The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #30244   Message #1088939
Posted By: GUEST
08-Jan-04 - 04:46 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: An Cruskeen Lawn
Subject: Lyr Add: AN CRÚISCÍN LÁN
A review of the Nioclas Tóibín album also mentions an English language version recorded by O.J. Abbot. Abbot was a Canadian singer who had a lot of Irish songs (see Daniel O'Connell's Steam Engine - making babies by steam - on Mudcat); according to the review Abbot's Irish-language refrain was close enough to the original though he wasn't an Irish speaker.

The following Irish language lyrics are adapted from those given at an unofficial Clannad website
I suspect errors in the third line of the last verse. I wonder how this Irish language Crúiscín Lán compares with Tóibín's? Or was his song more like the English language one (see lyrics in the DT, links above)

AN CRÚISCÍN LÁN

Nuair a gheobhas mé bás na cuirigí faoi fhód mé,
Tabhair go tigh a' leanna mé 'gus cóirigí ar bord mé,
An áit a mbéidh mé 'g éisteacht leis na mugaí dá mbualadh,
Is gur binne liom naoi n-uaire é na ceol binn na cuaiche -
'gus líontar dúinn an crúiscín agus bíodh sé lán.

Tá cailín ar an bhaile seo agus tá sí lách aerach,
Tá sí lách geanmhail 'gus loinnir ar a héadan;
Macasamhail chan fhaca mé i mbaile nó i gcathair,
Ach an pamhsaí Neillí ' bhí ar thoin na loing a lathadh
'gus líontar dúinn an crúiscín agus bíodh sé lán.

An dtiocfaidh tú, nó 'n bhfanfaidh tú, nó 'n dtiocfaidh tú a Dhomhnaill,
An dtiocfaidh tú nó 'n bhfanfaidh tú, nú 'bhfúil do dhóthain ólta?
Tiocfaidh mé 's ní fhanfaidh mé, is tá mo dhóthain ólta,
Is beidh an cailín deas agam má ghlacann sí mo chomhairle
'gus líontar dúinn an crúiscín agus bíodh sé lán.

Is deas a' baile an baile seo, is deas an baile Cnáimhsí,
Is deise an baile an baile seo na baile ar bith 'san áit seo,
Tá siad cóngar aifrinn ann muilinn agus ceardchan,
'S nár mhéanar do 'n mhnaoi óig bheadh 'na cónaí ann ach ráithe?
'us líontar dúinn an crúiscín agus bíodh sé lán.

synopsis
When I die, don't bury me, but take me to the alehouse. I'd rather listen to the beat of drinking mugs than to the sweet music of the cuckoo. So fill to us the little jug and keep it full.

There is a girl in this village as lovely as you'll find anywhere ... so fill the jug ...

Will come and will you stay, Dónal, and have you drunk enough?. I'll come, not stay, and I'll have a lovely girl if she takes my advice, so fill the jug ...

This is a great town ... and wouldn't it be a good place for a young woman to dwell in, even for just a quarter of a year, so fill the jug ...

The line "líontar dúinn an crúiscín agus bíodh sé lán" also appears in the following Donegal drinking song, which I've heard Máire Ní Choilm sing. The following words and translation are published in Liam Ó Conchubair & Derek Bell, Traditional Songs of the North of Ireland, Dublin: Wolfhound Press, 1999. ...tune to follow

LÍONTAR DÚINN AN CRÚISCÍN
Seán Bán Mac Grianna

A bhuachaillí, a bhuachaillí, ,olaim sibh go síorruí
Sibh ' thógfadh croí na gcailín's chuirfeadh gnaoí ar chruinniú daoine.
Nuair a smaoitím ar na scafairí 's iad cruinn' ar Ard an Aonaigh;
A' caochadh ar na streabhógaí 's a' cogarnaigh go síodúil.
Is líontar dúinn an crúiscín is bíodh sé lán.

Isteach go tigh a' leanna libh a chailíní na díse;
Braon de shú na bráich a chuirfeas mothá in bhur gcroí istigh.
Ólfaimid is ceolfaimid is beimid seal go síamsach;
Beimid súgach meanmach is pleoid ar bhuaireamh 'n tsaoil seo.
Is líontar dúinn an crúiscín is bíodh sé lán.

B'ann a bhiodh a' chuideachta a' teacht 'na bhaile ón aonach.
A' gealghairí 's a priollaireacht 's a' feitheamh 'e 'ar mian fháil.
Fá dheireadh théadh gach scafaire 'r ghreim sciatháin le na chaoimhbheart.
Síos a' mhalaí Raithní 's iad a' portaíocht go croíúil,
Is líontar dúinn an crúiscín is bíodh sé lán.

translation (L. Ó Conchubhair)

Boys, O boys, O boys, I always admired you
You surely amused the lasies and put heart in any gathering.
When I recall the gallants, all gathered on the Fair Hill,
Winking at the bonny ones and whispering so smoothly.
So fill us up the crooskeen and keep it full!

All ye lovely maidens, all into the alehouse;
Have a sup of the malt juice to put life in heart's core.
We'll drink and we'll sing and we'll have heigho time.
We'll be merry, mettlesome; to hell with life's cares.
So fill us up the crooskeen and keep it full!

All the merry company, homing from the fair,
Joking and blethering, seeking out our chance.
At length every buck goes off arm in arm with his sweetheart,
Down the hearher brae, whistling free and easy.
So fill us up the crooskeen and keep it full!