"Eibhlin a Ruin" (also "a Run") is well represented in recorded performances, and also features in numerous books and journals about traditional Irish music. Some time has been spent (wasted?) in my attempt to match the printed lyric variations with the sound recordings. Two conclusions result from my searching through the research of others. One, is that the nearest thing I can find approaching the recorded text -- recordings by such as Maire Ni Scolai and Mary O'Hara, for example -- is a lyric casually posted in an online forum with no bibliography or credentials. Secondly, Mudcat's archive of lyrics came no closer to these recordings than the "tuca me sni anna me" written-by-ear documentation. This last, I think, can be corrected. It isn't for me to say, though, which of the many "Eibhlin a Ruin" s ought to go into the Digital Tradition collection at the Mudcat Café.

Before I shut up on the matter and leave it to those who know something about it, here is the two-verse version that turned up online in the wikiverse forums, which corresponds most closely to what Maire Ni Scolai recorded for HMV years before I was even born.

EIBHLÍN A RÚIN

lyrics attributed to Carroll O'Daly
melody as recorded by Maire Ni Scolai for HMV

Má chaith mé mo bhróga leat
    a Eibhlín a rúin
Má chaith mé mo bhróga leat
    a Eibhlín a rúin
Má chaith mé mo bhróga leat
Má ghearr síos na scorthaí leat
Mar shúil is go mbeinn pósta leat
    a Eibhlín a rúin

An dtiocfaidh tú nó an bhfanfaidh tú
    a Eibhlín a rúin
An dtiocfaidh tú nó an bhfanfaidh tú
    a Eibhlín a rúin
Tiocfaidh mé 's ní fhanfaidh mé
Bí romham is leanfad tú
A ghrá le mo chroí faoi rún is tú
    a Eibhlín a rúin