Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs

Subject: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: ciarili
Date: 20 Feb 04 - 11:57 AM

Darach O'Cathain sang this one, & I've not been able to find the words anywhere.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 12:20 PM

Refresh. (I think you just have to keep this thread active until the right people see it.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 12:41 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Feb 04 - 01:02 PM

Sound clip here. Don't know how long it is.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Feb 10 - 06:47 PM

Refresh - to remind me!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: GUEST,cruiscinlan
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 02:48 PM

No word on this is there?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Sep 10 - 09:58 PM

Darch O Catháin sings CAOIRIGH NA JAPS on his self-titled album, Gael Linn, 2004. Apparently the same album was also published in the US by Shanachie under the title "Traditional Irish Unaccompanied Singing," 2005.

You can hear the song free at Grooveshark.com.

I didn't find any lyrics. It might help if we had even a short quote from the song, other than the title, I mean.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: GUEST,#
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 05:04 PM

The Grooveshark.com opens to something else. I guess it changed in a decade.

Here's the writer singing the song at YT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LzJgF18de0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LzJgF18de0

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Apr 21 - 06:18 PM

Darach Ó Cadhain is the singer of Caoirigh na Japs, not the author. The words are attributed to Mícheál Ó Cualáin of the Indreabhan area of County Galway, Ireland. The lyrics are published in Leabhar Mór na nAmhráin collected and edited by M. Ó Conghaile, L. Ó Tuairisg & P. Ó Ceannabháin, and published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht in 2012. A different version was published under the title "Caoirigh na Laps" in An Stoc in 1929. The people who owned the sheep (caoirigh) had the nickname the "Japs" but they were not Japanese.

As far as I get it; the sheep were on the rampage, straying, and the satirical song suggests they got a lot further than the neighbours' fields.

CAOIRIGH NA JAPS

Is chuala chuile fhear agaibh trácht ar an scéal,
A rinne muintir na Céibhe ar chaoirigh na Japs,
Nuair a ruaig siad ar maidin iad roimh éirí na gréine,
Is go ndeachaigh siad ar féarach ó thuaidh de Bhelfast.

Daoine an-chneasta sea muintir na Céibhe,
Is ní fhéadfaidis éisteacht le tréad ghalar scraith,
Is nuair a chuir muid fhéin ár n-intinn le chéile,
Go ndéanfadh muid ball séire le sásamh an trespass.

Nuair a chuala na fearaibh trácht ar an scéala,
D’fheistigh siad fhéin a gcuid capall amach,
Is dhá bhfeicfeása ag imeacht iad chomh teanntaithe le chéile
Is bhí pónaí Tom Kane ann as lár Chnoc an Daimh.

Séard adúirt fear liom a bhí thuas ag Loch Éirne,
Go bhfaca sé fhéin iad ar aonach Chluain Meal’,
Séard adúirt fear eile a bhí i gCinn Mhara ar a théarma,
Go bhfaca sé féin iad ó thuaidh de Loch Measc’.

Séard adúirt mairnéalach a bhí ag dul aniar ar an gCunard,
Gur casadh dhó fhéin iad ag dul siar ag na Banks,
Is go raibh sé san aimhreas, mura n-éiríodh aon cheo dhóibh,
Go ndéanfaidis gan stró é isteach go Greenland.

Séard adúirt fear liom a d’fhága Dakota,
Go raibh siad i dteach ósta ann ag caitheamh cigars,
Bhí siad ag breathnú go raibh siad an-óltach,
Is bhíodar ag trácht ar dhul don Afraic ó dheas.

D’fhág siad an Afraic agus chuaigh siad go Dover,
Agus d’ith siad an clover a bhí ag fás ins an bhFrainc,
Chuaigh siad siar an Atlantic is aniar an Mediterranean,
Go dtáinig siad i dtír sa gCaisleán isteach.

Frítheadh ansin iad i ngarraí Tom Mhary,
Ag ithe féir is cabáiste ghlas,
Bhí uan ag an scotch agus cúpla ag na réithe,
Is tá fhios agaibh fhéin cén chaoi a dtáinig siad as.

--------------------
The song is also in the Schools Collection (songs and tales collected by school children from people in their own communities). See https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4613702/4610265/4625270
I can't see any date given, but the schools collection project ran from 1937-39. https://www.duchas.ie/en/info/cbe

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Caoirigh na Japs
From: GUEST,#
Date: 05 Apr 21 - 09:16 AM

Thanks for the correction.