Pádraig Mac Seáin. "Ceolta Theilinn". Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies – Queen's University, 1973. (songs collected in Teelin, Co. Donegal, Ireland)

SIUBHáN NIC UIDHIR

A Shiubhán Nic Uidhir, 's tú bun agus bárr mo scéil.
Ar mhná na cruinne go dtug sise 'n báire léi;
Le gile, le finne, le maise vs le dhá dtrian scéimh,
'S nach mise 'n truagh Mhuire bheith scaradh amárach léi.

Déirigh mé 'r maidin a tharraingt 'un aonaigh mhóir,
A dhíol 's a cheannacht mar níodh mo dhaoine romham.
Bhuail tart ar a' bhealach mé 's shuidh mise síos a dh'ól,
'S le Siubhán Nic Uidhir gur chaith mise luach na mbróg.

'S a Shiubháin Nic Uidhir nach misde leat mé bheith tinn?
Ní mó ná's misde liom thú bheith sínte i gcill;
Bróinte muilinn bheith ' scilleadh ar chuaich do chinn,
'S cead a bheith in Iorraas go tigidh Síol éabha 'un cinn.

Thiar in Iorras 'tá searc agus grádh mo chléimh,
Plannta 'n leinbh a d'eitigh mo phósadh indé.
Beir scéala uaim chuci má thug mise póg dá béal,
Go dtabharfainn di tuilleadh dá gcuireadh siad bólacht léi.

Beir scéala uaim chuige go dearbhtha nach pósaim é,
ó chuala mise gur chuir sé le bólacht mé.
Nuair nach bhfuil sin aghamsa maoin nó, faraor, spré,
Bíodh a rogha bean aige 's beidh mise ar mo chomhairle féin.

Saighdi.ur singil mé a briseadh as gárda ' rí,
'S gan aon phighinn agham a bhéarfainn ar chárta dighe;
Bhuailinn a' droma 's sheinninn ar chláirsigh chaoimh,
Is ar Churrach Chill Dara gur scar mé le grádh mo chroidhe.

Mac Seáin notes that the song is commonly sung in County Donegal, from Fanad to Gleann Cholmcille. In 1927, he took down a version from ghráinne Phroinnseas Nic Grianna of Rann na Feirsde, which wasn;t much different from the Teelin version except that the Teelin version has an extra verse. There is also a very similar version published in Ó Muirgheasa, "Dhá Chéad de Cheoltaibh Uladh".


Synopsis:
1.        Beautiful Siubhán/Joan Maguire is all my concern. I am wretched at leaving her tomorrow.
2.         I met siubhan at the fair where I spent the price of a pair of shoes on her [no small amount!]
3.        Siubhán, do you not care that I am sick? No more than I'd care were you lying in the graveyard with mill-stones grinding over your head.
4.        "In Erris [Co Mayo] in the West is my love, the girl who refused to marry me yesterday. Tell her I'd kiss her if they'd give her a dowry."
5.        "Tell him I won't marry him for sure. I've no wealth, so let him marry whom he choses and I'll go my own way."
6.        I'm a single soldier who was expelled from the King's Guard. I've no money for a drink. I used to play the drum and harp and I parted from my love in the Curragh in Kildare.

Note that the last verse here is the first verse of An Saighdiúrín Singil