JOHNNY SEOIGHE

Johnny Seoighe tuig mo ghlór is mé a' tíocht le dóchas faoi do dhéin
Mar is tú an réalt eolais is deise lóchrainn as mo shúil ag teampall Dé
Is tú bláth na hóige is deise ghlorthaí dhearc mo shúil ó rugadh mé
Agus as ucht Chríost is tabhair dhom "relief" nó go gcaitear Oíche Nollag féin.
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Agus lá arna mhárach fuair mé an páipéar is nach mé bhí sásta agus chuaigh mé 'un siúil
Is ní bhfuair mé freagra bith an lá sin ach mé féin 's mo pháistí bheith amuigh faoin drúcht
Tá mé tuirseach, sciúrtha, feannta, oibrithe, gearrthaí ó neart a' tsiúil
Is a "Mhister Joyce" tá an "workhouse" lán is ní ghlacfar ann isteach níos mó
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Is nach mór an clú dho bhaile Charna an fhad 's tá an lanúin seo dhul thrí
Mar is deise 's breáichte dreach na mná ná 'n "morning star" nuair a éiríonn sí
Tá 'n bhanríon tinn is í go lag 'na luí is deir dochtúirí go bhfaighidh sí bás
Is é fios a húdair léir mar deir siad liomsa nuair nach bhfuil sí pósta ag "Mister Joyce".
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A chairde,

Fuair mé an t-amhrán seo ar an cheirnín 'Amhráin ar an Sean-Nós". Casann é ag Colm Ó Caodháin as Carna, Co. na Gaillimhe. Seo daoibh na nótaí (i mBéarla) san leabhar beag a tháinig in éineacht leis an cheirnín:

"A song dating from famine times (aimsir an droch shaoil). When Indian meal was being distributed as relief to the people, a Mr. Joyce (Seoighe) was organising the scheme in the Carna district. A local poet, said to be Tomás Shiúnach, wrote this song in praise of Joyce and his wife, in the hope of getting some extra relief for himself and his family. The song is a mixture of exaggerated praise and pathetic pleading. The last two lines of verse 3 are intriguiing as they suggest that the reason for the Queen's illness is the fact that she is not the wife of the said Mr. Joyce. The singing of Colm Ó Caodháin here is quite unique in that he has several notes which he holds over a number of beats, with one note in each of the three verses being particularly long. These long wailing notes are reminiscent of keening."