Lyr Req: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 16 Nov 00 - 03:21 PM

Tá mo chleamhnas á dhéanamh inniu agus inné
Is ní mó ná go dtaitníonn an bhean údaí liom féin
ach fuigfidh mé i mo dhiaidh í is rachaidh mé liom féin
faoi bhruach na coille craobhaí

HTML line breaks added, slashes converted to fadas. --JoeClone, 10-Jul-02.

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,Sean MAcRuaraidh
Date: 16 Nov 00 - 03:10 PM

JTT,

fada didn't come out - can you re-post ?

Sean

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 16 Nov 00 - 02:41 PM

I hope the s¡nte fada will come out right.

T  mo chleamhnas   dh‚anamh inniu agus inn‚/Is n¡ m¢ n  go dtaitn¡onn an bhean £da¡ liom f‚in/ach fuigfidh m‚ i mo dhiaidh ¡ is rachaidh m‚ liom f‚in/faoi bhruach na coille craobha¡.

That's what's in Ceolta Gael, anyway, though I've always heard it as "T  mo chleamhnas d‚anta".

go h-eadaratha, I suppose, means around and about the place; b'aite, I suppose, means stranger or strangest; fuighfidh I think is some weird Northern version of f gfaidh, since he's going to fuig her ina dhiadh.

Subject: Lyr Add: TÁ MO CHLEAMHNAS 'A DHÉANAMH
From: GUEST,Sean MacRuaraidh
Date: 16 Nov 00 - 01:47 PM

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

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 16 Nov 00 - 05:18 AM

Ok, my good deed for the day. This translation is of the version in Ceolta Gael, edited by Sean Og & Manus O Baoill, published by Mercier Press.

Anyone who likes is welcome to correct me - with the proviso that they must remember that this is what is killing Irish: the fact that no Irish person dares to open his mouth to say a word in Irish without another Irish person immediately correcting his grammar and usage and humiliating him.

-------

My match is being made, today and yesterday, and little do I like this woman for myself [well, if you really want literal, "it's little that yonder woman shines with me myself"]. But I will leave her behind me, and I will go by myself beneath the shelter of the branching woods.

Beneath the shelter of the woods she lives; her voice is sweeter than the cuckoo when it is calling; her [?] is brighter than the swan on the wave; she is a nice fair girl [well, it doesn't quite get the feeling, but that's literally what it means] and so I am in love with her.

Sleep to milking-time is preferable to me [big lazy lug that he is: she's not getting much of a match there, anyway]; a green bed of rushes to be beneath my side; a bottle of whiskey [holy god!] to be beneath my head; and my nice fair girl to be on hands for me.

---------

This version doesn't have the customary walkabout - "shiubhal [or sometimes siubhal] mise thoir agus shiubhal mise thiar" which is common to many songs; what it means is (with varying geographies): "I walk[ed] east and I walk[ed] west; I walked Galway and the roads of Dublin; [can't remember the next line]; she is the [dark/fair/redheaded/misfortunate/beloved] woman who has left my heart torn."

And actually I was wrong, that verse is not in Casadh an tSugain, which actually is full of more theological musings about "if you are with me, be with me before all the world".

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: Áine
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 10:34 PM

Dear Sean,

Tá mo chleamhnas 'a dhéanamh inniu agus inné - In the other version I know, the phrase used is "Tá mo chleamhnas déanta ó arú aréir" = A match was made here last night - which really should read 'night before last'. I think you'll just have to chalk the translations up to poetic licence.

Ach fuigfidh mé 'mo dhiaidh í, 's rachaidh mé leat féin, Síos fána coillte craobhaigh - "But I will leave her behind and roam the through the forests" (coillte craobhaigh = branching/spreading woods/forests). I've also seen the phrase translated as "... and roam the wide world over." Again, chalk it up to poetic licence and don't sweat the small stuff.

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 07:51 PM

The translation is staring you in the face. The English language and Irish language verses mirror each other with only minor differences in meaning.

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,Sean MacRuaraidh
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 07:06 AM

Thats really cool,

I wonder if you fully appreciated it ?

Anyway - I'm still looking for the translation !!!

Cheers,

Sean

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: Bagpuss
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 06:29 AM

Wow this takes me back!!

When I was in school many moons ago, Altan came to our school to give folk music workshops. I went to the singing one, and learnt this song.

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,Sean Mac Ruaraidh
Date: 14 Nov 00 - 05:45 AM

Hi,

Can any Irish speakers give me a strict translation ?

Sean

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 12:41 PM

Whoops, sorry, not Casadh an tSúgáin - the siubhalling thoir agus thiar always throws me. I meant they sing Tá mo Chleamhnas Déanta, of course.

Subject: RE: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 12:39 PM

I don't think it's meant to be a true translation - Van Morrison and someone or other sing Casadh an tSugáin in alternate verses in English and Irish on some recent CD or other, and that's the verses they sing - it's a loose Englishing rather than a true translation.

Subject: Lyr Add: TÁ MO CHLEAMHNAS 'A DHÉANAMH
From: GUEST,Sean MacRuaraidh
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 07:57 AM

Hi,

I have been looking at the translation of the Irish for this song and I think it is suspect in place.

Probably what is happening is that it isn't a direct translation.

For instance, Line 1 :-

Tá mo chleamhnas 'a dhéanamh inniu agus inné
A match was a-making here last night

I disagree with 'here last night', I translate it as 'today and yesterday'

How about :-

Síos fána coillte craobhaigh
Down by the banks of the ocean.

I translate as 'down by the slopes of the wooded ?'

Can someone give me a true translation of the Irish lyrics.

Full lyrics below :-

Tá mo chleamhnas 'a dhéanamh inniu agus inné
'S ní mó ná go dtaitníonn an bhean udaí liom féin
Ach fuigfidh mé mo dhiaidh í, 's rachaidh mé leat féin
Síos fána coillte craobhaigh.

A match was a-making here last night
And it isn't with the girl that I love the best
I'll leave her behind and I'll go along with you
Down by the banks of the ocean.

'Mo chodladh go h-eadarshuth b'aite liom féin
Leabaí luachair a bheith faoi mo thaobh
Buideal brandaí a bheith faoi mo cheann
'S mo chailín deas óg 'bheith I mo lámh liom.

Sleeping to milking-time is my delight
A bed of green rushes underneath my side
A bottle of brandy underneath my head
And a charming young maid in my arms.

Shiúil mise thoir agus shiúil mise thiar
Shiúil mise Corcaigh 'gus sráideanna Bhaile ' Cliath.
Macasamhail mo chailín ní fhaca mise riamh
'Sí 'n bhean í a d'fhág mo chroí cráite.

I walked east and I walked west
I walked Cork and Dublin's streets
An equal to my love I didn't meet
She's the wee lass that's left my heart broken

Cheers,

Sean.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 10-Jul-02.

Subject: Lyr Add: TÁ MO CHLEAMHNAS 'A DHÉANAMH (from Altan)
From: Philippa
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 08:30 AM

Altan version:
Tá mo chleamhnas 'a dhéanamh inniu agus inné
'S ní mó ná go dtaitníonn an bhean udaí liom féin
Ach fuigfidh mé mo dhiaidh í, 's rachaidh mé leat féin
Síos fána coillte craobhaigh.

A match was a-making here last night
And it isn't with the girl that I love the best
I'll leave her behind and I'll go along with you
Down by the banks of the ocean.

'Mo chodladh go h-eadarshuth b'aite liom féin
Leabaí luachair a bheith faoi mo thaobh
Buideal brandaí a bheith faoi mo cheann
'S mo chailín deas óg 'bheith I mo lámh liom.

Sleeping to milking-time is my delight
A bed of green rushes underneath my side
A bottle of brandy underneath my head
And a charming young maid in my arms.

Shiúil mise thoir agus shiúil mise thiar
Shiúil mise Corcaigh 'gus sráideanna Bhaile ' Cliath.
Macasamhail mo chailín ní fhaca mise riamh
'Sí 'n bhean í a d'fhág mo chroí
cráite.

I walked east and I walked west
I walked Cork and Dublin's streets
An equal to my love I didn't meet
She's the wee lass that's left my heart broken.

á = á = a/
é = é = e/
í = í =i/
ó = ó = o/
ú = ú = u/

It would have been better, Packrat, to have added this query and answer to an earlier Cleamhnas thread, but I didn't want to take the time to look it up and make a clickable link.
Altan sing both Irish and English translation, a practice that goes back to (?) a couple of generations anyway.

Subject: Ta/ Mo Chleamhnas A Dhe/anamh: lyrics request
From: packrat
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 04:29 AM

...Yes, I saw the thread below with the chieftans lyrics to another version of the song, however i seek the version lyrics used by Mairead in the live altan recording (the chieftan's version has some serious differences) once again, I appreciate anyone taking time to provide this for me, and hopefully someone will post something that i can help with too. (yes i do realize i'm flooding mudcat with lyrics requests :P ) packrat