Lyr Add: Mna na Eireann / Women of Ireland

Subject: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Philippa
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 07:28 AM

Mná na héireann (Peadar ó Doirnín (~1704-1769)) music by Seán ó Riada (1931-1971)
[Most often sung verses are the first two and the last.]

===============
Tá bean in éirinn a phronnfadh séad domh is mo sháith le n-ól
Is tá bean in éirinn is ba bhinne léithe mo ráfla ceoil
Ná seinm théad; atá bean in éirinn is níorbh fhearr léi beo
Mise ag léimnigh nó leagtha i gcré is mo thárr faoi fhód

Tá bean in éirinn a bheadh ag éad liom mur' bhfaighfinn ach póg
ó bhean ar aonach, nach ait an scéala, is mo dháimh féin leo;
Tá bean ab fhearr liom nó cath is céad dhíobh nach bhfagham go deo
Is tá cailín spéiriúil ag fear gan Bhéarla, dubhghránna cróin.

Tá bean i Laighnibh is nios mhiste léithe bheith límh liom ar bord,
Is tá bean i bhFearnmhaigh a ghéabhadh bhéarsai is is sárbhinne glór,
Bhí bean ar thaobh cnoic i gCarraig éamoinn a níodh gáire ag ól
Is tráth bhí ina maighdin ní mise d'éignigh dá chois ó chomhar.

Tá bean a leafgfadh, nífead is d'fhuaifeadh cáimric is sról,
Is tá bean a dhéanfadh de dh'olainn gréas is thairnfeadh an bhró
Tá bean is b'fhearr leí ag cruinniú déirce nó cráite re cró
Is tá bean 'na ndéidh uile a luífeadh lé fear is a máthair faoi fhód

Tá bean a déarnadh an iomad tréanais is grá Dia mór,
Is tá bean nach mbéarfadh a mionna ar aon mhodh is nach n-ardódh glór;
Ach thaisbeáuin saorbhean a ghlacfadh lé fear go cráifeach cóir
Nach mairfeadh a ghléas is nach mbainfeadh léithe i gcás ar domhan.

Tá bean a déarfadh dá siulfainn léi go bhfaighinn an t-ór,
Is tá bean 'na léine is is fearr a méin ná na táinte bó
Le bean a bhuairfeadh Baile an Mhaoir is clár Thír Eoghain,
Is ní fheicim leigheas ar mo ghalar féin ach scaird a dh'ól

Tá bean in éirinn a phronnfadh séad domh is mo sháith le n-ól
Is tá bean in éirinn is ba bhinne léithe mo ráfla ceoil
Ná seinm théad; atá bean in éirinn is níorbh fhearr léi beo
Mise ag léimnigh nó leagtha i gcré is mo thárr faoi fhód

Tá bean in éirinn a bheadh ag éad liom mur' bhfaighfinn ach póg
ó bhean ar aonach, nach ait an scéala, is mo dháimh féin leo;
Tá bean ab fhearr liom nó cath is céad dhíobh nach bhfagham go deo
Is tá cailín spéiriúil ag fear gan Bhéarla, dubhghránna cróin

Tá bean i Laighnibh is nios mhiste léithe bheith límh liom ar bord,
Is tá bean i bhFearnmhaigh a ghéabhadh bhéarsai is is sárbhinne glór,
Bhí bean ar thaobh cnoic i gCarraig éamoinn a níodh gáire ag ól
Is tráth bhí ina maighdin ní mise d'éignigh dá chois ó chomhar.

Tá bean a leafgfadh, nífead is d'fhuaifeadh cáimric is sról,
Is tá bean a dhéanfadh de dh'olainn gréas is thairnfeadh an bhró
Tá bean is b'fhearr leí ag cruinniú déirce nó cráite re cró
Is tá bean 'na ndéidh uile a luífeadh lé fear is a máthair faoi fhód

Tá bean a déarnadh an iomad tréanais is grá Dia mór,
Is tá bean nach mbéarfadh a mionna ar aon mhodh is nach n-ardódh glór;
Ach thaisbeáin saorbhean a ghlacfadh lé fear go cráifeach cóir
Nach mairfeadh a ghléas is nach mbainfeadh léithe i gcás ar domhan.

Tá bean a déarfadh dá siulfainn léi go bhfaighinn an t-ór,
Is tá bean 'na léine is is fearr a méin ná na táinte bó
Le bean a bhuairfeadh Baile an Mhaoir is clár Thír Eoghain,
Is ní fheicim leigheas ar mo ghalar féin ach scaird a dh'ól

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

The beautiful air belies the message. Here are verse translations by Michael Davitt:
The Women of Ireland (Michael Davitt)

There's a woman in Erin who'd give me shelter and my fill of ale;
There's a woman in Ireland who'd prefer my strains to strings beingplayed;
There's a woman in Eirinn and nothing would please her more
Than to see me burning or in a grave lying cold.

There's a woman in Eirinn who'd be mad with envy if I was kissed
By another on fair-day, they have strange ways, but I love them all;
There are women I'll always adore, battalions of women and more
And there's this sensuous beauty and she shackled to an ugly boar.

There's a woman who promised if I'd wander with her I'd find some gold
A woman in night dress with a loveliness worth more than the woman
Who vexed Ballymoyer and the plain of Tyrone;
And the only cure for my pain I'm sure is the ale-house down the road.

Peadar Ó Doirnín's collected poetry/songs is published as "Peadar Ó Doirnín: AMHRÁIN", edited by Breandán Ó Buachalla. Baile Átha Cliath (Dublin)an Clóchomhar, 1969. Mná na hEireann has been recorded by the Chieftains, sinead O'Connor, Kate Bush, Macalla, Seosaimhín Ní Bheaglaioch, Susan McKeown & the Chanting House, and even the Wolfe Tones. Kate Bush was well drilled for the pronunciation.
I found this ABC at the IrTrad-L website:
X: 657 T: Mna na h-Eireann
T: Women of Ireland
R: Air
C: Sean O Riada (words by Peadar O Doirnin ?1704-1769)
S: Sean O'Malley (tune)
L:1/4
M:4/4
Q:60
K:G
| G-ABc | g2 a~g | fdA2 | ABc2 | BcA2 | ~A4 | G-ABc | g2 b~a |
| gfdA- | AABc- | cBcd- | dcBd | G2 G g- | gaba- | ag2e | de2 d |
| cBAg- | ga2g | fd2 e | cA2G | FG3 |]

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Philippa
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 07:32 AM

I was a bit careless with my HTML; Éirinn should be capitalised, as should Ó at the beginning of lines.

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Annraoi
Date: 17 Jun 99 - 09:19 PM

Try the edition published by Seán de Rís at the same time as Ó Buachalla. There was a great deal of ill feeling at the time about who had taken who's sources. Tread carefully! Annraoi

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Martin _Ryan
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 07:41 PM

I can't follow some of the codes above. Did O'Riada compose the air?
One of my more bizarre musical moments was hearing this air played as background music in a medium-core porno movie set partly in an Irish bar in New York! I reckon the director had a sense of humour, anyway.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Mbo
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 07:45 PM

YES! I love this song--Sean O' Riada is a personal favorite of mine. Love the "Barry Lyndon" soundtrack!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Peg
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 11:09 AM

i have always wanted to learn this one; thanks for posting the lyrics! now can anyone suggest a good recoridng of it so I can learn the tune? I have heard several on the radio but never caught the artists... thanks
peg
celtic/sicilian woman of ireland by way of new york state

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Áine
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 11:24 AM

Dear Peg,

Philippa noted several recordings in her message above:

Mná na hEireann has been recorded by the Chieftains, Sinead O'Connor, Kate Bush, Macalla, Seosaimhín Ní Bheaglaioch, Susan McKeown & the Chanting House, and even the Wolfe Tones. Kate Bush was well drilled for the pronunciation.

I'm sure you could do a search for these folks and find a recording of the song. Good luck!

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: GUEST,Mbo
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 12:41 PM

Hey...if anyone's gonna be around for Sunday's Hearme...I play this a LOT on my violin...I could play it for you all!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Peg
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 01:39 PM

thanks Áine! I will check out all of those...I wonder which one is the version I loved so much..heard it on a radio show of women's music but there were no breaks to announce the artists... and Mbo, wish I could hear you play it, I cannot figure out how those live shows work...I thin my computer can't do it (even Real Player only works half the time)...
peg

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 02:35 PM

Last night I was saying to someone ( who is trying to learn this tune on a whistle) that the words are helpful in remembering the phrasing. Then a voice behind me politely questioned this as he did not know that there were words...
I have printed out the version from JC's and would like to thank Philippa for the longer version here, though I note that there aren't any recent postings from philippa so I hope there will be some in future or that philippa is now using a new Mudcat name
Does anyone know if there is a full translation? I would like to see it

Roger

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 02:48 PM

....though I don't like the ale-house down the road. bit, there must be a better way of putting it than that?

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mná na Éireann
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 03:32 PM

Different Women of ireland song

Subject: RE: Lyr add: Mna na Eireann
From: GUEST,Gaeilgesinger
Date: 29 May 06 - 07:16 PM

Jim Flanagan has a lovely rendition on his Blood Drops in Snow cd.
If you've not heard of him, he is a native speaker from Ballavourney in Cork, Ireland who is transplanted to the University of Southern Mississippi. You should be able to find a link or some information on www.scmatx.org with a query under performers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mna na Eireann / Women of Ireland
From: GUEST,Mark Levy
Date: 26 Dec 21 - 07:16 PM

Here is the full poem. I've seen translation for just the three verse O'Riada set. Can anyone supply translation for the other verses?

Mná na hÉireann
Tá bean in Éirinn a phronnfadh séad domh is mo sháith le n-ól
Is tá bean in Éirinn is ba bhinne léithe mo ráfla ceoil
Ná seinm théad; atá bean in éirinn is níorbh fhearr léi beo
Mise ag léimnigh nó leagtha i gcré is mo thárr faoi fhód

Tá bean in Éirinn a bheadh ag éad liom mur' bhfaighfinn ach póg
Ó bhean ar aonach, nach ait an scéala, is mo dháimh féin leo;
Tá bean ab fhearr liom nó cath is céad dhíobh nach bhfagham go deo
Is tá cailín spéiriúil ag fear gan Bhéarla, dubhghránna cróin.

Tá bean i Laighnibh is nios mhiste léithe bheith límh liom ar bord,
Is tá bean i bhFearnmhaigh a ghéabhadh bhéarsai is is sárbhinne glór,
Bhí bean ar thaobh cnoic i gCarraig Éamoinn a níodh gáire ag ól
Is tráth bhí ina maighdin ní mise d'éignigh dá chois ó chomhar.

Tá bean a leafgfadh, nífead is d'fhuaifeadh cáimric is sról,
Is tá bean a dhéanfadh de dh'olainn gréas is thairnfeadh an bhró
Tá bean is b'fhearr leí ag cruinniú déirce nó cráite re cró
Is tá bean 'na ndéidh uile a luífeadh lé fear is a máthair faoi fhód

Tá bean a déarnadh an iomad tréanais is grá Dia mór,
Is tá bean nach mbéarfadh a mionna ar aon mhodh is nach n-ardódh glór;
Ach thaisbeáuin saorbhean a ghlacfadh lé fear go cráifeach cóir
Nach mairfeadh a ghléas is nach mbainfeadh léithe i gcás ar domhan.

Tá bean a déarfadh dá siulfainn léi go bhfaighinn an t-ór,
Is tá bean 'na léine is fearr a méin ná táinte bó
Le bean a bhuairfeadh Baile an Mhaoir is clár Thír Eoghain,
Is ní fheicim leigheas ar mo ghalar féin ach scaird a dh'ól

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mna na Eireann / Women of Ireland
From: Thompson
Date: 26 Dec 21 - 11:28 PM

Joe Offer - there should be a couple of threads; in one I've made a fairly cack-handed attempt at translating the 18th-century Irish, could you consolidate them, please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mna na Eireann / Women of Ireland
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Dec 21 - 04:52 PM

A few more verses added. I still need a good translation. Don't make me do this with a dictionary.

Original Poem in Gaelic:

Tá bean in Éirinn a phronnfadh séad domh is mo sháith le n-ól
Is tá bean in Éirinn is ba bhinne léithe mo ráfla ceoil
Ná seinm théad; atá bean in éirinn is níorbh fhearr léi beo
Mise ag léimnigh nó leagtha i gcré is mo thárr faoi fhód

Tá bean in Éirinn a bheadh ag éad liom mur' bhfaighfinn ach póg
Ó bhean ar aonach, nach ait an scéala, is mo dháimh féin leo;
Tá bean ab fhearr liom nó cath is céad dhíobh nach bhfagham go deo
Is tá cailín spéiriúil ag fear gan Bhéarla, dubhghránna cró?in.

Tá bean i Laighnibh is nios mhiste léithe bheith límh liom ar bord,
Is tá bean i bhFearnmhaigh a ghéabhadh bhéarsai is is sárbhinne glór,
Bhí bean ar thaobh cnoic i gCarraig Éamoinn a níodh gáire ag ól
Is tráth bhí ina maighdin ní mise d'éignigh dá chois ó chomhar.

Tá bean a leafgfadh, nífead is d'fhuaifeadh cáimric is sról,
Is tá bean a dhéanfadh de dh'olainn gréas is thairnfeadh an bhró
Tá bean is b'fhearr leí ag cruinniú déirce nó cráite re cró
Is tá bean 'na ndéidh uile a luífeadh lé fear is a máthair faoi fhód

Tá bean a déarnadh an iomad tréanais is grá Dia mór,
Is tá bean nach mbéarfadh a mionna ar aon mhodh is nach n-ardódh glór;
Ach thaisbeáuin saorbhean a ghlacfadh lé fear go cráifeach cóir
Nach mairfeadh a ghléas is nach mbainfeadh léithe i gcás ar domhan.

Tá bean a déarfadh dá siulfainn léi go bhfaighinn an t-ór,
Is tá bean 'na léine is fearr a méin ná táinte bó
Le bean a bhuairfeadh Baile an Mhaoir is clár Thír Eoghain,
Is ní fheicim leigheas ar mo ghalar féin ach scaird a dh'ól

Tá bean in Éirinn a phronnfadh séad domh is mo sháith le n-ól
Is tá bean in Éirinn is ba bhinne léithe mo ráfla ceoil
Ná seinm théad; atá bean in éirinn is níorbh fhearr léi beo
Mise ag léimnigh nó leagtha i gcré is mo thárr faoi fhód

Tá bean in Éirinn a bheadh ag éad liom mur' bhfaighfinn ach póg
Ó bhean ar aonach, nach ait an scéala, is mo dháimh féin leo;
Tá bean ab fhearr liom nó cath is céad dhíobh nach bhfagham go deo
Is tá cailín spéiriúil ag fear gan Bhéarla, dubhghránna cróin

Tá bean i Laighnibh is nios mhiste léithe bheith límh liom ar bord,
Is tá bean i bhFearnmhaigh a ghéabhadh bhéarsai is is sárbhinne glór,
Bhí bean ar thaobh cnoic i gCarraig Éamoinn a níodh gáire ag ól
Is tráth bhí ina maighdin ní mise d'éignigh dá chois ó chomhar.

Tá bean a leafgfadh, nífead is d'fhuaifeadh cáimric is sról,
Is tá bean a dhéanfadh de dh'olainn gréas is thairnfeadh an bhró
Tá bean is b'fhearr leí ag cruinniú déirce nó cráite re cró
Is tá bean 'na ndéidh uile a luífeadh lé fear is a máthair faoi fhód

Tá bean a déarnadh an iomad tréanais is grá Dia mór,
Is tá bean nach mbéarfadh a mionna ar aon mhodh is nach n-ardódh glór;
Ach thaisbeáin saorbhean a ghlacfadh lé fear go cráifeach cóir
Nach mairfeadh a ghléas is nach mbainfeadh léithe i gcás ar domhan.

Tá bean a déarfadh dá siulfainn léi go bhfaighinn an t-ór,
Is tá bean 'na léine is is fearr a méin ná na táinte bó
Le bean a bhuairfeadh Baile an Mhaoir is clár Th?r Eoghain,
Is ní fheicim leigheas ar mo ghalar féin ach scaird a dh'ól

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mna na Eireann / Women of Ireland
From: GUEST,Felipa
Date: 03 Jan 22 - 05:51 PM

Thompson, this is the other thread https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=170566 where you did some translating

Both threads are mis-titled Mna na Eireann instead of Mna na hEireann. (the accent marks aren't to be used on Mudcat thread titles)