Lyr ADD: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain

Subject: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: Whistleworks
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 06:10 PM

If anyone can please help with the Irish words, that would be great. If anyone can help with the English traslation, that would be greater.

Many, many thanks.

Bob

Subject: Lyr Add: MOLLY NA GCUACH NÍ CHUILLEANÁIN
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 06:20 PM

Here's a set (as sung by Altan):


MOLLY NA GCUACH NÍ CHUILLEANÁIN

Ar meisce cha dtéim níos mó
Braon leanna go deo ní bhlaisfidh mé
Ó chaill mé mo chailín beag óg
A chuireadh i mo phócaí an t-airgead

Curfá 1:
Is fada liom uaim í, uaim í
Is fada liom uaim í ó d'imigh sí
Is fada liom thíos agus thuas í
Molly na gcuach Ní Chuilleanáin

Dhéanfaidh mé tigh ar an ard
Is beidh ceithre ba bainne breaca agam
Is ní ligfidh mé 'n duine dá gcomhair
Ach Molly deas bhán Ní Chuilleanáin

(Curfá 1)

Curfá 2:
Is fada liom uaim í, is fada liom uaim í
Is fada liom uaim í ó d'imigh sí
Is fada liom thíos agus thuas í

Molly na gcuach Ní Chuilleanáin

Dá mbeinnse i ndeacair an bháis
Is na daoine a rá nach dtiocfainn as
Ní dhéanfainn mo thiomna go brách
Go dtiocfadh Moll bhán Ní Chuilleanáin

(Curfá 2, curfá 1)

Bhí mise lá ar an choill
Is tharla dom soilse bhrádóige
Dhéanfadh sí marbhán beo
Nó buachaill deas óg den tseanduine

(Curfá 1, curfá 2 2x)

Found HERE

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: Whistleworks
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 07:37 PM

Thanks, Martin. I'm halfway home.

'Preciate it,

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST,Donal
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 07:41 PM

Try here: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/8998/ceol.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: Whistleworks
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 09:50 AM

Thanks, Donal. Perfect.

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: Thompson
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 01:17 PM

English (fairly literal):

Drunk I will go no longer
A drop of ale forever I will not taste
Since I lost my little young girl,
Hooded Molly Ni Chuilleanáin (Molly Thornton)

(Chorus) She's far from me, far, far
She's far from me since she went
She's far from me above and below
Hooded Molly Ní Chuilleanáin

I'll make a house on the height
And I'll have four speckled white cows
And I won't let anyone take care of them
But nice white Molly Ní Chuilleanáin

(Chorus)

If I was in danger of death
And the people saying I wouldn't come out of it
They would never make my grave
Until the coming of fair Molly Ní Chuilleanáin

(Chorus)

I was one day in a wood
In the light of the flighty woman
She would bring a zombie to life
Or make a young lad of an old person

(Chorus twice)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 08:15 AM

Being cheeky now.... how about a phonetic to the Irish so pronunciation is clear?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 09:17 AM

Extraordinary. I've never come across that one before and it is such a beautiful text. Does anybody know what the significance of the hood is?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: MartinRyan
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 07:08 AM

That translation, while generally good, seems to get the wrong end of the poetical schtick occasionally - including the "hood" reference. The version is from Donegal (there are others) and I'd prefer to have some sources to hand before attempting a better rendering. I'm away from home for a few days and will get back to it on my return if it's not sorted out before then.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: MartinRyan
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 05:58 PM

1. "cuach" has several meanings. Here it means a "curl" as in hair. "Mollaí na gCuach" means "Curly-headed Molly".

2. "Is fada liom uaim í" DOES translate (fairly) literally as "She is far from me" but the SENSE of this phrase is always "I miss her"!

3. "Molly geal bán" translates literally as "bright white Molly" but the sense is "lovely blonde Molly".

4. "They would never make my grave" is interesting. "I would never write my will" is closer to the sense.

I'm damned if I can see where the "hooded" came from ...

Hope this helps - it's one of my favourites.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Apr 13 - 05:16 PM

I'm looking for a recording? Any leads?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: MartinRyan
Date: 07 Apr 13 - 07:08 PM

Apart from the ALtan recording mentioned earlier, I know that a nice recording by the late Eithne ni hUallachain has been recently reissued on CD. Think it was titled Lá Lugh?

A Youtube search turns up a few live recordings.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 07 Apr 13 - 08:09 PM

Or Molly Holly with the Hood if you want to be literal. Search YouTube or Google video search for "molly ni chuilleanain" and you'll find a bunch of nice recordings.

Isn't there another verse where she goes up to a sailor, sticks out her hand and says "I'm Black Molly Ni Chuilleanáin" or something like that?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Apr 13 - 08:54 PM

Danu do a very nice version which can be found here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6187jJJzqI

Chris

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST,Guest Commander Crabbe sans cookie
Date: 07 Apr 13 - 08:59 PM

Oops, above post was me cookieless.

CC

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: MartinRyan
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 02:53 AM

GUEST,JTT

As mentioned earlier in the thread, the "hood" reference puzzles me. I know "cochail" for "hood" alright but see no connection.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 06:52 PM

Dunno, MartinRyan; either literary Irish or Ulster dialect word, I suppose. Always translated as 'hood' in this song, anyway.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: MartinRyan
Date: 09 Apr 13 - 02:56 AM

Odd. In this context, I've never heard it translated as anything other than "curls". Neither of the standard dictionaries ( DIneen, O Donaill) mention "hood". (Nearest is probably "dome"). Have you heard native speaker singers translate it that way?


Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 10 Apr 13 - 02:43 PM

Martin

Messaged Muireann of Danu to ask what her understanding of the context is as she sings the song. Her view after discussion with others over the years is that it is Curls/curly.

Chris

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 Apr 13 - 02:49 PM

Thanks, Chris.

Muireann is from Kerry and speaks (and sings beautifully) essentially Munster Irish - as do I (if rather less beautifully!). I'm just trying to eliminate any strange Ulster Irish meaning!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 17 Jun 13 - 01:12 PM

Molly na gCuach Ní Chuilleanáin
Molly Cullinane of the Ringlets



Ar meisce cha dtéim níos mó
[air meshka kha djeym nees mo]
I won't go drinking anymore

Braon leanna go deo ní bhlaisfidh mé
[brane lyanna guh dyo nee vlassa meh]
I will not taste a drop of beer ever

Ó chaill mé mo chailín beag óg
[oh kha mey mo khyleen beg og]
Since I lost my little young girl

A chuireadh i mo phócaí an t-airgead.
[uh khurrih mo fokee unn tarigid]
Who used to put money in my pockets

CURFÁ:

Is fada liom uaim í, uaim í
[iss fada lum ooum-ee, ooum-ee]
I miss her, I miss her

Is fada liom uaim í ó d'imigh sí
[iss fada lum ooumee oh jimee shee]
I miss her since she went away

Is fada liom thíos agus thuas í
[iss fada lum hees aguss huas ee]
I miss her in every way

Molly na gcuach Ní Chuilleanáin.
[Molly nuh guwa nee khullinawn]
Molly Cullinane of the ringlets.

Dhéanfaidh mé tigh ar an ard
[yenna mey tyair unn ard]
I will build a house on the heights

Is beidh ceithre ba bainne breaca agam
['sbey kyerra ba bannya braka gum]
And I will have four spotted milk cows

Is ní ligfidh mé 'n duine dá gcomhair
['snee ligga meyn dinnya daw goweer]
And I will allow nobody near them

Ach Molly dheas bhán Ní Chuilleanáin.
[akh Molly yass wan nee khullinawn]
Except for lovely fair Molly Cullinane.

CURFÁ

Dá mbeinnse i ndeacair an bháis
[daw minshe ih nyakair uh wesh]
If I were on my deathbed

Is na daoine a rá nach dtiocfainn as
['sna deenya uh rah nakh jyukkinn as]
And the people saying I would not recover

Ní dhéanfainn mo thiomna go brách
[nee yenunn mo humna guh brah]
I would never make my will

Go dtiocfadh Moll Bhán Ní Chuilleanáin.
[guh jyukka moll wan nee khullinawn]
Until fair Molly Cullinane would come.

CURFÁ

Bhí mise lá ar an choill
[vee misha lah ar a' khull]
One day I was in the wood

Is tharla dom soilse bhrádóige
[iss harla dum sylsha vrahdogya]
I caught a glimpse of a pretty girl

Dhéanfadh sí marbhán beo
[yenna she marawan byo]
She would make a corpse live

Nó buachaill deas óg den tseanduine.
[no bookhull dyass og den tyandinye]
Or turn an old man into a young fellow.

CURFÁ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: MartinRyan
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 04:28 AM

Nice phonetics!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST,Rory
Date: 29 Jan 22 - 09:01 PM

A version of the song collected from oral tradition by Irish scholar Patrick Lynch in Mayo in June 1802, for Edward Bunting's Collection, in which none of Lynch's two hundred collected and translated songs were ever published by Bunting.

Patrick Lynch Irish Gaelic transcription in:
The Edward Bunting Collection in Special Collections & Archives, Queen's University Belfast
MS 4/24 Patrick Lynch journal
MS 4.24.082, page 23, 1802

Patrick Lynch Irish Gaelic transcription: Mailí dheas bhán Ni Chuilleanáin

Patrick Lynch Irish Gaelic fair copy (neatly re-written):
MS 4/7 Manuscript collection of Irish songs in Gaelic by Patrick Lynch
MS 4.7.229, page 234, 1802

Patrick Lynch Irish Gaelic fair copy: Mailí dheas bhán Ni Chuilleanáin


Mailí dheas bhán Ni Chuilleanáin

Déanfad mo theach ar an árd,
'S beidh buaile ba bán agus breac agam,
'S ni leigim aon duine dá m-bleoghan,
Ach Mailí dheas bhán Ni Chuilleanáin.

Is fada liom uaim í, uaim í,
Is fada liom uaim í go bhfeicfead í,
Is fada liom thíos agus suas í,
'Sé mo Lá Luain go dtagann sí.

Bhí mise lá 'ghabháil a' ród,
Is do casadh an óigbhean mhaiseach dhom,
Ba ghile í nó an sneacht faoi dhó,
Is fear marbh gan treoir nach leanfadh í.

Is fada liom uaim í, uaim í,
Is fada liom uaim í go bhfeicfead í,
Is fada liom thíos agus suas í,
'Sé mo Lá Luain go dtagann sí.

Dá mbeinn-se ar leabaidh an bháis,
'S na dochtúiri rádh nach dtiocfainn choíche,
Déanfainn-se troscadh naoi dtráth,
Do Mailí dheas bhán Ni Chuilleanáin.

Is fada liom uaim í, uaim í,
Is fada liom uaim í go bhfeicfead í,
Is fada liom thíos agus suas í,
'Sé mo Lá Luain go dtagann sí.


verse 2 line1
ród (road) in MS fair copy
bóthar (road) in MS transcription

verse 2 line 3
sneacht (snow) in MS fair copy
eala (swan) in MS transcription


Patrick Lynch translation:
MS 4/32 Manuscript of English prose translations by Patrick Lynch
MS 4.32.060, page 60, 1802

Patrick Lynch translation: Pretty White Molly O Cullinan

Pretty White Molly O Cullinan

I shall build a fine house on the high'th,
With a fold full of white cows and speckled ones,
And I shall let no one milk or come nigh them,
But pretty white Molly O Cullinan.

I think her too long, too long,
I think her too long from me,
I think she is too long up and down,
And as long as doomsday till she comes again.
(It will be Judgement Day till she comes again)

One day as I walked on the road,
I met with this pretty young comely maid,
She was whiter than snow twice over,
He must be dead without life who would not follow her.

I think her too long, &c.

If I was lying in bed and a dying,
And the doctor say I would never recover again,
I would willingly fast nine tides,
For pretty white Molly O Cullinan.

I think her too long, &c.



A literal translation

I shall build my house on the hight,
With a fold of white cows and speckled ones,
And I shall not let anyone milk them,
But pretty fair Molly O Cullinan.

Chorus:
I long for her, long for her
I long for her to see her
I long for her up and down
It's my Judgement Day till she comes

One day I was going along the road,
I met a beautiful young woman,
She was whiter than snow twice over,
He is a helpless dead man who would not follow her.

(Chorus)

If I were on my deathbed,
And the doctors say that I would never recover,
I would fast nine days,
For pretty white Molly O Cullinan.

(Chorus)


Alternative translations for chorus

I miss her, I miss her,
I long for her to see her,
I long for her everywhere,
It's my Judgement Day till she comes

I long for her, long for her
I long till I see her
I long for her up and down
It seems like Judgement Day till she comes

I long for her from me, from me
I long for her from me to see her
I long for her above and below
It's my Judgement Day till she comes

I miss her, I miss her,
I miss her till I see her
I miss her in every way
It's my Judgement Day till she comes

She is far from me, from me 
She is far from me till I see her  
She is far away above and below (everywhere)
It's my Judgement Day till she comes


The Day of Judgement is the time when some people believe the world will end and all dead people will come back to life so that god can judge how everyone behaved when they were alive.


.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Mollai Na Gcuach Ni Chuilleanain
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 01 Feb 22 - 11:10 AM

Mál Bhán Ni Chuilleanáin - Lá Lugh