Lyr Req: Ceol An Phiobaire / Music of the Piper

Subject: ceol a phiobaire, in english
From: GUEST,Sussie
Date: 29 Nov 01 - 09:40 AM

Is there anyone out there with an english translation of ceol a phiobaire ? (thank you.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ceol a phiobaire, in english
From: Noreen
Date: 29 Nov 01 - 10:08 AM

Piper's music.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ceol a phiobaire, in english
From: GUEST,Seonaid
Date: 30 Nov 01 - 01:48 AM

If I recall rightly (all my Gaelic stuff is packed away at present -- forgive me), the meaning is something like the following, though this isn't in singable rhyme: "If you marry the weaver you'll be lamenting, you'll be awake till midnight every night with the noise of the loom. If you marry the loomsman you'll be awake till midnight with the groan of it. But if you marry the merchant, you'll be off to the fair with gold in your pockets. But it would be better for you to marry me and have the music of the pipe, dear young pretty one."

Subject: Lyr Add: CEOL A PHIOBAIRE = The Music of the Piper
From: Áine
Date: 30 Nov 01 - 09:15 AM

The Music of the Piper

If you marry the hackler, it's you who will be crying,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
Oh you will suffocate with the roots of the earth,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night,
Rummaging for a candle and grabbing the spade,
You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes,
My own true love, my fair maiden.

If you marry the weaver, it's you who will be crying,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
You'll soon be weak and lost from the working of the loom,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night,
Rummaging for a candle and moaning from the poverty,
You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes,
My own true love, my fair maiden.

If you marry the tailor, it's you who will be crying,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
There'll be wisps of straw piled at the door, like a dog would drop his dung,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night,
Rummaging for a candle and gnawing bits of cloth,
You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes,
My own true love, my fair maiden.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ceol a phiobaire, in english
From:
Date: 30 Nov 01 - 08:38 PM

Is there a Gaelic text some place? Thanks?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ceol a phiobaire, in english
From: Áine
Date: 30 Nov 01 - 09:34 PM

Dear George,

Here ya go.

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ceol a phiobaire, in english
From:
Date: 30 Nov 01 - 09:53 PM

Tapadh leibh mo chariaid

Subject: Lyr Add: CEOL AN PHÍOBAIRE / MUSIC OF THE PIPER
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Jan 02 - 07:03 PM

Copied from the web site Áine cited:

CEOL AN PHÍOBAIRE

Má phósann tú an siostalóir, is tú a bheas ag caoineadh,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó,
Ó, beidh tú do thachtadh le barrach na tíre,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó,
Ó, beidh tú 'do shuí go mbeidh sé an meán oíche,
Ag síordhó na gcoinneal is ag sciobadh an lín dó,
Mile b'fhearr duit mise agat, is ceol binn mo phíoba,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó.

Má phósann tú an fíodóir, is tú a bheas ag caoineadh,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó,
Beidh cead luig laig ag an úim a scaoileadh,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó,
Ó, beidh tú 'do shuí go mbeidh sé an meán oíche,
Ag síordhó na gcoinneal is ag crónan fán íneadh,
Míle b'fhearr duit mise agat, is ceol binn mo phíoba,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó.

Má phósann tú an tailliúr, is tú a bheas ag caoineadh,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó,
Beidh sop i mbéal an dorais, mar bheadh madadh ar charnán aoiligh,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó,
Ó, beidh tú do shuí go mbeidh sé an meán oíche,
Ag síordhó na gcoinneal is ag creimneáil na bpíosaí,
Míle b'fhearr duit mise agat is ceol binn mo phíoba,
A mhuirnín dílis 'fhaoilí ó.

THE MUSIC OF THE PIPER

If you marry the hackler, it's you who will be crying,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
Oh you will suffocate with the roots of the earth,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night,
Rummaging for a candle and grabbing the spade,
You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes,
My own true love, my fair maiden.

If you marry the weaver, it's you who will be crying,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
You'll soon be weak and lost from the working of the loom,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night,
Rummaging for a candle and moaning from the poverty,
You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes,
My own true love, my fair maiden.

If you marry the tailor, it's you who will be crying,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
There'll be wisps of straw piled at the door, like a dog would drop his dung,
My own true love, my fair maiden,
Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night,
Rummaging for a candle and gnawing bits of cloth,
You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes,
My own true love, my fair maiden.

Subject: RE: ceol a phíobaire, in english
From: Felipa
Date: 06 Apr 03 - 06:40 PM

The song has been recorded by Altan (sung by Máiread Ní Mhaonaigh)

I think the lyrics were published in Ó Muirgheasa (Ó Muirgheasa), Céad de Cheolta Uladh
There's another verse to add.
and also a related song, so I'll come back to this thread soon.

Brían Ó Domhnaill included this song in a workshop this weekend. He said "céad luig laig" refers to the sound of the loom, the shuttle going back and forth hundreds of times (nothing to do with lág, week); you'd be fed up with husband's work.
and that "Beidh sop i mbéal an dorais, mar bheadh madadh ar charnán aoiligh," refers to the tailor working while he sits by the door (for light) cross-legged on a cushion of hay (a "sop"), like a dog sitting on a (warm) midden heap.

"Ag síordhó na gcoinneal is ag creimneáil na bpíosaí" =
forever burning candles (up late all night) and sewing together the pieces

The first verse refers to working with flax (ingredient of linen, lín)
A hackle is a comb for dressing the flax.

Subject: RE: Ceol an Phíobaire
From: Felipa
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 04:23 PM

The same three verses are published in Mánus Ó Baoill, Ceolta Uladh 2 Cork: Mercier, 1986. The jaunty air given in that book is different from the tune Máiread Ní Mhaonaigh and Brían Ó Domhnaill use; it is the same one that Albert Fry sang on his eponymous Gael-Linn album (on which Máiread played fiddle and Frankie Kennedy flute).

Énrí Ó Muir(gh)easa didn't give a tune, but he published an additional verse in Céad de Cheolta Uladh,in 1915 - new edition edited by Brother T. F. Beausang published in Newry in 1983. This final verse says that if you marry the worker, you'll market at the fairs, but even though you'll have silver in your pockets and you won't have to stay up to midnight, you'll still mourn and you'd still be better of with the piper and his sweet music.

Má phósann tú an t-oibrí is tú a bheas ag caoineadh,
A mhuirnín dílis 's a fhaoileann óg
Is gheobhaidh tú marcaíocht chun na n-aontaí
A mhuinín dílis 's a fhaoileann óg;
Cha bhíonn tú do shuí go mbeidh sé an mean oíche,
Beidh airgead i do phocaí 'us ór buí 'na phíosaí,
Ach ba mhíle b'fhearr duit mise agat is ceol binn mo phíbe,
A mhuirnín dílis 's a fhaoileann óg.

According to the notes "This is a Farney song taken down by Mr J H Lloyd (and published by him in the 'Cláirseach na nGael, II) from the recitation of Thomas Corrigan, the last great seanchaí of Farney. It is the plea of a poper to a young girl that she would be a thousand times happier with him and having the sweet music of his pipes, than be he wife of any ordinary tradesman. Mr Lloyd's re-arrangement of a couple of lines has been preserved."

Ó Muirgheasa's glossary of "Focail Chrua" (difficult words) would be a great help to anyone trying to translate the song into English. For instance:
"do do thachtadh, being choked. Barrach na tire, the tow of the countryside; the hackler lived in a thick atmosphere of dust.
ag sciobadh an lín dó, 'skibbing' the flax for him, i.e. tidying the bundles of hackeled flax.
luig laig, the loose working of machinery that is not properly adjusted and works with a rattle
úim, the gears or weaver's traces in the loom
ineadh = aoine* fasting; hence, a shortage, scarcity, deficiency"

*Dé Céadaoin, Wednesday, is the day of the first fast, Dé hAoine the day of the fast and Déardaoin, the day 'eadar dhá Aoine', the day between the fasts. Can anyone give further insight into these Gaelic names for days of the week?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ceol a phiobaire, in english
From:
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 06:49 PM

Not too much, as it was apparently an old style Roman Catholic thing.

The Wednesday, first fast, aka the little fast was a minor fasting day for them. The Friday, day of the fast, was the day that Roman Catholics would not eat meat, and would instead partake of fish instead.

These are second-hand bits of information as I'm not RC.

Subject: Tune Add: Ceol An Phíobaire / Music of the Piper
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 03 - 03:42 PM

"Ceol an Phíobaire" from Mánus Ó Baoill, "Ceolta Gael 2". Cork:Mercier, 1986

Philippa says:"This is not the tune sung by Máiread Ní Mhaonaigh with
Altan. . .I think it was the tune most associated with this song before the Altan recording. I have it on a Gael-Linn record of Albert Fry;"

X:1
T:Ceol An Phíobaire
I:abc2nwc
M:12/8
L:1/8
K:A
z3z3z3E3|A2B c2A G2A B2G|F2G A2F E3C2D|
w:Má phós-ann tú an sio-sta-lóir, is tú-sa bheas ag caoine-adh,A
E3E3C3E2E|F3G3A3E3|
w:mhuir-nín dí-lis is 'fhaoi-leann óg, Och,
A2B c2A (G2A) B2G|(F2G) A2F E3C2D|
w:beidh tú do do thach_-tadh le barr_-ach na tí-re, A
E3E3C3E2E|F3G3A3-A2B|
w:mhuir-nín dí-lis is 'fhaoi-leann óg,_Ó,
c2B c2d e3-e2e|e2f e2d c3d2d|
w:beidh tú i do shuí_ go mbeidh sé an meán oích-e, Ag
e3A2A F2F B2A|(G2A) G2F E3E2E/2 E/2|
w:síor-dhó na gcoinn-eal is ag scio_-badh an lín dó,Ach ba
A2B c2A G2A B2G|(F2G) A2F E3C2D|
w:Mhi-le b'fhearr duit mise ag-at, is ceol_ binn mo phí-be, A
E3E3C3E2E|F3G3A3z3
w:mhuir-nín dí-lis is 'fhaoi-leann óg.

Subject: Tune Add: Ceol An Phíobaire / Music of the Piper
From: MMario
Date: 08 May 03 - 02:21 PM

Another - agian, provided by Philippa

X:1
T:Ceol An Phiobaire (2)
N:from Tomas O Corragan
N:collected by Seosamh Laoide
N:'An Claidhemh Solvis' - 1902
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:C
z6zG|c3/2 c/2 c3/2 d/2 c B B c|(A G) A _B (A G) E
w:Má phó-sann tú an sis-tea-lóir is tú_ bheas ag caoi_-neadh
A|(G F) (E D) (C D) E G|A2(B3/2 c/2) c2
w:A mhuiur_-nín_ dí_-leas is 'fhaoi-leann_ óg;
G|c2c3/2 d/2 (c B) A B|(A G) A _B (A G) E
w:Uch! beidh tú dod' thach_-tadh le ba_-rrach na tí_-re,
A|(G F) (E D) (C D) E G|A2(B3/2 c/2) c2
w:A mhuiur_-nín_ dí_-leas is 'fhaoi-leann_ óg.
G|c2c3/2 d/2 e3e|f e (d c) (e c) A
w:O, beidh tú 'do shuí go mbeidh sé'n meán_ oí_-che,
B|c2e3/2 c/2 (c B) B c|(A G) A _B (A G) E
w:A' síor-dhó na gcoi_-nneal 's~a' scio_-badh an lín_ dó,
c/2 e/2|g3/2 f/2 e d c B B c|(A G) A _B (A G) E
w:Ach ba mhí-le b'fhearr duit mi-se 'gat is ceol_ binn mo phí_-be,
A|(G F) (E D) (C D) E G|A2(B3/2 c/2) c2z2
w:A mhuiur_-nín_ dí_-leas is 'fhaoi-leann_ óg

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ceol An Phiobaire
From: Felipa
Date: 17 May 03 - 02:41 PM

The fast version of Ceol an Phíobaire is also on a Folkways recording of Deirdre Ní Fhlionn; I think the label says c.1958. She has the verse about marrying the worker, "Gheobhaidh tú marcaíocht ..."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ceol An Phiobaire / Music of the Pipe
From: GUEST,J. Griffin Crump
Date: 14 Jan 05 - 03:00 PM

Many years ago I saw mention of a John Crump (of Ulster, I think) as a developer of the uileann pipes. Can anyone tell me more about him? -- Griff Crump

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ceol An Phiobaire / Music of the Pipe
From: Bearheart
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 10:41 PM

Thanks to Joe for re-opening this thread. I am very interested in this song-- is there a version of it that is actually sung in English? (I am assuming that the translation in this thread was not made for singing to the tunes mentioned above, so correct me if I am wrong. I don't know the original at all. What album did Altan record it on?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ceol An Phiobaire / Music of the Pipe
From: Bearheart
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 05:09 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ceol An Phiobaire / Music of the Piper
From: Declan
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 05:48 PM

It's on Altan's first album as a band (simply titled Altan). Mairéad and Frankie had previously recorded an album called Ceol Aduaigh. I've never heard a version sung in English, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.