Hi,

I think we are moving slowly to a resolution and I am grateful for everyone's contributions so far.

Thank you very much for pointing out that what I suspected was correct - the Irish and English on the Altan song are not equivalent - thanks Aine. Thanks JTT for the different version and the humour. This is indeed a soppy, silly song in many respects but the tune is beautiful.

My next problem is that to have any confidence in singing this song I need to know that the Irish I am singing is actually correct. I have studied my Irish/English dictionary for a few evenings now and I have also tried to expand the abbreviated words such as 's etc.

Here is my effort. I am being deliberately literal where my understanding is weak. Some words that I really haven't found the meanings of and am taking on trust are,

fuigfidh, eadarshuth, aite

Line 2 of the first verse is very suspect ...

Tá mo chleamhnas a dhéanamh, inniu agua inné
Agus ní mo na go dtaitníonn an bhean udaí liom féin
Ach fuigfidh mé mo dhiaidh í agus rachaidh mé leat féin
síos fána coillte craobhaigh

My match was made, today and yesterday
And not my the that the woman I have taken a liking to.
But I will leave her behind me and go away with you
Down by the banks of the branching woods.

Tá mo chodladh go h-eadarshuth, beidh aite liom féin
Leabaí luachair a bheith faoi mo thaobh
Buidéal brandaí a bheith faoi mo cheann
Agus mo chailín deas óg a bheith i mo láimh liom

Sleeping to milking-time will be my delight
Beds of rushes underneath my side
Bottle of brandy underneath my head
And my sweet young girl in my arms

Shiúl mise thoir agus shiúl mise thiar
Shiúl mise Corcaigh agus sráideanna Bhaile Atha Cliath
Macasamhail mo chailín ní fhaca mise riamh
Is an bhean í a d'fhág mo chroí cráite

I walked East and I walked West
I walked Cork's and Dublin's streets
The equal to my love I never met
She is the woman who left my heart broken.


Cheers,

Sean.

line breaks/fadas fixed by elf