Lyr Add: Amhrán Feise Mhuigheó

Subject: Lyr Add: Amhrán Feise Mhuigheó
From: RunrigFan
Date: 09 Jun 21 - 06:46 PM

Words Séamas (Sean) Ó Maoildhia (1881-1928)

Éist! Cluinim ins gach ceárda fuaim dheas bhog aoibhinn áluinn,
Mar cheolta binn’ na gcláirseach, nó crónán ceolta sídhe-
Éist! Tá sí ‘g éirghe ‘n-áirde, ag neartughadh ‘gus ag árdughadh,
Tá ‘n fhuaim ag éirghe láidir, ‘teacht chugainn ar an ngaoith;
Fan! Céard é seo ‘n ár dtimcheall ag ceoltóireacht ‘s ag siosgadh?
Bhfuil mearbhall ‘teacht ar m’intinn, nó’n aisling é an glór?
Ní headh! Ní headh, a cháirde, tá an ghuth seo ins gach ceárda!
Tá teanga bhinn ár máthar ag músgailt i Muigheó.

II

Tá fuaim bhog bhinn na Gaedhilge ag dúiseacht ó na sléibhtibh,
Tá lúth ‘teacht ina géagaibh ‘gus éirim ina croidhe,
Tá sgapadh ar na néaltaibh, tá ‘n brón a bhí ‘rri ‘g éalodh,
‘Gus solas geal na gréine ag taithneamh uirri ‘rís:
Tá a glór breágh aoibhinn uasal ag crónán in ár gcluasaibh,
Níos binne ná na cuacha, nó ceileabhar caoin na smól,
Tá teanga bhinn Naoimh Pádhraig le cloisteáil ar na bántaibh,
I logán agus ar árdán ar phlánaibh breagha Mhuigheó.

III

Éist! Cluinim glór ár máthar, go geanamhail is go grádhmhar,
Ag labhairt go múinte mánla is fiafruigheann sí d’á cloinn:-
“A’ gcluin sibh mé, a pháistí? Bhfuil truagh agaibh d’bhur máthair
Atá go buaidheartha cráidhte, gan modh gan meas gan suim?
An leigfidh sibh dom éagadh ar thalamh glas na hÉireann,
Nó ‘ndéanfaidh sibh mé ‘shéanadh ós coinne an tsaoghail mhóir?
Tá’n freagra ‘teacht go láidir – ní baoghal duit choidhche, ‘mháthair!
‘Gus beidh tú fós go bláthmhar ‘gus go spéireamhail i Muigheó!

IV

Tá’n t-óg agus an críonna ag músgailt suas go croidheamhail,
Tá deireadh leis an oidhche ‘gus sgapadh ar an gceó;
Tá mothughadh ‘teacht ‘sna daoinibh, ‘gus spioraid in a gcroidhthibh-
Ní bheidh siad feasta claoidhte, fá lionndubh ‘ná fá bhrón;
Tá ‘n seanóir craptha claoidhte go meadhreach is go siamsamhail,
Tá luthgháir ar a chrodhe ‘stigh, ‘gus tá sé ‘g éirghe óg;
Tá fear, bean, is páiste fá ríméad is fá áthas-
Tá teanga bhinn ár máthar ag músgailt i Muigheó.

V

Tá Muigheó in a dúiseacht, le dóchas is le dúthracht,
I bhfíor-thoseach na cúise le n-ár dteanga chur ar fághail,
Tá solas geal na Gaedhilge ag breacadh ar na spéarthaibh,-
Is binn é ceol na n-éanlaith ag fuagairt dúinn an lá;
Tá Craoibhín Eoghain Uí Ghramhnaigh anseo i mBéal Át’ hAmhnais
Go croíúil is go meabhlach ag crochadh a gcuid seól,
Tá’n Chraobh seo ‘na “réalt eolais” dár stiúradh is dár dtreorú
‘S cuirfear “bláth na hóige” ar an nGaeghilg i Muigheo!

https://annaghdownheritage.ie/amhran-feise-mhuigheo/

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Amhrán Feise Mhuigheó
From: Felipa
Date: 09 Jun 21 - 07:44 PM

Thanks for the link; there is a recording of the song in Irish, and also a recording of Kathleen MacInnes translation into Scottish Gaelic.

Title Teanga Bhinn Ár Máthar (Our sweet mother-tongue)

my quick translation of the first verse (the rest of the song continues very much in the same vein)

Listen, I hear in every quarter a soft beautiful sound
like the sound of a harp or the murmuring of the fairies
Listen, she is getting louder (rising and getting stronger)
Coming towards us on the wind
Wait, what is this around us, rustling and making music.
Is my mind confused or is this voice a vision/a dream?
It is not, it is not, friends, this voice all around us,
It is our sweet mother tongue awakening in Mayo


there is a reference in verse 2 to "The sweet language of St Patrick" [sic - Welsh? !]

the first verse in Gàidhlig
I am surprised at the use of "Cluinneam" for "I hear", as that tense has been lost in Scottish Gaelic and people usually say "Tha mi a' cluinntinn", "I am hearing"

Cluinneam anns gach ceàrnaidh fuaim bhog aoibhinn àlainn
Mar cheòl cho binn ri clàrsach neo crònan ceòl na sìth
Tha ise ag èiridh àirde le neart ' dol suas dhan àrda
Tha fuaim ag èirigh làidir ‘tighinn thugainn air a' ghaoith

Ciod e m'ar timcheall a' ceòltaireachd 's a' brìodal
Bheil mearbhall ' tighinn air m'inntinn neo 'n e aisling às a' ghlòr
Chan e, chan e, a chàirdean, tha 'n guth seo anns gach ceàrnaidh
Le teanga binn ar màthar a chùm dar reulta beò.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Amhrán Feise Mhuigheó
From: RunrigFan
Date: 09 Jun 21 - 07:50 PM

According to my source the original music is lost. Séan (John Twin) Mac Conmara, Achill Island, took this song and breathed life into it with a new medley. The song wwas passed to Kathleen MacInnes instructing her to change it from a song from a song about Mayo Gaelic to Uist Gaelic. Seonag Monk adapted and set the tale in the old Kingdom of Dalriada. (paraphrasing)

Cluinneam anns gach ceàrnaidh fuaim bhog èibhinn àlainn
Mar cheòl cho binn ri clàrsach no crònan ceòl na sìdh
Tha ise 'g èiridh nàirde le neart dol suas dhan àrdaibh
Tha fuaim ag èiridh làidir ‘tighinn thugainn air a’ ghaoith

Ciod e seo mar timcheall a’ ceòldaireachd ‘s a’ brìodal
Bheil mìorbhall tighinn air m’ inntinn, neo ‘n e aisling tha sa ghlòr
Chan e, chan e! A chàirdean, tha ‘n guth seo anns gach ceàrnaidh!
Le teanga bhinn ar màthar a chum Dàl Riata beò.

Tha fuaim bhog bhinn na Gaidhlig a’ dùsgadh feadh na slèibhtean,
Tha lùths tighinn tro na geugan ag èiridh na ar crid';
Tha sgapeadh air na neòil, tha bròn na lùib èalaidh
Seall solas geal na grèine ga taitneach ùr arìs;.

Tha glòr aoibhinn uasal a’ crònan na ar cluasan,
Nas binne na na cuachan, no ceilear binn gun smal;
Tha teanga binn Naoimh Pàdraig ga chluinntinn feadh na bàghan
Feadh gleanntan agus àrdan, a’ cumail dòchas beò.

Èist! Cluinneam glòr ar màthar, gu geanail is gràdhmhòr,
A’ labhairt modhail blàth ridh is ‘faighneachd dhan a’ chloinn
"An cluinn sibh mi, a phàistean, bheil truas agaibh rir mhàthair,
A tha gu buaireadh cràite, gun meas innte no suim ?

An leig sibh dhol aog mi air talamh glas na Gàidheal
Neo ‘n dèan sibh togail àrd orm os cionn an t-saoghail mhòir?
Tha freagairt tighinn gu làidir: "Chan eagal dhuibh a mhàthair
Le teanga bhinn ar màthar a chum Dàl Riata beò.

Tha ‘n t-òg is sean a’ dùsgadh ‘s a ùrrachadh na sgeoil
Tha deireadh air an oidhche is sgapeadh air a’ cheò
‘S tha mothachail tha daoine le spiorad ùr nam cridhe
Cha bhi iad tuilleadh claoidhte, lionndubh no fo bhròn

Tha Gàidheal nist air dùsgadh le dòchas is le dùrachd
‘S e fìor thoiseach na cùise sinn ar teanga chur an cèill
Tha solas geal na Gàidhlig a’ boillsgeadh tro na speuran
Cho binn ri ceòl nan heulaith a’ fosgladh duinn an là

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: TEANGA BHINN AR MATHAR
From: Felipa
Date: 09 Jun 21 - 08:03 PM

thanks for the correction for the end of verse 1 in the Scottish Gaelic translation, not "dar reulta beo" but "Dal Riata beo", which makes more sense.
The kingdom of Dalriada included parts of Scotland and Ireland.

The tune is by Seán Mac Conmara. So "new medley" should be "new melody".

In the third line of my translation "she" should be "it". "Fuaim" is grammatically feminine in Gaelic, so "sí" or "í" is used (the word for "it" for a grammatically masculine word would be the same as the word for "he"). "Ise" is an emphatic form of "i".

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Amhrán Feise Mhuigheó
From: Felipa
Date: 09 Jun 21 - 08:11 PM

from Annaghdown Heritage Society Facebook page, June 2018

This month marks the 90th anniversary of the death of Seamus Ó Maoildhia, or Seamus O'Mulloy, of Cloonboo. Born in 1881 to Seaghán Ó Maoildhia and Bríghid Ní Áinin, Seamus received only four years of formal education, but exhibited a keen interest in the Irish language from an early age.

He was appointed as a teacher by Conradh na Gaeilge aged 19 years, teaching first in Ballaghderreen and later throughout Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim. He was acquainted through his work with Douglas Hyde, later first President of Ireland, and assisted him greatly in collecting songs and stories at the beginning of the Gaelic Revival. He later became an organiser for the United Irish League, losing this position when the Irish Parliamentary Party was decimated in the 1918 General Election.

He later oversaw the overthrowing of the ineffectual board of trustees of the Loughs Corrib, Mask and Carra Drainage Board, and was elected to the board following this, regularly calling attention to the neglect of the Corrib drainage in the 1920s. He stood at the general election in June 1927, and his failure to secure a seat, together with the death in 1926 of his brother, brought about a severe depression which exasperated his already poor health. He died on 22 June 1928 at the young age of 46 years.

Later, in 1940, his sister Sighle, herself a noted Irish teacher, collected and published his poems and songs as 'Dánta agus Amhráin'. One song, 'Amhrán Feise Mhuigheo', has been adapted by Scoil Acla (http://scoilacla.ie/2013/05/25/teanga-bhinn-ar-mathar/), and has been translated into Scottish Gaelic by the well-known traditional singer, Kathleen MacInnes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Amhrán Feise Mhuigheó
From: RunrigFan
Date: 09 Jun 21 - 08:25 PM

(that misspelt as hat) (all verses are joined up)

Listen to the soft sweet sound that is rising round us,
Like the melodious music of the harp or the crooning of the fairy people:
It is slowly rising up, gathering strength
Gathering energy from the wind;

Wait! It surrounds us with its lilting tune:
What has overcome me? Is this a miracle?
No, my friends, this voice on the breeze
Is the gentle mother tongue that will keep Dàl Riata strong.

The sweet sound of Gaelic wakes from its slumber;
Its strength gathers apace, filling our hearts;
It spreads through the clouds, our pain now forgotten,
The warmth of the sun bringing once again.

The beautiful language is heard once more,
Sweeter than wealth, or the finest of wine,
St Patrick's blessed language is heard in the meadow,
In the valley, glens and plains, keeping hope alive.


Listen to your mother's voice, so joyful and loving,
As she tenderly inquires of her children:
"Do you hear me, my children, do you have pity?
My torment is great, am I to be abandoned?

Will you leave me to die on the green land of the Gael?
Or will you defend an applaud me in the face of opposition?"
The response is powerful: Do not ever worry mother!
Is the gentle mother tongue that will keep Dàl Riata strong.

Young and the wise have awakened anew,
There ended the night, the fog is dispelled;
People's hearts have renewed in spirit-
No more despondent, under the cloud or in sorrow;

The Gael is alive, filled with hope and willingness -
Let's begin by putting our mother tongue to wag;
The bright light of hope glimmers through the clouds
As sweet as birdsong that opens our day.