Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore

Subject: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From:
Date: 01 Oct 97 - 10:01 AM

Hi! I´m looking for the lyrics of "Peggy Lettermore" as sung by the Dubliners. Please let me know if you know where i can find it.

Best regards/Carl

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 01 Oct 97 - 11:14 AM

I can get this in Irish but have no idea if that was how the Dubliners did it.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From: Wkailey
Date: 01 Oct 97 - 02:58 PM

Yes, the Dubliners do it in Irish. I have it on tape and would love to have a translation, if you have one. Alas, I do not speak a word of Irish, though I am an avid collector of Irish folk music.

Subject: Lyr Add: PEIGÍN LEITIR MÓIR / PEGGY LETTERMORE
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 01 Oct 97 - 08:47 PM

Here's a quick version!

PEIGÍN LEITIR MÓIR

CURFÁ/CHORUS: O gairim, gairim, í
Agus gairim í mo stór
Míle grá le m'anam í
Sí Peigín Leitir Móir

1. Éirigh suas a Pheigín
Agus seas ar bharr an aird
Comhair do chuid bullán
Agus féach a' bhuil siad ann

2. Tá Bríd agam 's tá Cáit agam
Sí Peig an bhean is fearr
Pe'r bith fear a gheo bhas í
Nach air a bheas an t-ádh

3. Chuir me scéala siaaar chuici
Go gceannóinn di bád mor
'S é 'n scéala 'chuir si aniar chugam
Go ndéanfadh leathbhad seoil

4. Tá iascairi na Gaillimhe
Ag teaach anoir le coir
Le solas gealaai gile
Nó go bhfeicidis and tseoid

CURFÁ DEIRIDH/LAST CHORUS: 'S ó, gairim í
'Gus gairim í mo stor
Míle grá le m'anam í
Is gearr go mbeaidh sí mór

p.s. are there TWO Carls looking for this?

Regards
(From me AND Josephine!)

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From:
Date: 03 Oct 97 - 05:19 AM

Thanx a lot for the gaelic version! All I need know is a gaelic language lesson...

bless you!/carl

Ps. No, there´s only one carl, and that´s me....

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 03 Oct 97 - 06:40 AM

I can probably come up with a translation - but as to singing it....!

regards

p.s. Josephine sends her regards!

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From: Carl
Date: 03 Oct 97 - 10:44 AM

Carl, you´re NOT the only one !!!
There´s obviously another Carl, and that´s ME! (the one and original...)
Thanks again to Josephine (hope you received my mail), who sent me the lyrics via e-mail. That´s why you (Carl #2) had to ask again.
Greetings to Josephine, Martin Ryan, Carl #2 and everybody,
Carl #1

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From:
Date: 06 Oct 97 - 03:27 AM

Martin, I did it! I sung it in Gaelic this weekend with my band the Celtic Connexxion! I had an Irish bloke at the pub teaching me the hardest parts 30 min before our show started!

Once again, Thanx a lot!

Greetings to Josephine, Carl #1 and everybody!

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 06 Oct 97 - 07:33 AM

Carl #2

Well done!

Martin

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From:
Date: 09 Oct 97 - 12:06 AM

I have the gaelic words together with my own translation.

The song appears as sung by me on "Do you love an apple" by "Black Velvet Band" (tape only).

Annraoi S. Warner

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From: Calle
Date: 09 Oct 97 - 03:48 AM

Annraoi, Im very interested in your translation. Gealic is grea´,t but kinda hard for me as a swede to sing... You can mail it to me at [e-mail] if you want.

Best regards/Calle

Subject: RE: Lyrics RE: Peggy Lettermore
From: Harald
Date: 09 Oct 97 - 02:13 PM

e-mail? No way !!!
Post it here! Pleeeeaase!!!!
I´d like to have it also.

Slainte, Harald (who is Harald again, thanks to Max).

Subject: Lyr Add: PEIGÍ LEITIR MÓIR / PEGGY LETTERMORE
From:
Date: 10 Oct 97 - 08:38 PM

PEIGÍ LEITIR MÓIR

O goirim goirim í
Agus goirim í go deo
Míle ghrá le m'anam í
Sí Peigí Leitir Móir.

O éirigh suas a eigí
'gus seas ar bhárr an áird
Comhair do chuid bullán
Agus féach a bhfuil siad ann.

Tá Bríd agam tá Cáit agam
's í Peig an bean is fearr
Pé an fear a gheobhas í
Nach air a bhéas an t-ádh.

Chuir mé scéal aniar cúichí
Go gceannóin dí bád mór
'S é 'n scéal a cuir sí arais chugham
Go ndéan' sí leathbhád seoil.

Tá iascairí na Gaillimhe
Ag teacht aniar le chóir
Le solas gealaí gile
Féach go bhfeicidís an tseoid.

(Tá Micil Johnny Tomáis
Ar barr an chnocháin mhóir
Ag súil leis an ainnir
To bfaighfheadh sé cúpla póg.)

(Is ó goirim goirim í
Agus goirim í mo stór
Míle ghrá le manam í
Is gearr go mbeidh sí mór.)

PEGGY LETTERMORE

Oh I call her, call her my sweetheart;
1000 loves to her my Peggy of Lettermore.
(Last - Soon she'll be big).

Oh arise, my Peggy, and stand on the brow of the hill;
Count your bullocks and see if they are (all) there.

I have Brigid; I have Kate (but) Peggy is the best woman;
Whichever man gets her, it's he will be the lucky one.

I sent news to her that I would buy her a big boat;
She sent word back to me that she would make a suit of sails.

The fishermen of Galway are coming east under a fair wind
With bright, white lights so that they may see the jewel.

Michael Johnny Thomas is on top of the big hill
Looking at the haggard in the hope of getting a couple of kisses.

Subject: Tune Add: PEIGIN LEITIR MOIR
From: MMario
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 11:54 AM

X:1
T:PEIGIN LEITIR MOIR
I:Micheal O hEdhin 'Cas Amhran'
M:2/4
L:1/16
K:C
f4c2 B2|A2 c2 c2 d e|f2 c2 B2 A2|G4-G4|
w:O gair-im, gair-im, í A-gus gair-im í mo stór_
f2 f2 c3 B|A c3 c2 d2|c2 B2 A2 G2|F4-F2 c2|
w:Mí-le grá le m' a-nam í Sí Peig-ín Leit-ir_ Móir Éi-
A2 B2 A2 F2|A2 c2 c2 f2|A2 c2 B2 A2|G4-G4|
w:righ suas a Pheig-ín A-gus seas ar bharr an aird_
A2 B2 A2 F2|A2 c2 f3 d|c2 B2 A2 G2|F4-F4
Comh-air do chuid bul-lán A-gus féach a' bhuil siad ann_

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 12:14 PM

IM NOT PEGGY BUT I AM FROM LETTERMORE AND FLUENT GAELIC SPEAKER AND LIVE NOT FAR FROM WHERE PEIGIN LEITIR MOIR ONCE LIVED.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 01:24 PM

Cé thusa?
An fíor é gur chum máthair Phéigí an t-amhrán?
I heard a couple of conflicting stories about the composition of the song, and one was that Peggy's own mother wrote it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 09:09 AM

I live in Leitir Móir and there are no stories behind this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,An Púca
Date: 29 Nov 03 - 10:31 AM

Nach mór a d'athraigh Leitir Móir muis! Mura bhfuil scéal taobh thiar de, ba cheart go mbeadh bréag. Bí ag cumadh a dheabhail!

Tosóidh muid mar seo:

It happened one day that a jazz guitarist from Chicago met a girl from Leitir Móir coming home from a disco in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Naomh anna
Date: 07 Dec 03 - 12:34 PM

Ná bí ag inseacht breag.....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 12:55 PM

"éirigh suas a eigí" above, should of course read, " éirigh suas, a Peigí

according to Micheál Bowles in "Claisceadal 1" (Dún Laoghaire: Glendale Press,1985), the original authors of the song were named in An Claidheamh Soluis" in 1911 as Máirtín Ó Clochartaigh and Pádraic Ó Maille of Leitir Caladh, but the song has spread among the people and others have composed verses too. "Leitir Caladh is at the north end of Leitir Móir, across the bay from Cill Chiaráin. The bay is an inlet on the mainland due north from the Aran Islands."

Bowles includes some verses others than those posted on this thread back in 1997

D'eitigh sí fear airgid
Is d'eitigh sí fear ór,
Is d'eitigh sí fear eile acu
Aniar ón Iorras Mór.

Cuardaigh Oileán Árainn
Is thart faoi Chontae an Chláir,
M'fhocal dhuit, a Pháadraigín,
A sárú nól le fáil.

(She refused a man with silver and a man with gold,
& She refused another of them who came from Errismore.

Travel the island of Aran and round the County of Clare,
My word to you, Paddy, her better is not to be found.)

curfá/chorus:
Ó gairim gairim í
Agus gairim í mo stór
Grá mo chroí le m'anam ó
'S í Peigí Leitir Móir.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Peigi Leitir Moir
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 12:56 PM

oops "m'anam ó" should read "m'anam í"!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 11:19 AM

ta me go alaan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: Brían
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 11:47 AM

Ná habair é. Tá mé bun as cion!

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,redsox245
Date: 19 Feb 06 - 09:46 PM

bhi me posta ag pegge

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,KB
Date: 10 Aug 06 - 05:54 AM

how do you pronounce this? I don't know how to pronouce gaelic!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 01:09 PM

phonetic transcription, please of Irish version eg. Oro shey do vaha wallya anish air hakht un tow-rig. Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 06:25 AM

Glasgow Green - you are looking for an entirely different song
see http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=49830#753959 but be sure to listen to a recording as well

if you want to sing these songs, listen to recordings and if possible find an Irish-speaker to help you with pronunciation in person

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: Scrump
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 07:02 AM

Glasgow Green - you are looking for an entirely different song

Guest,Philippa - I think GUEST,Glasgow Green was just giving that as an example of the sort of phonetic translation he/she would like to see for Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 08 Oct 06 - 07:52 PM

Well done philippa! Yes, that was just an example. I've listened to the Dubliners version of Peggy hundreds of times - it's one of my favourites and I would dearly love to join in. I found the transcription of Pearse's Oro shey do vaha wallya - forgive my ignorance of my ancestor's tongue - but I can now join in that song and sing along with the Dubliners. Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 09 Oct 06 - 06:03 PM

Apologies - I put the apostrophe in the wrong place suggesting only one ancestor spoke Irish when in fact a tribe of them from Dun-na-nGall did. Sorry for the pedantry, but my auld Irish Grannies and Grampa would be very offended.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 07:42 PM

What on earth is going? I went onto the "Upper Cut" site to find the Lyrics of "Peggy" and found a message saying they are sorry but the artist doesn't want to display the lyrics of this song!!! What's the big deal with "Peggy"? Whilst on that site, I found the lyrics of David Banner's "Bush". Boy, those lyrics could really strip paint! So what secret has Peggy got that G. W. Bush hasn't?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,KB
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 04:24 AM

yeah, thats the problem! i don't know anyone irish, let alone knows how to pronounce gaelic! (i live in australia)
another problem - our CD of the dubliners has been sold. :(

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: Brían
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 01:48 PM

I know Australia is a continent, but there are Irish classes in Australia .

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 03:59 PM

G'day KB, I'm so sorry you're sad - but at least you had a cd of the Dubliners - I've only got an old LP that has to be played at about 300rpm and this is probably why they sing "Peggy" far too fast for me to catch the words.

I've never been to Australia, although I've been to Ireland many times, but the Australians I've met here are fair dinkum diggers!

We have many famous Australians here:- Rolf, Kylie and Danni the famous siamese twins, Jason,etc., but I've never met them
:). I can also speak a little Australian, which I learned from Aussie acquaintances, family and friends, who have been to that wonderful, so they tell me, land of yours. Most of my Australian was learnt late at night tho', watching 'Poisoner in Cell Block H'. Here's a small sample of my vocabulary: "Dunny", "Fair dinkum, sport", "shoot thro'", "roo", "joey", "digeridoo", "Abo" and "walkabout". Unlike Irish all these wonderfull words and phrases are pronounced the way they are spelled.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: Declan
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 04:39 PM

Ok. Just for fun I've tried to phoneticise the words provided by Martin above. Lots of health warnings with this one. It reflects the way I pronounce the words, probably with a slight Dublin accent and having learned a mixture of Gaelic dialects while growing up. Everything is very approximate - you're much better off listening to a recording and trying to make it out for yourself - but I enjoyed having a try at this

By the way Glasgow Green the words are pronounced just as they are spelled, but not the way they are pronounced in English, which is after all a different language.

Peg-gee Leh-cheer Vore

Oh gur-rum gur-rum ee
Og-gus gur-rum ee muh store
Me-leh graw leh mon-nom ee
She peg ee leh-cheer vore

Eye rig soos a feg-geen
Gus shass egg var on ord
Core duh quid bull-lawn
Og-gus fake on will she'd own (rhymes with gown)

Thaw breed og-gums thaw Caw-itch og-gum
She Peg and van iss far
Pay err bi (as in bitch) far a yo (as in yoyo) –us ee
Knock err a vay-us on thaw

Cur may skay-leh sheer coo-hee
Guh gyan-owing dee bawd moor
Shane Scala (as in scalar) quir she near coo-um
Guh nyay-hood lath vawd shoal

Thaw eesh-car-ree nah goll-ya-vah
Egg chocked an ear leh core
Leh sull-lus (as in Seamus Egan) gya lee gill-leh
No guh veck-hid-eesh on tyo-id

Soh gur-rum gur-rum ee
Og-us gur-rum ee muh store
Me -eh graw leh man-nam ee
Iss gyar guh may she more

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore / Peigí Leitir Móir
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 24 Oct 06 - 08:10 PM

Cheers Declan! I've tried this out and with a few exceptions, I think me, Luke Kelly and the lads are singing from the same song sheet now! Well done! Much obliged for your trouble. I'll fine-tune this until I get it perfect-or as near as a third generation Irish exile can.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 08:05 PM

Declan, Australian is a different language too! Me ole Jumbuck.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: theballadeer
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 10:01 PM

You can watch Ciarán Bourke (with the Dubliners) sing "Peggy Lettermore" here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 06:24 PM

I played Peggy on my MP3 player at "Paradise" on Tuesday night. She brought the Bhoys good luck as the Glasgow Irish sent the English Prem. leaders home to Manchester with a black eye. Erin Go Bragh! God Bless you Peggy, The Celtic and theballadeer!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 07:06 PM

This is totally unrelated to Peggy, but she's now my good luck person. Can anyone tell me what the inscription on the gates of Cork City are/were? I read in Tom Barry's book, 'Guerilla Days in Ireland' that it was something about Musselmen (Muslims), Hindoos and Papists. I read this excellent book many years ago now and would like to know the exact wording to settle an argument with a 'moderate' Rangers fan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 06 - 10:36 PM

hee hee. actually not many australians use the slang - but the ones that do are the usually the ones that are publicised.
but I do. but I also am given to yelling in various languages at my computer (does anyone else do that?) and stuff.
aussie slang is weird. but apparently now it is politically incorrect to call an aboriginal an abo unless you are a close friend with one of the tribes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 17 Dec 06 - 05:24 PM

Do Glasgow Rangers' fans count as "abos"? Anyway, I'm not close to that tribe -- God bless Peggy and Tommy Graveson!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 08:56 PM

hey, i'm a rangers fan!
so no.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: Effsee
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 09:46 PM

Hey, I'm a music fan, can we leave football out of this!

Subject: don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player!
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Dec 06 - 12:07 AM

music is also good.
i hate football (actually in australia we call it soccer but I don't. cos i'm weird.)- but I go for rangers. it's a family thing :)

could someone please tell me how to pronounce "Creag an Sgairbh"
i get the creag an bit (i heard creag an tuire yelled by some random scottish dude) but not sgairbh.
ta.

Subject: RE: don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player!
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Dec 06 - 08:37 PM

isn't that scottish gaelic though? I thought we were talking about irish. or is the pronounciation the same?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: Effsee
Date: 24 Dec 06 - 09:22 PM

Nope!
Merry Crimbo everyone!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 31 Jan 07 - 06:37 PM

Hullo and a Happy - if belated - New Year to all my pals. what a time we've had in dear auld Glasgow toon - It's still going roon an' roon. Alcohol is a curse,so it is, an no mistake! But I'm sure Peggy enjoyed a drop o' the crattur herself, so she did.

However, to business, as the say down the pub, whatever happened to my question about the gates of Cork? I was supposed to be in Letterkenny, last week, where I'm told the locals know absolutely nothing about anything outside a 10 mile radius of that dear town - I don't believe a word of this myself as my informant was from Sligo and there's a terrible, vengeful animosity between these two fair towns. but a Dubliner backed this up so I would have been wasting my time asking about Cork City in that neck of the woods -if I can trust the Dubliner.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Feb 07 - 05:21 PM

There certainly was a Peggy of Lettermore of whom the song was written. She was Peggy Folan, wife of Thomas. She lived at Brandy Harbor, born circa 1820 -1830. Her mother wrote the early verses which were added to later. Some of her children migrated to the U.S. circa 1880, including the parents of my grandfather. They all taught the song about their mother to their children. One of whom was my grandfather, Joseph Patrick Foley, born in Boston after his parents emigration from Lettermore on the Helvetia.

My mothers cousins, in their 80's, thought the song was one sung by school children and did not know until a trip to Ireland in the 1980's (?) that the song was traditional music.

I have met Peggy's family still on Lettermore who were very gracious to me as a descendant of Peggy Foan and showed me her ruined cottage.

There are keepers of the history of Lettermore on the island who are aware that Peggy was Peggy Folan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 06:03 PM

I've just read the English translation of Peggy and I find it pretty bland for such a stirring tune. It's like setting the tune of 'The Boys of the Old Brigade' to lyrics concerning the daily business of a one-legged fish-wife. I'm really very disappointed; she could at least have been a prostitute to add a bit of spice to the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Glasgow Green
Date: 24 Feb 07 - 06:38 PM

It has just occurred to me that the excruciatingly dull and banal lyrics of "Peggy Lettermore" are the reason why the Dubliners chose to sing it in Irish so mugs like me could say: "What a cracking tune! I wonder what this stirring anthem is all about?" Never for one instant thinking it's about a girl who spends all her time counting her cows and entertaining fishermen.

I bet the Dubliners never expected us to find out, lest we laugh ourselves sick.   

It's time for me to move on - this is the last post. Adios amigos, as we say in the Gorbals.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: Brían
Date: 08 May 07 - 03:29 PM

'Sé do bharúil, más mian leat, agus níor mhaith liom a bheith ag argóint ar shon aon rud gan brí. Fad saol agat agus tá súil agam ní fheicfidh mé tusa sa snaidhm seo aríst go deo, le cunamh Dé.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Ignoramus
Date: 15 May 07 - 01:46 PM

Eh? You What, love?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: GUEST,Sarah G.
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 05:12 PM

Hi there,

Just to let any one who is concerned know,
The Midi File To Peigin Leitir Mor is, i regret to say, incorrect.

G.. D C# B C# D is played, although it should be C Natural that is played. That sort of scale is seldom heard in Traditional Music too.
Hoping it is just an error though, but better safe than sorry.

The song is bland indeed, but it's an easy and reliable lively one!!

Best wishes,
Sarah

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: Rumncoke
Date: 16 Feb 16 - 12:08 PM

There are other words - and yes - 'Peggy Legg the whore' is the last line of the chorus in English - but of course I never listened to such naughtiness...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peggy Lettermore
From: MartinRyan
Date: 16 Feb 16 - 01:05 PM

Interesting that I was the one who tried to answer the OP all those years ago! I obviously knew Carl1 at the time - but have no recollection of him at this remove! Age...

Regards