Lyr Add: Donncha Ban & Yellow-haired Donough

Subject: Lyr Add: Donncha Ban & Yellow-haired Donough
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 05 Feb 04 - 09:01 AM

When I attended Oireachtas na Gaeilge in Gaoth Dobhair a couple of years ago, I heard a number of people singing Donncha Bán, both on the stage and in sessions. Donncha Bán appears to have been from County Mayo, but the song is popular in Conamara and in Donegal also.

As we know, poaching used to be punishable by death. Geordie has been immortalised for stealing "sixteen of the king's royal deer". It is said that Donncha Bán was hanged for stealing a horse and that his sister composed this lament by which we still remember him. You can find other sets of lyrics at this Songs of 1798 site, and at http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/eire/isaranmb.htm. Notes at Songs of 1798 say that Edward Bunting collected the song in Connacht and that it was a favourite of the sister of Henry Joy McCracken. (McCracken was also hung; look him up in the DT)

DONNCHA BÁN
1. Nach ar an mbaile seo chonaictheas an t-ionas
Ag Donncha Bán is é dhá dhaoradh,
Bhí caipín bán air in áit a hata,
Is róipín cnáibe in áit a charabhata.

2. Tá spré Dhonncha Bháin ag tíocht abhaile
Agus ní ba, caoirigh í ná capaill,
Ach clártha cónra agus coinnle geala,
Tobac is píopaí ag lucht a gcaite.

3. A Dhonncha Bháin, a dheartháir dhilis,
Is maith tá fhios agam céard a bhain díom thú -
Ag líonadh an chupain 's ag deargadh an phíopa
'S ag siúl an drúchta go mall san oíche.

4. A Dhonncha Bháin, a dheartháir dhilis,
Nach breá na trí ród atá chun do thí-se -
Ród na mbó agus ród na gcaorach
'gus cosán socair faoi chosa daoine.

5. A Dhonncha Bháin, a thogha na ngaiscioch
A chúil tromdhualaigh na gruaige daite,
Ní liachtaí lúibín i do chúl ag casadh
Ná grá ban óg i do chónra i dtaisce.

6. Dá mbeifeá agamsa san áit ar chóir duit,
Thíos i Sligeach nó i mBaile an Róba,
Bhrisfí an chroch, ghearrfaí an rópa,
'S ligfí Donncha Bán abhaile ar an eolas.

5. A Dhonncha Bháin níorbh é an chroch ba dhual duit,
Ach dul chuig an scioból 's d'easair a bhualadh,
An céachta d'iompú, deiseal's tuathal
'S an taobh dhearg den fhód a chur in uachtar.

6. A Dhonncha Bháin, éirigh id' sheasamh!
Tá buachaillí an Mhóinín ag tíocht dod' fhaire;
Glac do chamán 's téirigh chun na haille
Is cuir an liathróid na liaga ó bhaile.

7. A Dhonncha Bháin, níorbh í an croch ba dhual duit,
Ach dul chun an sciobóil agus d'easair a bhualadh
An ceacht a iompó deiseal is tuathal
'S an taobh dearg den fhód a chur in uachtar.

8. Dá mbeadh Donncha Bán san áit ba chóir dhó
Idir Caisleán an Bharraigh agus Baile an Róba,
Bhrisfí an chroch is ghearrfaí an rópa,
Agus ligfí Donncha Bán abhaile ar an eolas.

9. A Mhic Uí Mhaol Chróin ná raibh séan ort!
Ná raibh d' iníon ag iarraidh spré ort!
Ná raibh do chlann mhac agat i bhfochair a chéile!
Is tú bhain mo dheartháir dhíom a bhí geal gléigeal.

10. Thug tú th'éitheach a scúille an mhí-áidh,
Ní lao bó bradaí a bhí i mo dheartháir,
Ach buachaillín cruinn deas ar chnoc is ar chnocán,
'S bhainfeadh fuaim go bog binn as camán.

11. A ghiolla úd thall a bhfuil casóg bhán ort,,
Más duine ag imeacht thú, nár casa Dia slán thú!
Urlár lom agat agus mórán páistí,
Seisear dall orthu agus iad gam máthair!

12. A bhean úd thall a rinne do gháire,
Na raibh tú oíche ach mar atá mé!
Do shúile ag silt 's do chroí bheith cráite
Is do dhá laimh timpeall ar mhac do mháthar!

13. Och ón ó, nach clúin í an oíche!
Agus ní ciúine ná mná do chaointe;
Tá ceann do chónra follamh 's a lár líonta,
Is Donncha Bán, mo dheartháir, sínte

14. An chéad ghlao a lig mé ba ag barr an bhaile é
Is an dara glao ba ag teach leath bealaigh é,
An triú glao ba ag ceann na croiche é
Is bhí Donncha Bán 's an ceann scaith' dhe.

15.Tá mé ag siúl ó tháinig an oíche,
Mo dhá laimh oscailte is mo bhrollach scaoilte:
Pardún mo dhearthár i mo bhrollach scríofa,
Is ar theacht i láthair dhom bhí mo dhíobháil déanta.


William Butler Yeats adapted the 1rst, 4th and 5th verses of Frank O'Connor's Lament for Yellow-haired Donough and used them in his play Cathleen Ní Houlihan
The numbers given at the ends of the verses indicate the corresponding Irish language verse in the version of Donncha Bán transcribed above.

THE LAMENT FOR YELLOW-HAIRED DONOUGH
translation of "Donncha Bán" by Frank O'Connor

Ye have seen a marvel in this town,
Yellow-haired Donough and he put down;
In place of his hat a little white cap,
In place of his neck-cloth a hempen rope. (1)

I have come all night without my sleep
Like a little lamb in a drove of sheep,
With naked breast and hair awry
Over Yellow-haired Donough to raise my cry. (15)

I wept the first time by the lake shore,
At the foot of your gallows I wept once more;
I wept again with an aching head
Among the English and you stretched dead. (14)

If only I had you among your kin,
The Ballinrobe or the Sligo men,
They would break the gallow and cut you down
And send you safely among your own. (8)

It was not the gallows that was your due,
But to go to the barn and thresh the straw,
And guide your plough-team up and down
Till you had painted the green hill brown. (7)

Yellow-haired Donough, I know your case;
I know what brought you to this bad place:
'Twas the drink going round and the pipes alight
And the dew in the firelds at the end of night. (3)

Mullane, that brought misfortune on (9)
My little brother, was no stroller's son,
But a handsome boy who was bold and quick
And could draw sweet sounds from a hurling stick. (10)

Mullane, may a son not share your floor(11)
Nor a daughter ever leave your door;
The table is empty at foot and head
And Yellow-haired Donough is lying dead. (13)

His marriage portion is in the house,
And it is not horses nor sheep nor cows,
But tobacco and pipes and candles lit -
Not grudging any his share of it. (2).

Subject: Lyr Add: DONNCHADH BÁN
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 05 Feb 04 - 09:04 AM

Here is a version as sung by Brian Ó Domhnaill on the CD "Seachrán" (Cló Iar-Chonnachta). Brian got most of the verses from Neilí Ní Dhomhnaill of Rann na Feirste, County Donegal, who had a huge repertoire. Caitlín Ní Dhomhnaill added the final verse.

DONNCHADH BÁN

Is ar an bhaile seo a chonaic mé an t-iontas,
Donnchadh Bán bocht is é dá dhaoradh;
Bhí bairéad bán air in áit a hata.
Agus rópa cnáibe in áit a charbhata.

Is a Dhonnchaidh Bháin bhaoicht, a dheartháir dilis,
Nach maith mat ata a fhios agam cad é bhain díom thú
Ag ól an chupáin is ag deargadh an phíopa
'Gus ag siúl an drúchta le coim na hoíche.

Chaoin mé an chéad dreas ag gob na locha;
An darna dreas ag bun do chroiche;
' Triú dreas os cionn do chorpáin,
I measc na nGall is mo cheann ag scoilteadh.

Is tá mé ag teacht le coim na hoíche,
Mo chosa stroicthe is mo chroí briste,
Mo bhrollach foscailte is mo cheann dubh gan cíoradh
Agus cé tchím romham ach mo dheartháir sínte.

'S a Dhonnchaidh Bháin bhoicht, éirigh i do sheasamh;
Ta buachaillí Chúige Uladh ag triall chun d'fhaire.
Beir ar do chamán agus gabh fan fháiche leo
Go gcuire muid liathróid leo míle ó bhaile.

Is tá spré Dhonnchaidh Bháin bhoicht ag teacht 'n a' bhaile,
Is ní hé ba, caoirigh é ná capaill,
Ach tobac is píopaí is coinnle geala
'Gus ní hé dámhaíomh sin ar lucht a gcailte.

'S tiocfaidh an mhaidin is cruinneoidh na daoine
Ina gcosa tarnocht as na ceithre hairde
Ag gol is a' caoineadh is ag rá an phaidrín
Is ag cur a mbeannacht leat 'na cille.

DONNCHADH BÁN (translation)

It was in this town I saw something shocking;
Poor Donnchad Bán being sent to die.
He wore a white cap in place of his hat
And a hemp rope in place of his tie.

Poor Donnchadh Bán, O loyal brother,
It's well I know what took you from me;
Drinking from the cup and lighting your pipe
And walking the dew in the middle of the night.

First I cried at the top of the lake;
Secondly at the foot of your gallows;
The third time, it was over your body
Amongst foreigners, and my head was splitting.

Here I come in the middle of the night,
My feet torn and my poor heart broken,
My breast open and my black hair uncombed
And who do I see but my brother outstretched.

Poor Donnchadh Bán, arise and stand now,
The boys of Ulster are coming to your wake.
Grab your hurley and go to the green with them,
And we'll send the ball a mile from home.

Donnchadh Bán's dowry is coming home
And it's neither cattle, sheep, nor horses
But tobacco and pipes and candles white
And we don't begrudge them to those who'll use them.

The morning will come and the people will gather;
They'll come barefoot from the four corners,
Crying and keening and saying the rosary
And bidding you farewell as you go to your grave.

Subject: RE: Yeats and Yellow-haired Donough
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 05 Feb 04 - 10:43 AM

For yellow-haired Donough is dead,
With a hempen rope for a neckcloth,
And a white cloth on his head,-

I didn't mean that Yeats borrowed from O'Connor; it was more likely the other way around. I was just saying which of the verses corresponded. I looked up the date of Yeats' play and it is given as 1902, a year before O'Connor was born. More likely Augusta Gregory did the English language version. O'Connor has kept the name "yellow-haired Donough" for Donncha Bán.

The name Donncha(dh) can equate with Donough or Donagh and also with Denis and Duncan. I read (in Ronald Black, "Cothrom Ionnsachaidh") that the word "donkey" for an ass - the animal - comes from this name, and "moggy" for a cat from Maggie/Margaret!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Donnchadh Bán
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 06 Feb 04 - 08:00 AM

I left out part of the album title, "Seachrán Sí " ! I've been looking through the Cló Iar-Chonnachta catalogue and I see that the Donegal version of Donnchadh Bán is on two recordings by Caitlín Ní Dhomhnaill: CIC009 "Bean an Fhir Ruaidh" and CIC070 "Seal Mo Chuarta"

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Donncha Ban & Yellow-haired Donough
From: Felipa
Date: 08 Feb 04 - 06:45 PM

there is a longer version published in T. Ó Concheanainn, Nua-Dhuanaire III. Dublin: Institiúid Ardléinn / Institute of Higher Studies, 1978 & 1981.
sources given are Béal 914, 434-8; 'Amhráin ó Iorrus', Béaloideas 1C (1940) 258-60; An tAithriseóir 1(ediied by T Ó Donnchadha & P Mac Piarais, Dublin, 1900), 13-14.

From Ó Concheanainn notes I see that Tomás de Búrca collected the song as published in Béal 914, 434-8 and wrote that according to Séamus a Gionntaigh (age 63 in 1943) that Donncha Bán's sister composed the song . She blamed Mulchróin for stealing the horse and putting it on Donncha's land, so that Donncha was found guilty of the crime.

Mhíchíl Uí Ghallchobhair, who took down the 'Amhráin ó Iorrus', (songs of Erris, Co Mayo), said that in the summer of 1895, he happened to be on holiday in the state of Wisconsin, in a small town called Elroy. There were a good number of people from Mayo living in the area and he collected a version of Donncha Bán from them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Donncha Ban & Yellow-haired Donough
From: GUEST,An Púca
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 03:03 AM

Also recorded in the last five years or so by Mary Staunton on a CD which is probably an independent release. Nicely sung. Mary from Tuar Mhic Éadaigh in south Maigh Eo. Lovely pace to her boxplaying on the same CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Donncha Ban & Yellow-haired Donough
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 16 - 01:30 PM

Also Recorded by Darach O'Cathain.

Subject: Fixing Songs of 1798 link from above
From: AmyLove
Date: 16 Jan 16 - 11:11 PM

Philippa accidentally added mudcat to the front of the link to the Songs of 1798 site. Here's the corrected link:

Songs of 1798

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Donncha Ban & Yellow-haired Donough
From: AmyLove
Date: 16 Jan 16 - 11:20 PM

And this link takes you directly to Donncha Bán:

Donncha Bán

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Donncha Ban & Yellow-haired Donough
From: AmyLove
Date: 16 Jan 16 - 11:28 PM

Finally, here's the link to the whole songbook at the Songs of 1798 site:

Songs of 1798

And the updated robokopp link that Philippa also shared above:

Dhonncha Bán