Gaelic song / Fosgal An Dorus

Subject: Gaelic song
From: Jennifer Tyson
Date: 09 Aug 97 - 03:36 PM

I'm searching for the lyrics to an Irish Gaelic song called "Oscail an Doras." My friend says it was played in Riverdance. Does anyone have the lyrics or know where I can find them? I've searched all the places I know of. Send e-mail to: [e-mail] Thanks very much for any hints you can give me! Jennifer :-)

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Cliff McGann
Date: 12 Aug 97 - 08:34 PM

Fosgal An Dorus, which I think is what you were getting at means open the door in Gaelic. I don't know of any song's with that title. It sounds more like a tune title. Are you sure their were words to it.

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Virginia Blankenhorn
Date: 12 Aug 97 - 09:30 PM

I have no idea whether or not this is the item included in "Riverdance" but for what it's worth -- this is the text of a Scottish Gaelic port a beul ("mouth-tune") recorded by Mrs Archie MacDonald of South Uist for the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh. It's published on a mono LP released by Tangent Records (TNGM 110) in the 1970's. The liner notes include the following:

"The words of puirt-a-beul are composed to dance tunes, normally strathspeys, reels and jigs, and hence are almost always short, the standard form being of two verses. Often enough the words may have served as no more than mnemonics for the tunes, but there is evidence that puirt-a-beul were sometimes actually danced to when no instrumentalist was available. The words are generally of no great significance, although they are often very deftly put together....[P]uirt-a-beul are for the most part anonymous."

Fosgail an dorus dh'an tailleir fhidhleir/ Fosgail an dorus dh'an fhidhleir thailleir/ Fosgail an dorus dh'an tailleir fhidhleir/ Cliamhain a' righ fidhleir tailleir.

'S dileas mise dha 's cairdeach mi dha/ 'S dileas mise dh'an fhidhleir thailleir/ 'S dileas mise dha 's cairdeach mi dha/ Cliamhain a' righ fidhleir tailleir.

Bainne nan gobhar dh'an tailleir fhidhleir/ Bainne nan gobhar dh'an fhidhleir thailleir/ Bainne na gobhar dh'an tailleir fhidhleir /Cliamhain a' righ fidhleir tailleir.

TRANSLATION

Open the door for the fiddling tailor /Open the door for the tailoring fiddler/ Open the door for the fiddling tailor / The King's son-in-law is the tailoring fiddler.

Faithful am I to him, kinsman am I to him/ Faithful am I to the tailoring fiddler/ Faithful am I to him, kinsman am I to him/ The King's son-in-law is the tailoring fiddler.

Goats' milk for the fiddling tailor/ Goats' milk for the tailoring fiddler/ Goats' milk for the fiddling tailor/ The King's son-in-law is the tailoring fiddler.

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Barry Finn
Date: 12 Aug 97 - 10:01 PM

I have a song titled Open The Door (Trad Scottish). 1st vers.

Open the door softly, I've something to tell you dear Open it up no wider than the crack upon the floor

I only have it in English, it's slow & haunting, & it's yrs since I heard it sung. Let me know if this is at all close to what you were looking for. Barry

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Jennifer Tyson
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 04:09 PM

Thanks to those who answered! I think Virginia's reply was the closest I was looking for; I'll have to go check the recording I have of it and see of the lyrics match. However, offhand, I don't think it was puirt-a-beul: I'm pretty sure it's an actual song, as it's got a catchly melody line that got itself lodged in my friend's head and that's why she's been bugging the heck out of me to find it for her! Thanks again!!! Jennifer

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Philippa
Date: 16 Feb 99 - 06:05 PM

I wonder if it could be "Eirigh Suas a St¢ir¡n", a slow sad song, not the sort I'd anticipate in Riverdance (?)
I think Maghread N¡ Dhomhnaill has recorded this song, and maybe Clannad also
I'll write one verse now and you can let me know whether you want the three other verses that I know.
쳌irigh suas a st¢ir¡n, mura bhfuil t£ do shu¡
Fosgail an doras agus lig mis' chun tigh
T  buideal im' aice, b'fhearas deoch do mn  a' t¡
'us t  s£il agam nach di£lt¡onn t£ m‚ f  do n¡onn

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: johnm (inactive)
Date: 17 Feb 99 - 02:46 PM

There is no music called Oscail an Doras in Riverdance, but there was a part of the show that was called that, if memory serves me right johnm

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Annraoi
Date: 17 Feb 99 - 08:22 PM

N¢ sa leagan a bh¡odh coitianta f  Rann na Feirste "Rise up my darling, mura bhfuil t£ 'do shu¡, Foscail an doras agus lig mise 'steach 'un toighe. T  buid‚al i m'aice 'bh‚arfas deoch do mhnaoi an toighe, Agus t  s£il agam nach ndi£lta¡onn t£ m‚ f  do n¡n" (= inghin). ¢ "Cnuasacht de Cheoltaibh Uladh." O Baoill agus O Frighil Annraoi

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From:
Date: 17 Feb 99 - 11:08 PM

I suspect that the song mentioned is Fosgail an Dorus. This is a piece of puirt-a-beul in the Scottish Tradition and may be known in the Irish as well. The title, in English, is Open the Door. I saw Riverdance a couple of years ago, and cannot say whether the tune was in the show. I'll have to look at the tape again.

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Philippa
Date: 19 Feb 99 - 12:37 PM

I think probably 'Eirigh Suas a st¢ir¡n is not what you're looking for. But since the lyrics are already available at another website (no sound or abc, alas), I have only to copy and paste.

쳌irigh suas a St¢ir¡n mura bfhuil t£ do shui
Foscail a' doras agus lig mise 'un ti
Ta buid‚al im aice bh‚arfas deoch do mhnaoi an t¡
A's t  s£il 'gam nach ndi£ltuigheann T£ m‚ fa do n¡on

Nuair a ‚irighim amach ar maidin
Agus dearcaim uaim siar
Is dearcaim ar a'bhaile ud a bhfuil agam le ghabhail ann
Tuiteann na de¢ra na sr¢ite liom sios
Agus gniomh se m¡le osna
T  cos£il le cumhaidh

I ngleanntain na coilleadh uagn¡
[...coilleadh beo thorraigh/ b'thoraigh] Is lag br¢nach a b¡m
O Dhomnach go Domhnach 's
M‚ ag cathamh mo shaol
'm‚ feitheamh gach trathn¢na c‚
rachadh 'na r¢d no c‚ thiocfadh 'n ti
'S gan duine ar an domhan mh¢r a thiocfadh
's th¢gfadh mo chroi
{mh¢r a thogas mo chro¡]

A mh il¡ a ch‚adsearc na
Tr‚ig thusa m‚ go br ch
Nach bhfuil m‚ do dhiadh gach aon l 
Fa mhalaidh na n-ard
is t£ cruithneach ar mhn  쳌ireann
is t£ an p‚arla 't  doiligh 'fh il
is dar mhionna mo bh‚il ni br‚ag ‚
go bhfuil m‚ leatsa i ngr 

from http://www.jtwinc.com/clannad/seirighs.htm (unofficial Clannad website)

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Willie-O
Date: 19 Feb 99 - 02:44 PM

Fosgal an Doras was recorded by the Scottish band Capercaillie on their album "Sidewaulk". It's a fast paced, contemporary arrangement and _very_ catchy. Maybe your friend just thinks it was in Riverdance. At worst, refer your friend to "Sidewaulk" and s/he may find a new tune stuck in her head and won't come out!

Bill

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: alison
Date: 20 Feb 99 - 01:34 AM

Hi,

Here's the Capercaillie lyrics.. taken from...

Capercaillie official site

4. FOSGAIL AN DORUS / NIGHEAN BHUIDH'RUADH Two songs composed for dancing to - "Puirt a beul" (mouth music)

Fosgail an dorus dh'an tailleir fhidhleir
Fosgail an dorus dh'an fhidhleir thailleir
Fosgail an dorus dh'an tailleir fhidhleir
Cliamhain a' righ fidhleir tailleir

'S dileas mise dha 's cairdeach mi dha
'S dileas mise dh'an fhidhleir thailleir
'S dileas mise dha 's cairdeach mi dha
Cliamhain a' righ fidhleir tailleir.

Bainne nan gobhar dh'an tailleir fhidhleir
Bainne nan gobhar dh'an fhidhleir thailleir
Bainne nan gobhar dh'an tailleir fhidhleir
Cliamhain a' righ fidhleir tailleir.

Slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: Philippa
Date: 20 Feb 99 - 05:48 PM

It's not that long a thread to scan, Alison; Virginia Blankenhorn already offered those lyrics in Aug 97, before the thread was refreshed. And a translation with them
I'll have a look at the Capercaillie link anyway and see what other songs I might learn from it.

Subject: RE: Gaelic song
From: alison
Date: 21 Feb 99 - 12:50 AM

Hi,

Oops..... ah well... plenty of good stuff to checkout at Capercaillie......

Slainte

alison