The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #64842   Message #1063176
Posted By: GUEST,An Púca
30-Nov-03 - 09:38 AM
Thread Name: Irish carol, belgian connnection
Subject: RE: Irish carol, belgian connnection
I think the first (and longer version of that available on fainne website) are the closer to the original.

It shoud be noted that it is written in syllabic metre rather than in a song-metre. Each line contains 7 syllables and ends in a monosyllabic word in most cases. End-rhyme occurs between lines b and d

The metre of the second one (Dia do bheatha a naí anocht) is slightly stricter. Again, each line is of seven syllables, end-rhyme occurs in the ab and cd couplets, and the final word in lines b and d always have one syllable more than the final word in lines a and c with which they form the rhyme. This is also a 17th century composition but it would seem the longer one is the Aodh mac Aingil one which is what gives it the connection to Belgium/Spanish Netherlands/Louvain/Lobháin etc.

I am sure there are recordings (Parson's Hat on Cló IarChonnachta label at a guess) of the Mac Aingil one. I'm not sure about the second one.