This is a fine mess altogether.

His Master's Voice recorded a 78 RPM vinyl single -- I have yet to locate a date, let's say sometime between 1940 and 1960? -- in which pianist Duncan Morrison accompanies singer Máire Ní Scolaí, who is in her prime vocally. There are two verses in this recording. The title is:

EIBHLÍN A RÚIN

(Traditional; words attributed to Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh,
melody as sung by Ní Scolaí and Joe Heaney)


I'm not ready to submit the lyrics yet. They are most elusive and there are many variations. Listening closely to Ní Scolaí, I favor the text as given in the Royal Irish Academy's Archives of Modern Irish Texts, which may be found online (www.fng.ie)

This melody is positively NOT! NOT! the "Robin Adair" version. This is true sean-nós, there is some mode/scale at work but I would not presume to identify it, and it is highly ornamented.

Although I am not going to submit verses intact at this point, I have just got to post something in response to the OP on this thread, which gives a sung lyric in complete ignorance to the Gaelic conventions of spelling.

The OP gives:
"Du ca tu non vanna tu, Aileen Aroon"
from the Archives at the Royal Irish Academy:
"An dtiocfaidh tu nó 'n bhfanfaidh tú, a Eibhlín a rúin"

The OP gives:
"Tuca me sni anna me"
from the Archives at the Royal Irish Academy:
"Tiocfaidh me a 's ní fhanfaidh me"


My disclaimer, as has been posted before, I must post again: I am illiterate where Gaelic is concerned, I have never studied the language, but have only come to these lyrics by way of the recorded music performances and the songs.
If there is a Mudcatter or guest out there more knowledgeable than I, and better informed and educated, regarding "Eibhlín a Rúin" and this sean-nós melody, PLEASE say something.