Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)

Subject: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: keberoxu
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 02:27 PM

SUANTRAIDHE / SUANTRAI

[music: traditional, Connemara; written down by Tomás Mac Domhnall]

[lyrics: Rev. Professor T. O'Kelly, U.C.Galway, pen-name 'Ibh Maine']

curfa:
Seoithín, seothó, mo stóir é mo leanabh, mo sheod gan chealag, mo chuid de'n traoghal mhór
Seoithín, seothó, nach mór é an taithneamh, mo stóirín 'n-a leabaidh 'n-a chodladh gan brón

Melody continues/changes with this quatrain:
A leanabh mo chléibh, go n-éirighid do chodladh leat
Séan agus sonas a choidhche 'do chomhair
Seo beannacht Mhic Dé agus téagair a bhuime leat
Téirigh a chodladh gan bíodhgadh go ló
(repeat curfa?? unclear here)

Second stanza, melody from beginning (curfa), two quatrains:
Ar mhullach an tSidhe tá sídheoga geala
Fá chaoin-ré an earraigh ag imirt a spóirt
'S seo iad aniar chun glaoidh ar mo leanbh
Le mian é tharraingt isteach san lios mór
*** (melody change)
Goirim thú, a chroidhe, ní bhfuigh' siad do mhealladh
Le brígh a gcleas ná le binneas a gceoil
Tá mise led' thaoibh ag guidhe ort na mbeannacht
Seoithín, a leanbh, ní imtheo tú leo

curfa

pp. 66 - 67,
Amhráin Mhuighe Seóla. Traditional Folk-Songs from Galway and Mayo. Collected and edited by Mrs. Costello, Tuam.
Dublin: The Candle Press, 1919.
© The Irish Folk Song Society

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: keberoxu
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 02:48 PM

Existing threads of traditional Irish song already include a thread which is titled "Seothin seo-h-o," as followers of Gaelic lyrics will have noticed at Mudcat. Before starting this new thread, I carefully reviewed the existing thread which is many years old. It is a fact that some of the lyrics, in this thread's OP, may be spotted on the earlier thread.

It is also a fact that the earlier "Seothin seo-h-o" thread contains two, three, or more OTHER lullaby-lyrics which contain the words in the thread title, but are different lyrics and are sung to different tunes entirely. The earlier thread, it follows, is actually a multi-song thread. My objective, in starting this "Suantraidhe" thread, is a particular focus on the cradle-song edited by Mrs. Eileen Costello and published in 1921 in her anthology. In the years since this particular lyric was printed with this traditional music -- a tune so well-known that it sometimes goes by "Connemara Lullaby," and is as often hummed wordlessly as sung -- numerous performers have adopted this version, and more than one sound recording exists, especially with these Gaelic words. Therefore, this version deserves its very own thread.

To substantiate the authorship attributed to the Gaelic lyrics in the original post on this thread, here is a quote from the same source, the Amhráin Mhuige Seóla, from commentary by editor Eileen Costello (also identified as Eibhlín Bean Mhic Choisdealbha).

"...the Rev. Professor T. O'Kelly ('ibh Maine'), U.C., Galway, who composed the verses which I have given with the air. He has kindly given me permission to use them for this collection. " (page 67)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: keberoxu
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 03:07 PM

My oversight, my apologies: there is a third verse actually. Here it is, both quatrains.

Os comhair mo laoigh, go míochair cean' mhail
Tá díl-ruisg aingeal ag faire 'n-a thréo
Le mór-ghrádh dian 'ghá iarraidh chun bealaigh
Mar b'aoibhne flaithís dá rachadh sé leo
***
A stóir mo chroidhe, luigh siar in do leabaidh
Le taoibhe do mhaime 'seadh fhanfair go fóill
Ní mór dham le Dia mo shiamsa 'gus m'aiteas
Mo Ríoghacht art alamh i dteannta mo bhróid

(curfa)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: keberoxu
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 04:45 PM

The "Amhráin Mhuighe Seóla" prints this translation of the preceding.

curfa / chorus

Shoheen, shoho, my child is my treasure,
My jewel without guile, my share of the world,
Shoheen, shoho, how great is the delight,
My little treasure in his bed, asleep without sorrow.

remainder of verse 1:
Child of my bosom, may thy sleep thrive with you
Happiness and luck be ever in store for you
May the blessing of the Son of God, and the love of His nurse, be with you   
Go to sleep without start till day

both quatrains, verse 2:
On the Hill of the Sidhe are shining fairies
Under the fair moon of spring playing their games
And here they come eastward to call to my child
Wishing to lure him into the great fort
***
I call thee, my heart! They shall not entice you
By dint of their tricks, nor by the sweetness of their music
I am by your side praying blessings for you
Shoheen my child you will not go with them

both quatrains, verse 3:
Before my darling sweet and gentle
Kind angel eyes are gazing upon him
With great strong love inviting him away
For Heaven would be more delightful for them if he went with them
***
Treasure of my heart! Lie down in thy bed
Beside your mama you will abide still
God does not grudge me my play and my pleasure
My Heaven on earth along with my darling
(from pp. 66 - 67)

"...the Rev. Dean Malachy Eaton, of Maynooth, who assisted me from the beginning, [] very kindly took upon himself the whole burden of correction and translation....He tells me that in the work of translation [...] he had the assistance of numerous helpers, and that they do not ask for any thanks from me. The knowledge, apparently, that they may have been instrumental in saving even a few of the old songs is sufficient recompense for them."
--page xiii, Preface, by editor Eileen Costello,
Amhráin Mhuighe Seóla / Traditional Folk-Songs from Galway and Mayo

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: leeneia
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 08:57 PM

Those are beautiful words, keberoxu.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 01:28 PM

Is there a MIDI file of this tune? Because there ought to be one -- it is a well-known simple melody that most people will recognize on hearing, even if they can't place it. Many recordings exist of it, from Roisin Elsafty (sp?) to Maire Ni Scolai; even country singers have recorded it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 06:46 PM

Peggy and Bobby Clancy recorded an English language version of this song.

If it were me, I think I would have added these lyrics to an existing seothín seo thread, rather than starting a new one.

modern spelling is Suantraí - generic term for a lullabye

Yes, you spelled Roisín Elsafty's name correctly. I think her father is Egyptian.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 06:58 PM

also goltraí - a sad song, a lament and geantraí - a lively song, a happy song

Peg Clancy Power
maybe I'm mistaken, I dont see the song listed on this discography
https://www.discogs.com/Peg-Bobby-Clancy-Songs-From-Ireland/release/4951600

Seothín seo ho My wonderful treasure
My share of this world, My sleep smiling boy
How fond my delight How great is my pleasure,
To cradle you so is my greatest of joy

A leanbh, a chroí, sleep on without fear
God does not grudge me my fortune I know
For he'd not want to his angels rejoicing
While I'd weep in sorrow, Seothín seothín seo

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 07:08 PM

5-Seothín Seo (Lullaby) traditional. Beth Gadbaw, vocals; Jessie Burns, fiddle & backing vocals; Margot Krimmel, Celtic harp & backing vocals.
This is one of my daughters' favorites to sing along with in the car. I learned the English from the singing of Peg Power, the Irish from a recording by Susan McKeown & Cathie Ryan.
http://www.bethgadbaw.com/album-notes

Maybe you can find Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh's recording, in Irish, of Seoithín Seo http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/amhlaoibh/seoithin.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Suantraidhe (Seoithin Seotho)
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 07:18 PM

there are transcriptions from MMario for tunes of various suantraí with the line "seoithín seo" on
aprevious thread , admittedly a very long thread. And Michael R gives a link to youtube recording by Róisín Elsafty