Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)

Subject: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi lyrics?
From: GUEST,caleenrua
Date: 06 Mar 13 - 02:47 PM

I just heard a great song from the Irish band, Dervish, called "Baba Chonraoi." It's about a young girl farmed out to another family who treats her very badly--so badly she runs off with an English soldier, which is nearly unthinkable. The song is from Ireland (Dervish did not write it) and I've written to the credited source singer to ask for help with the lyrics. The song is in Irish--I am after the Irish words for it. Anyone know anything?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi lyrics?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 06 Mar 13 - 05:20 PM

I have heard it occasionally - but am not sure if I have a set of words to hand. Will have a look. Which Dervish album included it?

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 13 - 05:49 PM

The thrush in the storm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi lyrics?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 19 Jul 13 - 06:59 PM

Thanks, GUEST. I'll look into it when I get a chance.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: GUEST,john scovill
Date: 09 Oct 14 - 12:43 PM

Actually, this is quite a nice song. I'd like to see the lyrics as well.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Mar 16 - 12:27 PM

I wonder, any luck here after all?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Mar 16 - 05:51 AM

This song goes under a variety of titles - "Pota mór fataí" is probably more common. I haven't heard the Dervish version but, for starters, here's a link to an online set:

Click here

Regards

p.s. I see Dervish mention Antaine O Farracháin as their source - he used to hang around Mudcat, back in the day.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Mar 16 - 06:15 AM

Had a listen to Dervish's version online. Basically the same song, alright, with some variations.

It's essentially a lullaby, incidentally, despite the 'back-story" mentioned by the OP. There's quite a tradition of such in the Connemara (West Galway) area.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Mar 16 - 12:27 PM

Here's a quick copy of the version linked to above, on the website of National University of Ireland Galway:
_____________________

Pota Phádraig Conraí
Tá Baba ina codladh ar leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá Baba ina codladh ar leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá Baba ina codladh ar leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá sí ina codladh 's ná dúisígí í

Curfá:

's ó bhó, mo leanbh, 's ó bhó, mo lao
's ó bhó, mo leanbh, cé déarfadh nach í?

Bíonn pota mór fataí tigh Pháraic Con Rí
Bíonn pota mór fataí tigh Pháraic Con Rí
Bíonn pota mór fataí tigh Pháraic Con Rí
'sé pota na leathchlocha 'chuireann siad síos

Curfá:

Bíonn ciseog mhór fhataí tigh Pháraic Con Rí
Bíonn ciseog mhór fhataí tigh Pháraic Con Rí
Bíonn ciseog mhór fhataí tigh Pháraic Con Rí
'gus Baba sin againne 'sí atá á n-ithe

Curfá:

Nuair a bhíonns clann mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Nuair a bhíonns clann mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Nuair a bhíonns clann mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Bíonn Baba sin againne 'gus méar ina béal

Curfá:

Nuair a bhíonns clann mhuintir Uaithnín ag caitheamh cloth shawl
Nuair a bhíonns clann mhuintir Uaithnín ag caitheamh cloth shawl
Nuair a bhíonns clann mhuintir Uaithnín ag caitheamh cloth shawl
Bíonn Baba sin againne 's pluid ar a ceann

Curfá:

Ó cuirfidh mé cóiste faoi Bhaba Con Rí
Ó cuirfidh mé cóiste faoi Bhaba Con Rí
Ó cuirfidh mé cóiste faoi Bhaba Con Rí
Seanphoitín gliomach 's rothaí 'chur faoi

Tá Baba ina codladh ar leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá Baba ina codladh ar leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá Baba ina codladh ar leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá sí ina codladh 's ná dúisígí í

Curfá:
----------------------------
Regards - agus Beir Bua!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 16 - 04:02 PM

Thanks so much!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 16 - 03:46 PM

So it is a lullaby and mom is singing to her baby and her bay is called Baba.
So I take it that the first verse says that Baba is sleeping on a fluffy bed without a stitch on.

There are a lot of nice potatoes cooking, Baba is eating them.
There's going to be toy made out of the potato pot with wheels on it

The Uaithnín family is drinking tea and wearing cloth shawls, and Baba is sleeping in the fluffy bed.

I suppose since it's a lullaby, it doesn't need to make sense, just be amusing and made up on the spot?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 28 Mar 16 - 04:12 PM

Exactly.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi
From: Felipa
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 05:56 PM

I've heard Antaine O Faracháin and Róisín Elsafty sing Pota Mór Fataí (separately)

another recording http://old.tg4.ie/en/programmes/archive/ronan-o-conghaile/pota-mor.html as sung by Ronan O Conghaile and friends:

Tá pota mór fataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Tá pota mór fataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Tá pota mór fataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Is é pota na leath-chloiche a chuireann siad síos.
Is a bhó mo leanbh, a bhó mo lao
A bhó mo leanbh is cé déarfadh nach í!

Ó cuirfidh mé cóiste faoi Bhaba 'Con Rí
Ó cuirfidh mé cóiste faoi Bhaba 'Con Rí
Ó cuirfidh mé cóiste faoi Bhaba 'Con Rí
Óra, seanphota gliomach agus rothaí a chur faoi!
Is a bhó mo leanbh, a bhó mo lao
A bhó mo leanbh is cé déarfadh nach í!

Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Ó tá Baba sin 'ainne is a méir ina béal!
Is a bhó mo leanbh, a bhó mo lao
A bhó mo leanbh is cé déarfadh nach í!

Tá Baba 'na codladh i leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá Baba 'na codladh i leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá Baba 'na codladh i leaba chlúmhaigh
Ó is ná dúisigh mo leanbh – is cé déarfadh nach í!
Is a bhó mo leanbh a bhó mo lao
Ó bhó mo leanbh is cé déarfadh nach í.

----
as sung by Fearghas Mac Lochlainn

Tá pota mór fataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Tá pota mór fataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Tá pota mór fataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Óra, pota na leath-chloiche a chuireanns sé síos.

Is a bhó mo leanbh a bhó mo lao
A bhó mo leanbh is cé déarfadh nach í!

Tá ciseoig mhór fhataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Tá ciseoig mhór fhataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Tá ciseoig mhór fhataí 'Tigh Phádraig 'Con Rí
Agus Baba sin 'ainne is í ataithe dhá n-ithe!

Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag caitheamh an chloth shawl
Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag caitheamh an chloth shawl
Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag caitheamh an chloth shawl
Ó bíonn Baba sin 'ainne agus pluid ar a ceann!

Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Nuair a bhíonns mná mhuintir Uaithnín ag ól a gcuid tae
Bíonn Baba sin 'ainne agus méar ina béal!

Cuirfidh muid cóiste faoi Bhaba 'Con Rí
Cuirfidh muid cóiste faoi Bhaba 'Con Rí
Cuirfidh muid cóiste faoi Bhaba 'Con Rí
Óra, seanphota gliomaigh agus rothaí a chur faoi!

Tá Baba 'na codladh i leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá Baba 'na codladh i leaba chlúmhaigh
Tá Baba 'na codladh i leaba chlúmhaigh
Ná dúisigh mo leanbh – is cé déarfadh nach í!

----
I can imagine that people sometimes make up verses on the spot

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Baba Chonraoi (from Dervish)
From: leeneia
Date: 20 Jul 16 - 12:32 PM

Hear Dervish do it on YouTube. It's a good tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NsYiyfJp2Y