Origins: An Cóineachan / The Fairy Lullaby

Subject: Gaelic Lullaby
From:
Date: 13 Mar 97 - 01:19 PM

I'm trying to find the words or music to an Irish lullaby, which, (in phonetic gaelic), sounds like:

Hoovan, hoovan, gurri a foe gurri a foe, gurri a foe Hoovan, hoovan, gurri a foe gurri a foe, gurri a foe Lost my little baby-oh!

Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From: Barry Finn
Date: 20 Mar 97 - 12:17 AM

It sounds like you may be looking for "An Erisky Love Lilt" (Gradh Geal mo chridh). I have it 2 different ways, not being a speeker of either I'm guessing 1 is Irish & the other is Scottish, I'll try to stay with you. Vair me oro van o Vair me oro van ee Vair me oru o ho Saed am I without thee. The other way is Bheir mi o ro bhan o Bheir mi o ro bhan i Bheir mi o ru o ho S mi tha bron ach's ttu'm dhith. If this fits what you're looking for let me know & I'll complete it (those were the chourses). Also know as Bheir mi o.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From:
Date: 21 Mar 97 - 02:10 PM

Actually, the first version of the above is a phonetic spelling of the latter (which got a little confused in the end.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From: mim
Date: 22 Mar 97 - 12:20 AM

It's sung by Morag MacKay on Kenneth McKellar's "Highland Journey" and titled The Fairy Lullaby.

I left my darling lying here, lying here, lying here. I left my darling lying here to go and gather blaeberries. Hovan, hovan, etc.----- I've lost my darling baby, oh. ( I don't know gaelic either, so can't help you there.) i've heard more verses somewhere else but can't remember where at the moment. The lullaby was sung on this record as part of a medley so all the words weren't sung.

I hope this will help a little.

Subject: Lyr Add: HIGHLAND FAIRY LULLABY
From: mim
Date: 22 Mar 97 - 12:46 AM

From Jimmie Macgregor's Folk Songs of Scotland

HIGHLAND FAIRY LULLABY

I left my baby lying here, lying here, lying here;
I left my baby lying here to go and gather blaeberries.
Chorus:
Ho-van, ho-van gorry o go, gorry o go, gorry o go;
Ho-van, ho-van gorry o go, I never found my baby o.

I saw the swan upon the lake, etc., but never saw my baby o.
Chorus
I heard the curlew crying far, etc., but never heard my baby o
Chorus
I searched the moorland tarns and then, wandered through the silent glen;
I saw the mist upon the ben, but never saw my baby o.
Chorus

Macgregor writes, "A beautiful Highland song, and one of the first I ever recorded. It is based on an old Celtic belief that an unattended baby would be stolen away by the wee folk-the fairies. Sometimes a changeling - a supernatural being in human form - would be left in its place. I've added some verses, but kept the original chorus, which is very pleasant to sing, although it doesn't really mean anything."

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From: Tim
Date: 24 Mar 97 - 01:26 AM

The lyrics for "The Eriskay Love Lilt' and lots of other songs, are also available from http://www.lyrics.ch But it isn't really a Lullaby, it's a love song in Scots Gaelic from the Isle of Eriskay in the Hebrides. "Lyrics.ch" lists lots of Lullabies but not the "highland fairie" that "mim" forwarded.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From:
Date: 22 Apr 97 - 05:22 PM

Perhaps this thread has exhausted its usefulness, but did you get the the words to Gradh Geal mo Chridhe? Is it in the Gaelic that you want the words? Forgive me if this an old subject and best forgotton.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From:
Date: 11 Nov 98 - 08:00 AM

That is a song called An Coineachan, also known as the fairy lullaby. There are two versions of the chorus, and the second one has the title, Mo Chubrachan.

Both titles have a meaning of "fragrant one". Makes you wonder just HOW fragrant.

According to the legend, the woman was out picking berries, and had placed her baby down to quickly grab some berries just out of reach. After circling the bush, she couldn't find the basket with her babe. So, she sings this song. The song I have been able to come up with a total of 8 verses. I'll post it later this week on the web. If you need it, I can e-mail it to you. Actually, I see your message is about a year and a half old. Do you still require it?

Anyway, she apparently never finds the baby. There is another tale which has been married to this story to create a happier ending.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From: Candace
Date: 11 Nov 98 - 04:46 PM

I'd be interested to know the lyrics. If you could include a phonetic trans. for those of us who don't have any gaelic, it would be much appreciated!

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From:
Date: 20 Nov 98 - 10:11 PM

OK! I'll type it up, and make it available on a url over the weekend. Not sure if I will put a phonetic on it. Perhaps, if you want to e-mail, I'll do that.

Watch at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/6338/gael_sng.html

When I get it up, it will have a link that says, "An Coineachan" It'll be under the "C" section.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From:
Date: 01 Dec 98 - 09:44 PM

Your Gaelic Lullaby, An Co/ineachan, is now available at

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/6338/coin.html

That's directly. For other Lullabies, Dean Cadalan Samhach, Nam Bu Leam Fhin Thu, and Suilean Dubh, check out the main page at

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/6338/gael_sng.html

Hope that helps.

Subject: Lyr Add: AN CÓINEACHAN - THE FAIRY LULLABY
From:
Date: 29 Jul 01 - 04:24 PM

An Cóineachan
The Fairy Lullaby Séist Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
      Goiridh òg O, Goiridh òg O
      Hò-bhan, hò-bhan, Goiridh òg O
      Gu'n dh'fhalbh mo ghaoil 's gu'n dh'fhàg e mi.
 
 

1  Dh'fhàg miÆn seo 'na shìneadh e,    'Na shìneadh e, 'na shìneadh e;    Gu'n dh'fhàg mi'n seo 'na shìneadh e    'Nuair dh'fhalbh mi 'bhuain nam braoilegan.  2  O, shiubhail mi bheinn o cheann gu ceann,    Bho thaobh gu taobh, gu taobh nan allt.    O, shiubhail mi bheinn o cheann gu ceann,    Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachan.  3  Fhuair mi lorg an dóbhrain duinn,    An dóbhrain duinn, an dóbhrain duinn,    Gu'n d'fhuair mi lorg an dóbhrain duinn;    'S cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!  4  Fhuair mi lorg na h-eal' air an t-snàmh,    Na h-eal' air an t-snàmh, 'na h-eal' air an t-snàmh    Gu'n d'fhuair mi lorg'na h-eal' air an t-snàmh;    'S cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!

5  Fhuair mi lorg na lach' air an lòn,    Na lach' air an lòn, na lach' air an lòn,    Fhuair mi lorg na h-eal' air an t-snàmh,    Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!  6  Fhuair mi lorg an laoigh bhric dheirg,    An laoigh bhric dheirg, an laoigh bhric dheirg;    Gu'n d'fhuair mi lorg an laoigh bhric dheirg,    'S cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!  7  'S d'fhuair mi lorg 'na bà 'sa pholl,    Na bà 'sa pholl, na bà 'sa pholl,    Fhuair mi lorg na bà 'sa pholl,    Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain!  8  Fhuair mi lorg a' cheò 'sa 'bheinn,    A' cheò 'sa bheinn, a' cheò 'sa bheinn;    Ged fhuair mi lorg a' cheò 'sa bheinn;    Cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo chóineachain.

According to the Songs of the Western Isles/Frances Tolmie Collection:

The Cubhrachan is carried away by the fairies and his sorrowing mother seeks him in vain. There is a translation of this song in Lyra Celtica, p. 218, and a version of the Gaelic words in the Duanaire, p. 94. Cf. "An Cóineachan" in Minstrelsey of the Scottish Highlands, and Celtic Lyre, No. 56. The name is derived from the word "Cùbhraidh," fragrant, sweet. - F.T.

The English version is in the DT.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From:
Date: 29 Jul 01 - 04:27 PM

The DT lyrics in English are here Highland Fairy Lullaby

Subject: Lyr Add: AN CÙBHRACHAN / THE SWEET LITTLE ONE
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 12:45 AM

The DT text is the one "mim" posted earlier in this thread, and several years ago, now; it's a rather truncated and incomplete thing, though. The translation given in Lyra Celtica (1932 reprint of the revised and expanded edition of 1924; originally published 1896) made by Lachlan MacBean, can be seen here:

Modern and Contemporary Scoto-Celtic.  It appeared with Gaelic text (verses 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8 of George's post) in Alfred Moffat's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Highlands.  My copy has George's verse 2 (but for the final word) added in ink as "South Uist Verse I", with no source named, and translated as follows:

O, I walked the hill from end to end,
From side to side, to the edge of the becks,
O, I walked the hill from end to end,
I did not find my Cùbhrachain.

Frances Tolmie gave another set, An Cùbhrachan, in One Hundred and Five Songs of Occupation from the Western Isles of Scotland (Journal of the Folk Song Society, no. 16, 1911), which is perhaps sufficiently variant to be worth adding as a postscript:

AN CÙBHRACHAN (Sung by Janet Anderson, Contin Manse, Ross-shire, 1870). Och, Och, nan Och! mar tha mi fhéin! Mar tha mi fhéin, mar tha mi fhéin! Och, Och, nan Och! mar tha mi fhéin! 'S mo shùil na déidh mo Cùbhrachan! Shiubhail mi'n gleann, o cheann gu ceann, O cheann gu ceann, o cheann gu ceann, Shiubhail mi'n gleann, o cheann gu ceann, Ach, O! cha d'fhuair mi'n Cùbhrachan. Fhuair mi lorg an dobhrain duinn... Fhuair mi lorg an eal' air an t-snàmh... Fhuair mi lorg an laoigh-bhric, dheirg...

THE SWEET LITTLE ONE Alas, alas! In what grief am I, In what grief am I, In what grief am I, Alas, alas! In what grief am I, Searching for my Cùbhrachan. I traversed the glen from end to end, From end to end, from end to end, I traversed the glen from end to end, But oh, found not the Cùbhrachan. I found the track of the brown otter... I found the trace of the swimming swan... I found the track of the spotted red fawn...

Verse 1 is repeated as a chorus; the tune is essentially the same.  I should also point to this thread:  Tune Req: Highland Fairy Lullaby,  where links to several midis of the tune are given.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From: GUEST,eriskay love lilt
Date: 17 Feb 06 - 04:18 PM

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From:
Date: 17 Feb 06 - 06:56 PM

Guest, were you looking for the Eriskay Love Lilt? There are threads here with those lyrics. It's not technically a lullaby, but it is slow enough to be used as such.

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From: GUEST,d spann
Date: 26 Mar 08 - 09:23 PM

This used to be sung to me by my grandmother. Im not sure the spelling.

Glo ma cri ma cushlin schlant a gael ma vornin, glo ma cri ma cushlin long, then repeats.

Can anyone identify this or translate?

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From: Barbara
Date: 27 Mar 08 - 12:41 AM

Try this, Cruiskeen Lawn d spann, and if you want to search for something here, you are better off starting a new thread than posting on the end of an old one.
Also, if you know any of the words, you can put a few in the search box up at the top. Granted it takes a lot of good luck to approximate a gaelic spelling.
And, uhm, this is a drinking song rather than a lullaby.
In some cases, interchangeable, those are.

Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Gaelic Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 06:33 PM

Hello there, I know the song as "An Coineachan" or can simply be known as "Hobhan Hobhan". This is the version i know.

O dh'fhag mi'n so 'na shineadh e,
na shineadh e, na shineadh e,
gun dh'fag mi'n so 'na shineadh e nuair dh'fhalbh mi bhuain nam braoileagan.

Chorus: Hobhan, hobhan, Goiridh og o, Goiridh og o, Goiridh og o. Hobhan, hobhan, Goiridh og o. Gu'n d'fhalbh mo ghaol 's gun d'fhag e mi.

2. Gun d'fhuair mi lorg an dobhrainn duinn an dobhrainn duinn,
an dobhrainn duinn,
gun d'fhuair mi lorg an dobhrainn duinn 's cha d'fhuair mi lorg mo choineachain.

3. Ged d'fhuair mi lorg a' cheo 'sa bheinn, na lorg sa bheinn

Subject: RE: Origins: An Cóineachan / The Fairy Lullaby
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 02:34 PM

In addition to several other additions, the mother also

"found the wee brown otter's track..."

"found the track of the mountain mist..."

but never a trace of the Baby, o.

Subject: RE: Origins: An Cóineachan / The Fairy Lullaby
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 02 Apr 09 - 05:21 AM

I am so pleased to read these emails . I have sung this lullaby to my little ones after my mum sang it to me but only had one verse. I am quite sad that it doesn't have a happy ending though!

Subject: RE: Origins: An Cóineachan / The Fairy Lullaby
From: GUEST,Cat
Date: 16 Mar 11 - 01:49 AM

It's meant more as a tale of warning to mothers to encourage them to keep close watch over their children. Like most original warning faerie tales and lullabies, it does not have a happy ending because that generally defeats the purpose of the warning.

Subject: RE: Origins: An Cóineachan / The Fairy Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 12 - 04:55 PM

Check oot 'Highland Fairy Lullaby'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCf2G-HeVH0

It's a old scottish Lullaby, my seanmhair sang tae me, when I was a wee lad.

Hovan, Hovan Gorry og O,
Gorry og, O, Gorry og O
Hovan, Hovan Gorry og O
I've lost my darling baby, O!

Subject: RE: Origins: An Cóineachan / The Fairy Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Nov 12 - 12:16 AM

Or you can also check out my Channel - Rhona MacLeod - on You Tube where there's a wee clip of 'The Fairy Lullaby' in English [with a Scottish accent!] as well as two other clips of songs from my forthcoming CD of lullabies and other soothing songs.