Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, from Carna, recorded three verses of Maile Ní Maoileoin [sic] for Séamas Ennis in 1940, and left a typescript of the remaining verses that she learned from her father. There are some significant differences between her version and the one sung by Máire Uí Chéide:

Maile Ní Mhaoileoin

An dtiocfá ag baint an aitinn liom, a Mhaile Ní Maoileoin?
Muise, thiocfainn is dhá cheangal leat, a chuid den tsaol is a rúin,
Agus rachainnse chun an Aifrinn leat is ní le grá do m'anam é,
Ach mar shúil is go mbeinn ag breathnú ar do bhaibín catach, bán.

An dtiocá faoin gcoill chraobhaigh liom, a Mhaile Ní Maoileoin?
Muise, thiocfainn faoin gcoill chraobhaigh leat, nó céard a bheadh muid a dhéanamh ann?
Ag baint úll I mbarra géagán is ag manaois lena chéile,
Is ag damhsa ar hallaí gléigeala nó go n-éiríodh an lá bán.

An dtiocfá ar chúl an teampaill liom, a Mhaile Ní Maoileoin?
Muise, thiocfainn ar chúl an teampaill leat nó céard a bheadh muid a dhéanamh ann?
Muise ag éisteacht leis an dántaireacht ag ministéaraí Gallda,
Nó go socraíodh muid an cleamhnas úd le Maile Ní Maoileoin.

Is thug mé liom ar chúl an teampaill í, mo chúig mhíle brón,
Ó, is shíl sí gur le grá di é, mo chuid den tsaol is mo stór.
Ach d'ísligh mise síos uirthi is tharraing mé amach scian ghlas,
Is nár lig mé fuil a croí léi go dtí lascaí a cuid bróg.
(Ó, d'ísligh mise síos uirthi is tharraing mé amach scian ghlas,
Is nach shin é an ní is doiligh liom dá ndearna mé go fóill.)

Muise, a chomrádaí na dílse, ó, go céard seo atá tú a dhéanamh?
Lig m'anam lion, is ná dean sin, is ní fheicfidh tú aríst choíche mé.
Lig m'anam lion an oíche seo, is ní fheicfidh tú aríst choíche mé.
Is go siúlfainn na seacht ríochta le do leanbáinín ó.

Thug mé liom isteach sa ngairdín í mo chuid den tsaol is mo stór,
Is rug mé I ngreim barr láimhe uirthi is bhain mé di dhá phóg,
Níor lig mé as an áit sin í gur bhain mé di mo shásamh,
Is ansin is ea rinneas feall ar phlúr na mban óg.

Is tháinig Maile bhán ar cuirt chugam trí huaire roimhe lá,
Ó, is leag sí a béal anuas orm is nárbh fhuaire é ná an bás.
An it do chodladh atá tú, a bhuachaill? Is mithid duitse gluaiseacht,
Tá an tóir seo ag teacht anuas ort faoi bhás Mhaile Ní Maoileoin.

Is cén chaoi an bhfuil do mháithrín, a ógánaigh óig?
Muise, tá sí buartha cráite mar a bheidheas sí lena ló,
Ach ní hé sin féin is cás lí ach a buachaillín deas, mánla,
Atá ag dul sa gcré amáireach faoi bhás Mhaile Ní Maoileoin.

Muise, sínigí go domhain sa bhfuaigh mé is braillín gheal ar m'uachtar.
Is nár mhaith í an aithrí an uair sin, an té a dhéanfadh í in am.


Sorcha tells us that the last stanza is fragmentary; this is all her father knew of it. The two extra lines (in parentheses) at the end of the fourth verse were apparently spoken rather than sung -- I imagine in some effort to humanize the murderer by suggesting some remorse, as this deed would have seemed truly senseless to the community in which the song was sung. (Could this be a reason why so few Child Ballads broke into the Irish language tradition?)

Another odd feature is the extra length given to the second line of stanzas 2 and 3, which are not metrically identical to the second line of the other stanzas. This is very likely a corruption -- dating from who knows when, as traditional singers are very good at transmitting texts warts and all.

Sorcha Ní Ghuairim's songs have been collected on a CD issued last year by Gael Linn and the Irish Folklore Commission; the reference number is CEFCD 182.

Virginia