Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir

Subject: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 05:10 AM

Here's the English version (singable) written by Francis A.Fahy and published in Donal O'Sullivan's "Songs of the Irish" (1960):

Is'nt this the most pitiful story
That ever touched heart to the core
Today we saw Owen to glory
From Cregan-a-line to Fallmore
Such wailing and loud lamentation
Were ne'er heard in Erin before
For we've lost our best friend in creation
The kind, tender-hearted Owen Coir!

He had everyone's love and affection
The withered old man and the young
With the highest and lowest connection
The praise of his big heart was sung
With the pick and the pride of the people
Although he liked best to spend free
He'd never say No to a tipple
From folks of the lowest degree

Poor Gavin's in deep tribulation
And Boyle won't be long to the fore
Since they lost their best friend in creation
Their hearts are with grief brimming o'er
There never, I'm thinking, yet measured
His length in the battle's uproar
A hero this couple more cherished
Than the soft-hearted craythur, Owen Core

'Twas he that was good at rent-taking
Made light of a month here and there
Till you'd sell the frieze coat you'd be making
Or your young heifer calf at the fair
'Twas thinking of all his good labours
Made Shamus so fervently pray
"The same as he was to the neighbours
May Jesus be to him this day!"

Put in one line with a seven
And eight after that doubled o'er
He went on his journey - to Heaven
And the devil a word he spoke more
'Tis laid down by poet and prophet
Some day to the Grave we'll all go
But while we can keep our legs off it
A drink is the best cure for woe!


Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: Big Tim
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:27 AM

Martin, that's great: It's a long, long way from Erris to here!
(The original Irish lyrics were written by Riocard Bairead, Richard Barrett, c.1740-1819, 'The Bard of Erris', Co. Mayo).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:45 AM

But why not give us the Irish as well?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 08:52 AM

....typist's cramp....!

Deanfaidh me leagan Gaeilge nios deanai, muna ndeintear e cheana.

Sorry about the accents - Opera has me confused.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 09:06 AM

Verse 1:

Nach é seo an sgéal deachrach san tír seo
I n-anacair chroí 'gus brón
Ó fhágas tú Creagán an Líne
Go dté tú go dtí an Fál Mór?
A leithead de sgreada 's de chaoine
Níor chualaidh tú ariamh go fóill
Cidh níl again-ne aon iongna,
Ó cailleadh, fairíor! Eoghain Cóir!


Regards

p.s. Not Opera's fault either - I'd lost my keyboard shortcut settings.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 09:53 AM

verses 2,3

Bhí grá agus gean ag gach n-aon air
An seanduine críon 's an t-óg
Bhí an saidhbhir 's an daidhbhir i ngnaoi leis
Mar gheall ar a chroí maith mór
Le togha 'gus le rogha na t'íre
Do chaitheadh sé píosa óir
'S le daoine bocht' eile níor spíd leis
Buidéal den tsíbín d'ól

Tá Antoine Ó Gabháin a' caoine
'S ní bheidh Seán Ó Baoghail i bhfad beó
Ó cailleadh a gcaraid san tír seo
'Sé d'fhágaibh a gcroí faoi bhrón.
I n-anacair chathair níor síneadh
'Sé mheasaim, fá líag ná fód
Aoinneach ba mheasa don dís-se
Ná an duine bocht maol, Eoghan Cóir!

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: Fiolar
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 10:20 AM

Many thanks to Martin for posting the translation of "Eoghan Coir." It's a good many years since I learned it at school. It is probably one of the most beautifully crafted pieces of satire, (if indeed not the best) ever written in the Irish language. "Eoghan Coir" was one of the meanest landlords ever to draw breath and Richard did a beautiful hatchet job.

Here is the full Irish version.


Eoghan Cóir

1.

Nach é seo an scéal deacrach sa tír seo,

In anacair chroí agus bróin,

Ó fhagas sé Creagán an Líne

Go dté sé go dtí an Fál Mór

A leithéid de screadadh 's de chaoineadh

Níor cluineadh sa tír seo fós,

Cé nach bhfuil again aon ionadh

Ó cailleadh, faraor! Eoghan Cóir.


2.

Bhí gnaoi agus gean ag gach n-aon air,

An seanduine críon 's an t-óg,

Bhí an saibhir 's an daibhir I ngrá leis

Mar gheall ar a chroí maith mór;

Le togha agus rogha na tíre

Do chaitheadh sé píosaí óir

Is le daoine bocht' eile níor spíd leis

Buidéal on síbín d'ól.


3.

Tá Antaine Ó Gabhain ag caoineadh

'S ní bheidh Seán Ó Baoill I bhad beo,

Ó cailleadh a gcaraid sa tír seo

'Sé d'fhága a gcroí faoi bhrón;

In anacair chatha níor síneadh,

'Sé mheasaim, faoi liag ná fhód

Aon neach ba mheasa don dís seo

Ná an duine bocht maol Eoghan Cóir.


4.

Ba ró-mhaith ag tógáil an chíos' é

Ba bheag aige mí nó dhó

Go ndíoltaí an bhó ar an aonach

Nó an giota do bhíodh sa seol.

'Sé dúirt Séamas Pheadair Mhic Riabhaigh,

Is é ag agairt ar Rí na nDeor –

De réir mar bhí seisean le daoine

Gurb amhlaidh bheas Críosta dhó.


5.

Aon agus seacht insa líne

Agus oct do cuir síos faoi dhó

Trath ghlac seisean cead lena dhaoine,

Agus níor labhair sé gíog níos mó.

Tá sé go dearfa scríofa

Gur talamh is críoch gach beo

Is chomh fada is bheimid sa saol seo

Ca miste dhúinn braon beag d'ól.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: Big Tim
Date: 10 Oct 02 - 11:55 AM

Anyone know who the historical Owen Coir was and give some examples of his exploitive landlord doings?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 06:16 AM

O'Sullivan identifies him as Eoghan O Conmachain (Owen Conway) agent ot the Binghams in Erris, Co. Mayo. He died in 1788 and is buried in the graveyard of Termoncarragh, about four miles north west of Belmullet.

No other details

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: Brían
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 08:35 AM

I have a couple more verses from the singing of Micheál Ó Seighin who has been living in Erris since 1962. He specializes in the half-forgotten songs of Erris and has been responsible for the revival of many of thise songs. It's on the CD Glór Mhaigh Eo. Here are verses four and six:

Is é raibh de mhairg an tsaol ann,
Dá gcastaí leis aoileann óg.
Mheallfadh sé leis í san oíche
Gó bhfaigheadh sé i gcois íseal póg.
Bheadh sé de shearc ina chroí istigh
Go n-altfadh sí líonta mór'
Is ag séanadh na clainne údaí a bhíodh sé,
Cé gur fairsing sa tír a bhí phór.

Bréag atá siadsan a deanamh:
Níor cailleadh an fear gnaoi go fóill,
Ach chuaigh sé ar cuairt chun a ghaolta,
Go bhfeicfeadh sé an ríocht is mó.
Má thigeann sé ar ais chun an tsaoil seo,
Ní thiomáinfidh sé chíoche aon bhó,
Ach cuirfimid amach as an tír é
Is an leanbh Ó Baoill a bheas leo

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: Big Tim
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 11:37 AM

Thanks Martin: I'll check a few things, tho prob. not got anything with enough local detail: but you never know!

Regards. BT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: Big Tim
Date: 12 Oct 02 - 10:16 AM

Can't find anything abou Bingham or Conway. Just a little on the geography of the area, a part of Ireland of which I was previously totally ignorant. Amazing where a song can lead!

The Barony of Erris is located in the Belmullet peninsula in far west Mayo. Lonely Plantet says it is "probably the least visited corner of the whole of Ireland...known as the Mullet or the Western Barony of Erris...strange and remote land, has a pop density of only 10 people per square kilometre...rising to more tham 30 metres above sea level...obvious that the boggy land offers a poor livliehood". The Rough Guide says, "the seaward side of the Penin. is raked by Atlantic winds to the extent that almost no vegetation can survive" (Reminds me of the Yeats line from "A Prayer for my daughter" - "there is no obstacle but Gregory's Wood and one bare hill, whereby the haystack and roof levelling wind, bred on the Atlantic, can be stayed").

Most of the place names, including Owen Coir's burial place Termoncarragh, are marked on reasonably detailed maps. I couldn't find "Creagan-a-line", could it be a variant of "Knocknalina" at the north end of the Penin? Fallmore is in the south.

According to Woodham-Smith, Erris suffered badly in the Great Famine, "Erris, a vast tract of desolate country where distress wore its most appalling form. In Erris today [1962] there are people who have never seen a train; in 1847 there were many who had never seen a living tree larger than a shrub... in 1847 the pop. of Erris was est. at 30,000 and before the failure of the potato, though life in Erris was primitive, there was some gaiety..."

The village name of Binghamstown provides an historical link to the Bingham family.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: Brían
Date: 12 Oct 02 - 11:23 AM

I'm pretty sure Knocknalina and Creagán an Líne are the same place. I haven't found anything about Owen Coir either.

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: Big Tim
Date: 12 Oct 02 - 04:06 PM

That should read, "no more than thirty metres above sea level".

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eoghan Coir /Owen Coir
From: GUEST,Ama Carey
Date: 18 Mar 16 - 01:00 AM

From what I remember, "Cnocan a Line" referred to the town of Crossmolina in the Barony of Tirawley, although it might, on reflection mean Knocknalina.

People in the Barony of Erris did not much like those from the Barony of Tirawley, perhaps at least partly because landlord agents at least sometimes came to Erris from their native Tirawley.

The land was better inland in Tirawley, and there were, perhaps, more English speakers there, since much of Erris was in the Geltacht.

That is NOT to say that the people of Erris were less well- educated.

The Erris population was remarkably well tutored in the Classics, in Irish, English and other languages and disciplines. Gaeltacht areas usually were enthusiastic about learning.

The bilingualism -- of the teachers, as well as the students -- was a factor, no doubt, in the erudition of the Erris population.

Excellent truly bilingual teachers from this and other Gaeltachts who loved learning (not mere "education" as it is comodified today) used to inspire students. This, unfortunately, as well as real fluency in the Irish language in teachers in Erris is no longer often the case.