Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...

Subject: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 27 Sep 11 - 02:41 PM

Anyone have the lyrics for a song called "My darling sweet Gra Geal mo chroide", in which the above line occurs several times; I have tried the Database in various ways, but couldn't find anything.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: GUEST,999
Date: 27 Sep 11 - 02:44 PM

Hi, ABCD. Is it possible that this spelling of Chroidhe would help your search? I googled the phrase and that spelling came up a few times.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: GUEST,999
Date: 27 Sep 11 - 02:49 PM

"GRA GEAL MO CHROI, is apparently from the Gaelic love song title: "GRADH GEAL MO CHROIDHE - (Jewel of my heart)" (Extensive notes from songlist files are available on the internet.)"

Just found this. My ignorance of the language makes me of little help to you. I trust someone will be along soon who can be m\of more use.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Sep 11 - 03:08 PM

http://www.kinglaoghaire.com/site/lyrics/song_90.html



                
0
Cruiscín Lán
        
[play] [print]
(Trad)
Let the farmer praise his grounds
Let the huntsman praise his hounds
Let the shepherd praise his dewyscented lawn
Oh but I'm more wise than they
Spend each happy night and day
With my darlin' little cruiscín lán, lán, lán
My darlin' little cruiscín lán

Oh, gradh mo chroide mo cruiscín

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: MartinRyan
Date: 27 Sep 11 - 03:20 PM

ABCD

I think that line occurs in several songs of which the most common is usually called "Lovely sweet gra geal mo chroi" or somesuch. The air is going round in my head as I type... I'll have a look.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: MartinRyan
Date: 27 Sep 11 - 03:44 PM

The air I'm thinking of is also used for "An Buachaillin Donn" as Gaeilge - Click here to check if its the tune you're thinking of.

Regards

Subject: Lyr Add: LAMENT OF THE EVICTED IRISH PEASANT
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Sep 11 - 07:47 PM

Maybe not the song that was wanted, but it has the phrase.

From Irish Minstrelsy edited by H. Halliday Sparling (London: Walter Scott, 1888), page 205:


LAMENT OF THE EVICTED IRISH PEASANT*
(Anonymous)

The night is dark and dreary,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!**
And the heart that loves you weary,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
For every hope is blighted,
That bloomed when first we plighted
Our troth, and were united,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe.

Still our homestead we behold,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
But the cheerful hearth is cold,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
And those around its glow
Assembled long ago,
In the cold, cold earth lie low,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!

Twas famine's wasting breath,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
That winged the shaft of death,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
And the landlord, lost to feeling,
Who drove us from our sheeling,
Though we prayed for mercy kneeling,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!

O 'twas heartless from that floor,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
Where our fathers dwelt of yore,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
To fling our offspring—seven—
'Neath the wintry skies of heaven,
To perish on that even,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!

But the sleety blast blows chill,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
Let me press thee closer still,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!
To this scathed, bleeding heart,
Beloved as thou art;
For too soon—too soon we part,
    A gradh geal mo chroidhe!

* "Von Raumer, making a tour in Ireland, tries to explain to his own country-people the state of things produced by the landlord land laws of this country thus:—"How shall I translate tenant-at-will? Shall I say serfs? No; in feudal times serfdom consisted rather in keeping the vassals attached to the soil, and by no means in driving them away. An ancient vassal is a lord compared with the present tenant-at-will, to whom the law affords no defence. Why not call them Wegjagdbare (chaseable)? But this difference lessens the analogy—that for hares, stags, and deer, there is a season during which no one is allowed to hunt them, whereas tenants-at-will are hunted all the year round. And if any one would defend his farm (as badgers and foxes are allowed to defend their cover), it is here denominated 'rebellion!' "

** A ghra gal mochree—O bright love of my heart!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: GUEST,An Buachaill Caol Dubh (who forgot to Log-In
Date: 28 Sep 11 - 11:19 AM

Yes, Martin Ryan, that's exactly the song I mean, and I anticipated that you would be among the respondents. I do have a recording of it, made on a cheap Dictaphone at a singing session some years ago (Fleadh Cheoil in Letterkenny, Donegal), and some of the words - I guess from context they are place-names - are indistinct. I had hoped the song might be here (and will check "lovely sweet..." in a moment, altho' in the version I have it is "darling sweet..."). Thanks too, Jim Dixon, for the song and the attached note, and indeed to all who have written. I'll look in again tomorrow, since I have a particular reason for wishing to learn the words quickly.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: MartinRyan
Date: 28 Sep 11 - 11:36 AM

I see some references online to a recording by one Niamh Boadle - but her Myspace site is down - or something...

Am following up a few other leads also.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: No name shall I have for my darling...
From: GUEST,An Buachaill Caol Dubh (all at sea)
Date: 29 Sep 11 - 07:37 PM

Literally! I'll not be able to get Myspace until middle of next week, but will follow this lead too. Thanks for your interest; I'm surprised the song I'm seeking isn't more widely known/performed.

ABCD