Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen

Subject: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From:
Date: 21 Aug 97 - 09:00 PM

I am looking for the the irish language lyrics to "An Spailpin Fanach". This traditional song is on "farewell and remember me" by the Boys of the Lough.

Subject: Lyr Add: AN SPAILPIN FANACH (trad Irish Gaelic)
From: Virginia Blankenhorn
Date: 05 Sep 97 - 10:39 PM

Here's the text as it was sung on a recording by Sean 'ac Donncha, a traditional singer from Connemara, some years back. I imagine that the Boys of the Lough's version has at least a few of the same verses. Note that some vowels should have long marks (accent marks) over them, but it's too much trouble and looks too confusing in e-mail.

AN SPAILPIN FANACH
(trad Irish Gaelic)

Is spailpin aerach treitheach mise agus bigi ag solathar mna dhom
Mar scaipfinn an siol faoi dho san Earrach in eadan taltai bana (x 2)
Mo lamha ar an gceachta i ndiaidh na gcapall 's go reabfainnse cnoic le fana.

An chead la i nEirinn ar liostail mise, o bhi me sugach sasta
'S an darna la dar liostail mise, o bhi me buartha craite;
Ach an triu la dar liostail mise, thabharfainn cuig cead punt ar fhagail,
Ach go dtugainn sin agus an oiread eile, ni raibh mo phas le fail a'm.

Mo chuig cead slan leat, a dhuthaigh m'athar, is go deo deo don eilean gramhar,
Is don scata fear og ata 'mo dhiaidh ag baile, nach gclisfeadh orm in am a ghathair!
Ta Baile Atha Cliath doite, is togfar Gaillimh, beidh lasair againn ar thinte chamha,
Beidh fion agus beoir ar bord ag m'athair -- sin cabhair ag an Spailpin Fanach!

Agus b'fhaide liomsa lla bheinn i dteach gan charaid na bliain mhor fhada is raithe,
Mar is buachaillin aerach me, sugach meanmach a bhreagfadh bruinneal mhanla.
Agus dha bhean deag a bhi ag ead 's ag iomai liom, a suil le tairfe mo laidhe --
S'e paidir na cailli nuair a theinn thar a tairseach, "now behave yourself, a Spailpin Fanach!"

Subject: RE: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: Philippa
Date: 04 Jun 99 - 11:33 AM

There's also a SPAILPÍN FÁNACH song at songs of 1798 ( http://www.iol.ie/~fagann/1798/songs4.htm )

Subject: Tune Add: SPAILPIN FANACH
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 05:16 AM

Robert Eckert who participated in Ir-Trad-L sent me some lyrics and the following details of lyric and tune sources:
http://eddie.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/
O'Neill's Music of Ireland 299
Jerry Bourke : The 2nd Irish Folk Festival on Tour. Bell Records, 1992. BLR 86 602
Treasa Ní Mhiolláin : The 3rd Irish Folk Festival in Concert. Bell Records, 1992. BLR 86 603
Dervish : At the End of the Day. Kells Music. KM-9507

(I have not tested the following abc myself,also sent to me by Robert, just hope it is accurate)
| dB c/B/A/G/ | AG E(E/F/) | GG G/A/B/c/ | d2 Be \
| dB c/B/A/G/ | AG E(F/G/) | FA D(E/F/) | G2 G ||
| d \
| Bd ef | gd BG | Bd ef | g2 fg \
| ed BG | B/A/G/F/ E(F/G/) | FA D(E/F/) | G2 G |]

Subject: RE: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: GUEST,archivist
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 05:23 AM

Rex, 1999 at another thread (thread.cfm?threadid=12243#95407?threadid=12243) says the tune is "Brighton Camp" & "Girl I Left Behind Me" and he adds to the discography - Boys of the Lough "Farewell and Remember Me"

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ROVING WORKER / AN SPÁILPÍN FÁNACH
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 05:28 AM

THE ROVING WORKER
poetic translation by George Sigerson (1836-1925)

No more - no more in Cashel town
I'll sell my health a-raking,
Nor on days of fairs rove up and down,
Nor join the merry making.
There mounted farmers came in throngs
To seek and hire me over,
But now I'm hired, my journey's long,
The journey of the Rover!

I've found what Rovers often do,
I trod my health down fairly;
And that wand'ring out in morning dew
Will gather fevers early.
No more shall flail swing o'er my head,
Nor my hand a spade=shaft cover,
But the Banner of France will float instead,
And the Pike stand by the Rover!

Whe to Callan once, with hook in hand,
I'd go for early shearing,
Or to Dublin town - the news was grand
That the "Rover gay" was nearing.
And soon with goog gold home I'd go,
And my mother's field dig over,
But no more-no more this land shall know
My name as the "Merry Rover!"

Five hundred farewells to Fatherland!
To my loved and lovely island!
And to Culach boys - they'd better stand
Her guards by glen and highland.
But now that I am poor and lone,
A wand'rer - not in clover- My heart it sinks with bitter moan
To have ever lived a Rover.

In pleasant Kerry lives a girl,
A girl whom I love dearly;
Her cheek's a rose, her brow's a pearl,
And her blue eyes shine so clearly!
Her long fair locks fall curling down
O'er breasts untouched by lover -
More dear than dames with a hundred poun'
Is she unto the Rover!

Ah, well I mind, my own men drove
My cattle in a small way:
With cows, with sheep, with calves, they'd move
With steeds, too, west to Galway.
Heaven willed I'd loose each horse and cow,
and my health but half recover -
It breaks my heart, for her sake now
That I'm only a sorry Rover.

But when once the French come o'er the main,
With stout camps in each valley.
With Buck Grady back again,
And poor brave Tadhg Ó Dalaigh -
Oh the Royal Barracks in dust shall lie,
The yeomen we'll chase over;
And the English clan be forced to fly -
'Tis the sole hope of the Rover!

notes from Kathleen Hoagland, ed "1000 Years of Irish Poetry", Old Greenwich, Conn: Devin-Adair, out of print (many thanks to Big Mick for finding me a copy)
"This country ballad was popular in Ireland during the 18th century. It is known as the Spailpín Fánach (The Roving Worker). the tune is that generally used for 'The Girl I Left Behind Me.' The Gaelic words date from the Fall of Limerick in 1694, when the Irish Brigade was formed."

I have not tried yet to match verses with Irish-language verses found at the Cat or at that songs of 1798 website. And it is unfortunate that the lyrics submitted here (and also those at the other thread) don't have the accent marks on letters; they help for pronounciation and clarifies meaning. Virginia B. is a fluent speaker of Irish.

sorry info from Rex is superfluous, same as first message on this thread.

Subject: Lyr Add: AN SPÁILPÍN FÁNACH
From: Fiolar
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 10:22 AM

Here is the version I learned at school:

"Go deo deo aris ni raghad go Caiseal
Ag diol na ag reic me shlainte,
Na ar mhargadh na saoire im' shui cois falla
Im' scaoinshe ar leataobh sraide;
Bodairi na tire ag tiocht ar a gcapaill
A fhiarai an bbhfuilim hireailte;
'O, teanam chun siuil, ta an cursa fada' -
Seo cun siuil an Spailpin Fanach.

Im' spailpin fanach fagadh mise
Ag seasamh ar mo shlainte,
Ag siuil na druchta go moch ar maidin
Is ag bailiu galair raithe;
Ac ni feichfear corran im'lamh chun bainte,
Suist na feac beag ramhainne,
Ac colours na bhFrancach os cionn mo leapan
Agus pice agam chun saite.

Mo chuig chead slain chun duthai m'athair
Is chun an Oilean ghramhair,
Is chun buachailli na Culach os doibh nar mhiste
In aimsis chasta na gharda;
Ac anois o taimse im' thraill bocht dealamh
I measc na nduthai fain seo,
Is e mo chuma o chroi mar fuaireas me an ghairm
Bheith riamh im' Spailpin Fanach.

Da dtigeadh an Francach anall thar caladh
Is a champa daingean laidir,
Is Buach O Grada chughainn abhaile
Is Tadhg bocht fial O Dalaigh,
Bheadh beairic an ri ansan da leagadh
Agus yeomen go leor a gcarnadh,
Bheadh clanna Gall gach am a dtreascairt -
Sin cabhair ag an Spailpin Fanach!"

Phillipa: Sigerson's translation is interesting but not quiet true to the original words, but he has to make it rhyme in English. For example the first verse (line four) means "lounging by the side of the street." Line 7 would roughly translate as "Oh, come on then, walk, the journey is long." We were thought that the third verse had a connection with County Kerry, but I can't for the life of me remember why. "Duthai m'athair" could also mean the place where he grew up and not necessarily the whole Island of Ireland.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: Rex
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 07:29 PM

I may have to go see what I said in this earlier mentioned thread. But what archivist mentioned is correct, the tune is the same as "The Girl I Left Behind Me" which is understood to have come from "Brighton Camp". And it is on the Boys of the Lough CD mentioned above. Superfluous am I?

Rex

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: Rex
Date: 22 Jun 02 - 07:31 PM

All the same, I'm happy to get to see these new versions of "An Spailpin Fanach" show up. Thanky,

Rex

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 23 Jun 02 - 05:12 PM

'superfluous' only in the sense that Boys of the Lough were mentioned already in the beginning of this thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: GUEST,Rex on the work 'puter
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 07:35 AM

Ah, so it is. Again, thanks for the additional lyrics.

Rex

Subject: Tune Add: AN SPÁILPÍN FÁNACH
From: MMario
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 10:35 AM

Thanks to Philippa - here is the tune from 'Ceolta Gael 2' - cork: Mercier Press, 1986

X:1
T:AN SPAILPIN FANACH
N:gif send from Philippa
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:F
z6(f e)|(d e) d c A2G2|F F E2D D E2|
(F E) (D E) (F G) (A B)|c4A2f e|(d e) d c A2G2|
F2E2(D D) (F G)|A2A2G2G2|F4F4|
A A c c d2e e|f2c c (A A) F2|
A A c2d d e2|f4e2(f e)|d e (d c) A2G2|
F2E2D D (F G)|A2A2G2G2|F4F2z2
w:Go_ deo_ deo a-ris ni ra-chad go Cai-seal Ag
w: diol_ no_ reic_ mo_ shlain-te, No ar mhar_-gadh na saoire i~mo
w:shui cois balla_I mo scaoin-se~ar leath taobh sraid-e;
w:Bo-dai-ri na ti-re ag tieacht ar a gcapaill_ Ag
w:fia-fraigh an bhfuil-im hir-eal-te;'O,_ tean-aim chun_ siuil, ta~an
w:cur-sa fa-daSeo ar shiul an Spail-pin Fan-ach.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: Brían
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 11:34 AM

Here is the translation to the version Seán 'ac Dhonnchadh sings which Virginia Blankenhorn has provided above: AN SPAILPÍN FANACH

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 29 Nov 02 - 08:51 AM

A version of An Spailpín Fanach is published in Tomás Ó Concheanainn, "Nua-Dhuanaire III", Dublin: Institiúd Ardléinn, 1978 (reprinted 1981). Source: O'Daly, "The Poets and Poetry of Munster", second series, Dublin, 1860

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: Declan
Date: 29 Nov 02 - 10:24 AM

Sean Tyrell sings the "Go deo deo aris ni raghfad go Casiseal" version on one of his CDs, Probably Belladonna.   I think Dervish have recorded it as well, not sure where.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: dorareever
Date: 29 Nov 02 - 03:22 PM

There's a version by Dervish too sung by Cathy Jordan.I don't like them much,but this one is pretty good.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: Big Tim
Date: 30 Nov 02 - 08:28 AM

There's a photograph, c.1868, of a Kerry spailpin (spalpeen) in a wee book called "People and the Land" by Dr. Jonathan Bell (of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum), Friar's Bush Press. (it's probably a well known photo from some other source).                                                            

Bell writes "spailpin means 'a short spell' and these workers were generally hired for jobs which lasted only a few weeks. Most spalpeens came from Cork, Commemara and Kerry. Some went to England to work but many also travelled within Ireland particularly to counties Limerick, Waterford, east Galway, and parts of Leinster. In the later 19th century spalpeens were most commonly employed as potato diggers". Anybody wanting the a copy of the photo just send me their email address.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Apr 07 - 05:01 PM

hey does anyone have the lyrics to this song sung by treasa ni mhiollain? or the complete lyrics to the boys of the lough version? thanks a million

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: Mr Happy
Date: 01 Apr 07 - 09:46 PM

Appian fish clan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: GUEST,spherey
Date: 13 Jan 13 - 12:07 AM

I'd still like to see a transcription of the version sung by Boys of the Lough.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: Felipa
Date: 06 May 20 - 07:03 PM

There is a sung English language version of this song, which includes the Irish phrase "spailpín fanach". Can anyone add those lyrics to this discussion?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 06 May 20 - 07:46 PM

I've never heard the song and I don't know any Irish, but see if these look right, Felipa:

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA846CA846&ei=rUuzXsqZN9GJgge9i5X4DQ&q=Spailpin+Fanach%2C+boys+of+the+lough+lyrics&o

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Spailpin Fanach- wandering spalpeen
From: GUEST,Michael McDonnell, Normandy, France
Date: 25 Jun 23 - 04:20 PM

A version of "An Spailpin Fanach" was collected near Callan Co Kilkenny by Seamus Brennan who was collecting for G A Prim of the Kilkenny Moderator
Brenna wrote in 1867: "The song Spailpin Fanach, composed by an airy itinerant labourer near Callan in the latter part of the last century*, the girl spoken of in the 5th verse was a young woman who lived on the Commons of Callan near Carbin Bridge named Miss C...., and no one was allowed to sing it in that locality on account of the satire" from Dunaire Thiobraid Arann (Daithi O hOgan 1981) (printed by the Leinster Leader Ltd.)
* 18th Century.... probably "around" 1798