Origins: Lagan Love

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: Ian HP
Date: 26 Jul 98 - 01:53 PM

Thanks, Alison - it seems you are kind of right. I have just discovered that "soot" - (pron. "suit", the "oo" as in "fool") means sweet. Thanks a lot, everyone.

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: alison
Date: 25 Jul 98 - 09:22 PM

Hi,

Just a suggestion, could it be soot as in suitor, ie. he'll take his affections elsewhere?

Just a thought

Slainte

ALison

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: Ian HP
Date: 25 Jul 98 - 02:35 PM

Thanks a lot, folks, that's a geeat help. Anyone for verse 3 - "And when I stir my soot to go" - is this a typo? should it be "foot to go"? If not, what does "soot" mean here?

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: alison
Date: 25 Jul 98 - 01:43 AM

Hi anne,

well that would make it "fairy lover"(shee being fairy..... like banshee (bean- woman, shee - fairy))

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: Anne Cormack
Date: 24 Jul 98 - 09:38 AM

The version I have uses the words

"like a love sick leman she"

"leman" is an old word for "lover" from what I have been told

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 24 Jul 98 - 06:30 AM

Alison

Yes! I'll give you that one - I'm too literal, as usual!

Regards

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: alison
Date: 23 Jul 98 - 09:10 PM

Hi,

According to my book a "leanan si" is a fairy mistress. I have a different 4 lines at the end of the 3rd verse.

when she was only fairy small
Her gentle mother died
But true love keeps her memory warm
By Lagan's silver side.

Isn't a "shieling" like a barn or cottage.

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: Martin Ryan.
Date: 23 Jul 98 - 08:41 PM

"leanan si" is "fairy child".

Regards

Subject: RE: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: alison
Date: 23 Jul 98 - 08:35 PM

Hi,

the Lagan is a river in Northern Ireland which flows through Belfast. It was used for transport and the Lagan towpath still exists and is a lovely place to walk as it goes through some very nice countryside. Many's a time I've canoed there.

I'll see what my books say on the other words later.

Slainte

Alison

Subject: LAGAN LOVE QUERY
From: Ian HP
Date: 23 Jul 98 - 01:53 PM

On Lagan Love on the database there are attempts to explain some words. Can anyone offer any explanation (or explanation futher to the database) on the meaning of:

verse 1 - "like a love-sick lennan-shee" verse 2 - "I steal unto her shieling lorn / And thru the dorring peep" verse 3 - "And when I stir my soot to go" (is this a typo? should it be "foot to go"?) And is Lagan the name of a place?

Any help anyone?