Lyr Add: Slan le Maigh

Subject: Tune add:Sla/n le Ma/igh
From: alison
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 01:53 AM

Here is another tune courtesy of Philippa.

It translates as "Farewell to the Maigue". I think Philippa intends to post the lyrics.. so this thread should really read Tune Add:... oops

MIDI file: SLAN_L~1.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: Sla/n le Ma/igh
TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 089 (666667 microsec/crotchet)
Key: Ab
Start
1440 1 70 097 0238 0 70 097 0002 1 72 103 0238 0 72 103 0002 1 73 114 0358 0 73 114 0002 1 72 082 0118 0 72 082 0002 1 73 103 0238 0 73 103 0002 1 75 103 0238 0 75 103 0002 1 73 097 0238 0 73 097 0002 1 72 086 0238 0 72 086 0002 1 70 095 0238 0 70 095 0002 1 68 088 0238 0 68 088 0002 1 67 092 0478 0 67 092 0002 1 65 092 0358 0 65 092 0002 1 63 082 0118 0 63 082 0002 1 63 103 0478 0 63 103 0002 1 70 095 0238 0 70 095 0002 1 72 107 0238 0 72 107 0002 1 73 110 0358 0 73 110 0002 1 72 071 0118 0 72 071 0002 1 73 090 0238 0 73 090 0002 1 75 092 0238 0 75 092 0002 1 73 085 0238 0 73 085 0002 1 72 083 0238 0 72 083 0002 1 70 094 0238 0 70 094 0002 1 67 103 0238 0 67 103 0002 1 70 101 0478 0 70 101 0002 1 72 103 0238 0 72 103 0002 1 75 092 0238 0 75 092 0002 1 75 103 0718 0 75 103 0002 1 75 097 0238 0 75 097 0002 1 73 097 0478 0 73 097 0002 1 73 089 0238 0 73 089 0002 1 75 090 0238 0 75 090 0002 1 72 094 0478 0 72 094 0002 1 70 082 0238 0 70 082 0002 1 67 090 0238 0 67 090 0002 1 67 088 0478 0 67 088 0002 1 65 094 0238 0 65 094 0002 1 63 081 0238 0 63 081 0002 1 63 098 0478 0 63 098 0002 1 63 089 0238 0 63 089 0002 1 65 094 0118 0 65 094 0002 1 67 103 0118 0 67 103 0002 1 68 090 0478 0 68 090 0002 1 73 090 0478 0 73 090 0002 1 72 096 0478 0 72 096 0002 1 70 083 0238 0 70 083 0002 1 67 092 0238 0 67 092 0002 1 68 100 0478 0 68 100 0002 1 70 103 0238 0 70 103 0002 1 72 094 0238 0 72 094 0002 1 73 089 0478 0 73 089 0002 1 70 104 0358 0 70 104 0002 1 68 084 0118 0 68 084 0002 1 67 095 0478 0 67 095 0002 1 65 103 0478 0 65 103 0002 1 63 092 0478 0 63 092 0002 1 63 092 0238 0 63 092 0002 1 65 092 0238 0 65 092 0002 1 67 098 0478 0 67 098 0002 1 65 098 0238 0 65 098 0002 1 63 097 0238 0 63 097 0002 1 63 100 0478 0 63 100 0002 1 63 104 0238 0 63 104 0002 1 65 094 0238 0 65 094 0002 1 67 087 0478 0 67 087 0002 1 73 097 0238 0 73 097 0002 1 72 088 0238 0 72 088 0002 1 70 090 0478 0 70 090 0002 1 68 084 0238 0 68 084 0002 1 67 092 0238 0 67 092 0002 1 68 104 0478 0 68 104 0002 1 70 103 0238 0 70 103 0002 1 72 099 0238 0 72 099 0002 1 73 097 0478 0 73 097 0002 1 70 098 0238 0 70 098 0002 1 68 083 0238 0 68 083 0002 1 67 094 0478 0 67 094 0002 1 65 103 0478 0 65 103 0002 1 63 093 0478 0 63 093 0002 1 63 086 0238 0 63 086 0002 1 65 082 0238 0 65 082 0002 1 67 100 0478 0 67 100 0002 1 70 100 0238 0 70 100 0002 1 72 092 0118 0 72 092 0002 1 74 085 0118 0 74 085 0002 1 75 092 0478 0 75 092 0002 1 70 097 0358 0 70 097 0002 1 68 082 0118 0 68 082 0002 1 67 092 0720 1 63 107 0004 0 67 092 0235 0 63 107 0001 1 65 102 0718 0 65 102 0002 1 63 089 0238 0 63 089 0002 1 63 100 0958 0 63 100 0002 1 63 095 0488 0 63 095
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Sla/n le Ma/igh
M:4/4
Q:1/4=89
K:Ab
B7c|d3/2c/2dedcBA|G2F3/2E/2E2Bc|d3/2c/2dedcBG|
B2cee3e|d2dec2BG|G2FEE2EF/2G/2|A2d2c2BG|A2Bcd2B3/2A/2|
G2F2E2EF|G2FEE2EF|G2dcB2AG|A2Bcd2BA|G2F2E2EF|
G2Bc/2=d/2e2B3/2A/2|G3EF3E|E4E4||

If you'd rather hear the tune without the hassle of translating try Mudcat MIDIs

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slán le Maigh
From: Philippa
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 02:01 PM

okay, Alilson, but you'll have to give me a couple of weeks till I get round to it. I don't mind if someone else does before I do!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slán le Máigh /Sla/n le Ma/igh
From: Philippa
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 06:49 PM

Slán le Máigh

words as in Seán Óg and Manus Ó Baoill, "Ceolta Gael", Cork, Mercier Press (first editiion, 1975, has been reprinted). This song has been recorded by Na Casadaigh. note all the alliteration

Ó slán is céad ón taobh seo uaim
cois Máigh na gcaor na gcraobh na gcruach
na stát na séad na saor na slua
na ndán na ndreacht na dtréan gan ghruaim.

curfá/chorus:
Och, och, ochón, is breoite mise
gan chuid gan chóir gan choip gan choiste
gan sult gan seod gan spórt gan spionnadh
ó seoladh mé chun uaignis.

Slán go héag dá saorfhir shuairc
dá dáimh dá cléir dá héigs' dá sua
do m'chairde cléibh gan chlaon gan chluain
gan cháim gan cháin gan chraos gan chruas.

Subject: RE: Slán le Máigh
From: Philippa
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 07:28 PM

I did a search of Gaelige-B list archives (listserv.heanet.ie ~or ~ http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/liosta/).

For some background info. see re Aindrias MacCraith

For lyrics with (stress) guide:see C. Ó Donaile's advice

for more verses see verses from "An Mangaire Súgach" (Máire Comer Bruen & Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, Baile Átha Cliath/Dublin: Coiscéim, 1996)

another verse not in "An Mangaire Súgach" or "Ceolta Gael":

Is fánach faon mé, is fraochmhar
Is támhlag tréith 's is taomach trua,
I mbarr an tsléibhe gan aon, monuar,
I m' pháirt, ach fraoch is gaoth aduaidh.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slán le Maigh
From: Philippa
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 02:43 PM

Other publications of this song besides Ó Baoill, "Ceolta Gael", include Donal O'Sullivan, "Songs of the Irish" , Cork: Mercier (musical notation, poetic translation by Edmund Walsh and literal trans. by O'Sullivan, background notes) and Fleur Robertson "Irish Ballads", Gill and MacMillan, 1996 (musical notation and translation and background notes by Diarmuid Breathnach). Another recording, not easy to come by, is Deirdre Ní Floinn, "Irish Traditional Songs", Folkways FW 8762.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slan le Maigh
From: johntm
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 10:34 PM

I have a copy of the Deidre Ni Floinn version and it is lovely. She apparently by the way was a classmate or friend of Mary O'Hara. Alice in Wyoming mentioned finding her in a biography of Mary O'Hara. John

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slan le Maigh
From: dulcimer
Date: 26 Mar 05 - 11:45 PM

Is there a place to get an English translation of these lyrics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slan le Maigh
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 01:36 AM

Translations from 'Songs of the Irish,' see above.

A long farewell I send to thee,
Fair Maigue of corn and fruit and tree,
Of state and gift and gathering grand,
Of song, romance and chieftain bland!

And och, ochón! dark fortune's rigour,
Wealth, title, tribe of glorious figure,
Feast, gift—all gone, and gone my vigour
Since thus I wander lonely!

Farewell to her to whom 'tis due,
The fair-skinned, gentle, mild-lipped, true,
For whom exiled o'er the hills I go,
My heart's dear love, whate'er my woe!

Cold, homeless, worn, forsaken, lone,
Sick, languid, faint, all comfort flown,
On the wild hill's height I'm hopeless cast,
To wail to the heath and the northern blast!

Forced by the priest my love to flee,
Fair Maigue through life I ne'er shall see,
And must my beauteous bird forgo,
And all the sex that wrought me woe!

And och, ochón! my grief, my ruin!
'Twas drinking deep and beauty wooing
That caused through life my whole undoing
And left me wandering lonely!

EDWARD WALSH

I. I send farewell and a hundred from this place
To the Maigue of the berries, the branches, the corn-stacks,
Of the stately women, the jewels, the freemen, the hosts,
Of the poems, the songs, the joyous heroes.

CHORUS. Alas, alas! 'tis sickly I am,
Without possessions or rights, without company or treasure,
Without pleasure or property, without sport or vigour,
Since I was driven to solitude.

2. Farewell above all to her to whom 'tis due,
The mannerly, white-skinned girl, soft-lipped and gifted,
Who has caused my exile for a space to the far hills,
She is the love of my breast, whoe'er the maid be!

3. Wandering and weak am I, frantic and cold,
Fainting and lonely, moody and sad,
On the mountain-top with no one, alas!
To share my solitude except heather and the north wind.

4. Since the clergy have decreed for me a new spouse,
I shall never again visit Maigue-side till death,
For the rest of my days I have bidden goodbye to my sweetheart,
And to the women of the world who brought me to sorrow.

LAST CHORUS. Alas, alas! my grief and my ruin!
Immoderate drinking and kissing girls
Have left me for ever without hearth or home,
And even with very little energy.

DONAL O'SULLIVAN

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slan le Maigh
From: Thompson
Date: 08 Jan 17 - 02:27 PM

When did this song come from and who wrote it? Beautiful version by Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh here, with captions with the words and their translation.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slan le Maigh
From: Thompson
Date: 08 Jan 17 - 02:42 PM

Hmm, apparently it's by the 18th-century poet known as An Mangaire Súgach (the merry pedlar), Aindrias Mac Craith, one of a group known as the Maigue Poets because their lives and compositions centred on an area bordering the Mague river in Croom, Co Limerick. He was driven out of Croom by the parish priest after a) what's described as a sexual indiscretion, and b) attempting to join what would later be the Church of Ireland, who, being dour Protestants, didn't want him because of the drinking songs he'd written (or so at least his song A dhatta dhíl claims). There's a book by Father Dinneen that has some of his poems, Filídhe na Máighe (1906).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Slan le Maigh
From: Thompson
Date: 08 Jan 17 - 03:03 PM

Further - according to this biography, An Mangaire Súgach was a teacher, and when he was preached off the altar by a new parish priest, parents were no longer willing to send their families to school to him and he left Croom.

He then set up in Ballyneety, but when he wanted to set up a school there in 1747, Seán Ó Túama, a poet and innkeeper who had been his patron in Croom didn't help him (possibly for political reasons as he was backing the return of the Stuarts); the alcoholic poet then (if I'm understanding it right) proceeded to write poems against Ó Túama - and then to compose a lament for him when Ó Túama died. He ran schools in various places; in 1793 the poet Eoghan Caomhánach met him running one in Fontstown. In Sparra an Uisce (don't know where that is), on his way to hospital in Kilmallock, he died in the home of the Hawthorne family and he was buried in their grave. Two letters in English exist written by him.