This version is copied from "Bright Star of the West," the biography of sean-nós artist Joe Heaney, written by Sean Williams and Lillis Ó Laoire.
Two things are to be remarked upon in the Joe Heaney version. The verses that are included are essential. And a number of verses are omitted. Amongst the omissions, the most telling might be the verse that actually speaks of keening, a dialogue in which Mary the Mother of Christ addresses the other two Marys, and the two of them respond to her.

To save space, the verses are printed as couplets, which is not how they are sung. In singing, each line would be followed with:
"Ochón is ochón ó."

A Pheadair a aspail, an bhfaca thú mo ghrá bán
Chonaic mé ar ball é dhá chéasach ag an ngarda

Cé hé an fear breá sin ar Chrann na Páise
An é nach n-aithníonn tú do Mhac, a Máithrín

An é sin a Maicín a d'iompair mé trí ráithe
An é sin a Maicín a rugadh in sa stábla

An é sin a Maicín a hoileadh in ucht Mháire
A mhicín mhuirneach tá do bhéal 's do shróinín gearrtha

(to be continued)

© 2011 Oxford University Press