This is all from Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin's "A Hidden Ulster"

Éalaigh Liom, no Bidí Ní Mhaoldúin

A Bhidí bheag mhúinte, is tú d'fhág mo chroí dúnta,
Scéimh na gcúig gcúige in do chuirlín deas donn,
Tá rós i gclár d'éadain 'chuirfeadh maise ar mhná(ibh) Éireann,
Is in ainneaoin chlann na nGael, 'sí Bidí mo rún.

cúrfa:
I cast my eye on this charming fair maiden,
Is bhí mé dhá teannadh anonn le mo chroí,
Orú éist is a stór, if you go wit' anyone,
Leave your mammy & go wit' me.

Little Biddy, my darling, I'll dress you in scarlet,
In the neatest of broadcloth that e'er crossed the main,
I'd rather my darling than ten thousand sterling,
I had you in my arms from morning till noon.

Tá buachaillí óga do m'iarraidh le pósadh,
Cha phósaim go deo(idh) aon fhear in mur dtír,
Ar neamhchead na slóite tá mo ghean go rómhór ort,
Cha déanaim lá róúil go dtillidh tú aríst.

There are young men & many coming to me & from me
They all swear they'll have me but it's all in vain,
Sure it's well known to many I'm in deep love with Jemmy,
And I never will marry till I see him again.

Once in my youth 'twas I took a ramble,
Le mo chúl álainn, feamainneach, triopallach donn,
I asked her kindly if she would marry me,
Fág do mhamaí is éalaigh liom.

Dá mbeinnse do mo thórramh, mo chomhrá dá treorú,
Is mé ar mo bhéirdrín ag dul 'un na cill',
Dá gcluinfeadh mo stór é nach mbeadh sí róbhrónach?
Póg amháin óna béal, gach leigheas bheadh ann.

If I were a-waking, my coffin a-making,
And I on my bearer going straight to the grave,
If my true love should hear it, I'm sure it would grieve her,
One kiss from her sweet lips would raise me again.

A Bhríde, a théagair, ná bíodh ortsa buaireamh,
Do chúl a bhí feamainneach, triopallach donn,
Tá réaltaí i d'éadan, 'chuirfeadh maise ar mhná(ibh) Éireann,
'Sí aingeal 'thug Dia dúinn, 'sí Bidí Ní (Mhao)'ldúin.

trans:
O wee modest Biddy, it's you left my heart aching,
The beauty of Ireland in your brown curly hair,
There's a rose on your forehead would enhance Irish women
In spite of the Irish people, she's Biddy my dear.

(I cast my eye on this charming fair maiden,)
To my heart I was coaxing her close as could be,
(O listen, my love, if you go with anyone,)
Leave your mammy & come with me.

Little Biddy, my darling....

There are young men here wanting to marry me,
But I'll not ever marry any man in your land,
In spite of them all I love you too much,
I'll not have a day's pleasure till you come again.

There are young men & many....

(Once in my youth, 'twas I took a ramble,)
with my beautiful, brown, curly-haired dear,
(I asked her kindly if she would marry me,)
Leave your mammy & come with me.

If I were being mourned & my coffin being borne,
& I on my bearer going along to the grave [burial place]
If my love she'd hear of it, wouldn't she be too grieved?
One kiss from her mouth would heal me again.

If I were a-waking....

O Biddy, my darling, don't you be down-hearted,
Your curly brown hair is in waves flowing down,
There are stars in your face would enhance Irish ladies,
An angel from God, she's Biddy Muldoon.



notes drawn from from A Hidden Ulster, by Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin (2003):
Most of this version was written down by Seán Ó hAnnáin in February, 1897, prob. fr the McKeown family of Lough Ross.
A version of this song was also found in a manuscript in Co. Meath.
In the final stages of [A Hidden Ulster] another manuscript of Seán Ó hAnnáin was located in the John Ryland Library in Manchester, in which [she] found most of the last verse.
Seán Ó hAnnáin also gave alternative titles for this song as A Bhríghde Bheag Mhúinte (Wee Modest Biddy) & Bidí Ní Mhaoldúin (Biddy Muldoon)...
'Aingeal' in s.e. Ulster was pronounced as 'íol', thus rhyming here with 'Dia' in the last line.