo bhrón, mo mhilleadh, Iomarca an óil is póga bruinneall
Chuir mise lem’ laethe gan fód gan fothain, Ó seoladh mé chun uaignis.
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Farewell to the Maigue
Oh, farewell, farewell from me in this place,
By the Maigue of the berries, the branches, the peaks, The beauties, the jewels, the craftworkers, the crowds, The poems, the melodies, the strong people, unbowed!
Chorus
And oh, alas, it’s I who am sick,
Without food or justice or company or fortune, Without joy or jewel or sport or energy,
Since I was banished to solitude.
Farewell till death to her happy noblemen,
To her bards, her writers, her wise ones, her scholars, To my friends, free from dishonesty and deceit, Devoid of blemish, subterfuge, greed and hardness.
I’m aimless, prostrate, outraged, cold,
I’m weak, worn out, weepy, pitiful,
On top of the mountain alone, my woe,
Nothing with me but heather and the northeast wind.
Since the clergy assigned me a new companion, From now till death I won’t visit the Maigue;
For as long as I live I’m done with my native slopes And the worldly women who caused my downfall.
And oh, alas, my sorrow, my ruin;
Too much drink and kissing women
Have landed me now without shelter or support, Since I was banished to solitude.
Fran O’Rourke is emeritus professor of philosophy. With John Feeley he has given recitals of Irish traditional songs
associated with James Joyce from San Diego to Shanghai.
John is Ireland’s leading classical guitarist. He has performed concerts around the world and recorded many CDs, most recently Bach’s Cello Suites 1-3....more
