Lyr Req: Cúmha (A Parting Sorrow)

Subject: Lyr Req: Cúmha (A Parting Sorrow)
From: Gabriel
Date: 11 Mar 18 - 01:14 PM

Cúmha (A Parting Sorrow) is a fine song sung by Mary McParlin on her album 'Petticoat Loose'. It was written by Padraig Ó hAoláin and translated by Tim Dennehy.

There is one line where I can't catch the last few words. It's the end of the fourth line of the second verse that I need.

My mind it goes back to the days of my childhood
When my footfall fell lightly on valley and hill
And later my seaweed cart rocked on the bright road
As I nourished black earth and each ................

Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cúmha (A Parting Sorrow)
From: Gabriel
Date: 11 Mar 18 - 01:31 PM

I should have written 'Mary McPartlan'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cúmha (A Parting Sorrow)
From: leeneia
Date: 11 Mar 18 - 02:11 PM

Hello, Garbiel. Here's alink to the song on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyAPQtzklAI

Thanks for bringing the song to our attention. Mary McPartlin is the clearest singer I have heard in a long time. Unf'ly I can't understand the missing words either! They are at 2:05.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cúmha (A Parting Sorrow)
From: Gabriel
Date: 16 Mar 18 - 10:31 AM

Got it!

My mind it goes back to the days of my childhood
When my footfall fell lightly on valley and hill
And later my seaweed cart rocked on the bright road
As I nourished black earth and each sciollain hole filled

Scoillain is Irish for a seed potato. The way of planting potatoes depended on the type of soil. But the wrack, seaweed, was a common fertiliser in costal areas. It was usually gathered after storms, but was actually 'farmed' in some places, for example Mill Bay on the shores of Carlingford Lough.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cúmha (A Parting Sorrow)
From: leeneia
Date: 16 Mar 18 - 11:19 AM

Thanks. It's interesting that there is a separate word for seed potato.

I once saw a place in Florida where seaweed was used to fertilize thin, limey soil. They would rake the seaweed onto the land and leave it for a time so that rain would wash the salt out of it. I presume they did the same in Ireland.

As a gardener, I suspect that seaweed is the last thing black earth would need. It's already overly-organic and, as a result, acid.