Eamon Na Chnoic (Ned Of The Hill)

Subject: Folklore: Eamon Na Chnoic
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 05:33 AM

I've just learned to play this beautiful tune, in English it's called ' Ned Of The Hill ' can anyone tell me how is it pronounced in Irish ?

Thanks, Dave H

Subject: RE: Eamon Na Chnoic
From: GUEST,thebarleymow
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 11:48 AM

It is usually pronounced as follows :-

Eamon Na Konic

That is how I have always heard it but, although I am from Northern Ireland I do not have the Gaelic, so it may not be strictly accurate. It will however be recognised and understood.

A beautiful tune. There are words to it as well, but I have to say that I have never been fussed on it as a song.

Subject: RE: Eamon Na Chnoic
From: Lighter
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 12:00 PM

Almost the same melody as "Caitlin Triall," as played by the Chieftains.

Subject: RE: Eamon Na Chnoic
From: Emma B
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 01:02 PM

Éamonn an Chnoic is a beautiful song and has long been one of my favourites

The song is said to concern Éamonn Ó Riain (Edmund Ryan), an Irish aristocrat who lived in County Tipperary from 1670–1724 and led a bandit or rapparee gang.

The original song is in Irish and there are some pretty awful ' translations / interpretations

I prefer the version which highlight the failure of Ó Riain's countrymen to come to rally to his defense and more strongly emphasize that Ó Riain had been a man of wealth and influence rather than the often heard 'parlour' sentimental 'love song' with 'light fairies tread"

"Oh who is without
That with passionate shout
Keeps beating my bolted door?"
"I am Ned of the Hill
Forspent wet and chill
From long trudging marsh and moor."
"My love, fond and true
What else could I do
But shield you from wind and from weather?
When the shots fall like hail
They us both shall assail
And mayhap we shall die together."

"Through forest and through snow
Tired and hunted I go
In fear both from friend and from neighbor
My horses run wild
My acres untilled
And they all of them lost to my labor
But it grieves me far more
Than the loss of my store
That there's none who would shield me from danger
So my fate it must be
To fare eastward o'er sea
And languish amid the stranger"

Subject: RE: Eamon Na Chnoic
From: mayomick
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 10:45 AM

He helped restore money to a well-connected woman who had been robbed . She successfully pleaded that the bounty on him be lifted ,but tragically it was too late. A relative of O'Riann, who hadn't heard there was no money to be had , killed him and cut his head off for the reward.

I like that translation as well Emma which I think was made fairly recently by Donal O' Sullivan . Am I right about that?

These two lines from the second verse I don't like.

My horses run wild
My acres untilled

It seems unfortunate to me that the words "untilled" and wild don't rhyme . I can't think of a time when the two words ever would have rhymed in English as it is spoken in Ireland . The two lines comes across as artificially archaic to me .
But modernity will always win out in due course. I see that you can now get this most beautiful tune as a ringtone for your mobile phone . There's progress for you!