Lyr Req: Amhrán from Tana French's The Searcher

Subject: Lyr Req: Amhrán from Tana French's The Searcher
From: Thompson
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 06:34 AM

Tana French's latest thriller, The Searcher (basically Shane, set in the Old West, which is to say the west of Ireland) has a song translated into English, but described in the text as in Irish. I can't place it. From the text:
==
Sometimes he sings a line or two, in Irish. In that language his voice takes on a different tone, a husky, absent crooning.
'That's a song about a man who goes to the fair and sells his cow,' he informs Cal, over his shoulder, 'for five pounds in silver and a yellow guinea of gold.
And he says, "If I drink all the silver and squander the gold, why should any man care, when it's nothing to him?"'
'He says, "If I go to the woods picking berries or nuts, taking apples off branches or herding the cows, and I lie under a tree to take my ease, why should any man care, when it's nothing to him?"'
'The man says,' he tells Cal, '"People say I'm a useless waster, with no goods or fine clothes, no cattle or wealth. If I'm happy enough to live in a shack, why should any man care, when it's nothing to him?"'
==

Any idea?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Amhrán from Tana French's The Searcher
From: Thompson
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 10:14 AM

Of course, it may be that Tana French made it up, either in general or as a plot point.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Amhrán from Tana French's The Searcher
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 06:26 PM

"Cad é sin don té sin nach mbaineann sin do" is a reasonably well-known song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Amhrán from Tana French's The Searcher
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 09:00 PM

... AND it has its own Mudcat Lyric Added / English translation thread.

Now, can I make a link to that thread? It's threadid=9313.

Lyr Req: Cade e sin don te sin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Amhrán from Tana French's The Searcher
From: Thompson
Date: 08 Nov 20 - 04:30 AM

Ahhhh! Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Amhrán from Tana French's The Searcher
From: Hagman
Date: 08 Nov 20 - 06:39 PM

To save those who didn't want to or couldn't click above, here's the song and translation, courtesy of Mudcatter EMMA B:

Chuaigh mé 'un aonaigh is dhíol mé mo bhó I went to the fair and I sold my cow
Ar chúig phunta airgid is ar ghiní bhuí óir For five pounds in silver and a guinea in gold

Má ólaim an t-airgead 's má bhronnaim an t-ór Should I drink all the money and hand out the gold

Ó cad é sin don té sin nach mbaineann sin dó? It's nobody's business, let them leave me alone
   
Má théim go coill chraobhach ag piocadh sméara nó cnó I could go to the woods and pluck berries or nuts
'Baint úllaí de ghéaga nó 'bhuachailleacht bó And apples from branches, even herding the cows
Má shíním seal uaire faoi chrann ag déanamh só Should I lie 'neath the trees for some hours in repose
Ó cad é sin don té sin nach mbaineann sin dó? It's nobody's business, let them leave me alone
   
Má théimse chuig airneál is rince is spórt I'd visit the neighbors for dancing and fun
Chuig aonach is rásí's gach cruinniú den tsórt Markets, the races, and gatherings galore

Má chím daoine súgach 's má bhím súgach leo If I see merry people then merry we'll be
Ó cad é sin don té sin nach mbaineann sin dó? It's nobody's business, let them leave me alone
   
Deir daoine go bhfuil mé gan rath is gan dóigh They say I'm a waster and down on my luck
Gan earra gan éadáil, gan bólacht ná stór No goods or fine clothing, no stock or no store
Má tá mise sásta 'bheith' mo chónaí i gcró Should I live in a stable contented and free
Ó cad é sin don té sin nach mbaineann sin dó? It's nobody's business, let them leave me alone
   
Tá aithne agam ar chailín deas cheasta is cóir I know this girl, she's kind and she's fair
A píob mar an eala 's a leacain mar rós Her neck like the swan and her cheek like the rose
Má bhíonn sí is mise un inid faoí sheol Should we set out together for a far-distant shore
Ó cad é sin don té sin nach mbaineann sin dó? It's nobody's business, let them leave me alone
   
Chuaigh mé 'un aonaigh is dhíol mé mo bhó I went to the fair and I sold my cow
Ar chúig phunta airgid is ar ghiní bhuí óir For five pounds in silver and a guinea in gold

Má ólaim an t-airgead 's má bhronnaim an t-ór Should I drink all the money and hand out the gold
Ó cad é sin don té sin nach mbaineann sin dó? It's nobody's business, let them leave me alone
   
Má ólaim an t-airgead 's má bhronnaim an t-ór Should I drink all the money and hand out the gold
Ó cad é sin don té sin nach mbaineann sin dó? It's nobody's business, let them leave me alone