Any nice, traditional Irish carols?

Subject: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,Park
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 01:03 PM

Anyone know of any nice (not hokey) christmas/winter songs that have been translated? I need to find some pretty quick since it costs too much to pay for the performance rights to perform some that I know. I'm looking for slow, solemn works. If you know where I can find some it would be great. If it had a score or tune that I could see to devekop my own arrangement of it would be even better.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Dead Horse
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 03:28 PM

Lyr Req, no?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,Park
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 04:27 PM

I'd like the lyrics. names of tunes I could find would work too. Ideally...lyrics and the tune. I will make the arrangement. I am looking for something in public domain.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Nerd
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 04:45 PM

You can find a few here.

Wexford Carol, Carol of the Birds, and Once in Royal David's City would fit the bill, I believe. They're at the link above.

Subject: ADD: Irish Carol - Christmas Day Is Come
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:06 PM

Enter wexford in the Lyrics and Knowledge Search and you will find versions of these well-known carols.
Also in the easily located "Oxford Book of Carols," is one titled "Irish Carol," "words in their original form probably written for the [folk] tune in the seventeenth century...."   "...carols of this kind have been traditional in Kilmore, South Wexford."

Irish Carol

Christmas Day is come; let's all prepare for mirth,
Which fills the heavens and earth at this amazing birth.
Through both the joyous angels in strife and and hurry fly,
With glory and hosannas, 'All Holy' do they cry,
In heaven the Church triumphant adores with all her choirs,
The militant on earth with humble faith admires.

But why should we rejoice? Should we not rather mourn
To see the Hope of Nations thus in a stable born?
Where are his crown and sceptre, where is the throne sublime,
Where is his train majestic that should the stars outshine?
Is there no sumptuous palace nor any inn at all
To lodge his heavenly mother but in a filthy stall?

Oh! cease, ye blessed angels, such clamorous joys to make!
Though midnight silence favours, the shepherds are awake;
And you, O glorious star! that with new splendor brings
From the remotest parts three learned eastern kings,
Turn somewhere else your lustre, your rays elsewhere display;
For Herod he may slay the babe, and Christ must straight away.

If we would then rejoice, let's cancel the old score,
And, purposing amendment, resolve to sin no more-
For mirth can ne'er content us, without a conscience clear;
And thus we'll find true pleasure in all the usual cheer,
In dancing, sporting, revelling, with masquerade and drum,
So let our Christmas merry be, as Christians doth become.

Tenor- Ding dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding dong, ding dong ding dong, ding dong, ding dong ding dong with humble faith admires.
See music to no. 6, pp. 14-15, The Oxford Book of Carols, 1928, 1947.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:27 PM

Carol of the Birds- Catalan, French, Czech and Australian are in books that I have.
I would appreciate posting of the Irish carol, which I have not seen.

Music to "Once in Royal David's City" is by an Englishman, although the words are by an Irish lady who composed many hymns. Good Midi at Cyberhymnal. There is a recording by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Genie
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 04:22 AM

How about "The Holly Bears A Berry" and variations thereon?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: JohnB
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 11:36 AM

Type Wexford Carol on the search box above, it gives you 42 other thread hits but no song directly. It does include a lot of history from what i briefly scanned. The song is definitely in the Oxford Book of Carols as someone said above. It has been recorded by Loreena McKennit. It's also a really nice tune.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Roberto
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 11:52 AM

I'd suggest Don Oiche Ud i mBeithil. I've found the tune on Whistle and Sing! - Songs, Airs and Dance Music of Ireland, by Eamonn Jordan. It has a beautiful tune. A recording of this carol (titled THAT NIGHT IN BETHLEHEM)is on The Boys of the Lough's THE DAY DAWN, Lough Record LOUGH 006, 1994, "a celebration in music and songs of some of the vital Cletic traditions of midwinter from the Atlantic lands of Northern Europe". Roberto

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 01:12 PM

John B, the Wexford (Enniscorthy) carol is in the Forum, but just 4 of the 5 verses: Wexford
See the Oxford Book of Carols, no. 14, for the 5th verse, or online go The Hymns and Carols of Christmas (midi there): Wexford >

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 04:24 AM

The Seven Joys of Mary - NOT the one in the Oxford Books of Carols that June & Maddy recorded on Silly Sisters (though that's lovely too) but the Irish one - Seacht Subháilcí na Maighdine Muire - which is in a minor key. I strongly second One Night In Bethlehem (Don oíche úd i mBethil) already suggested above, which has the same modal feel to it. These - along with the Wexford Carol - really capture the Gaelic spirit, to my ear anyway. All three suit the "slow solemn" requirement, the first two being minor and the last being major with that characteristic flattened 7th that so much Celtic music has.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 02:23 PM

Bonnie, has the Irish "Seven Joys" been posted in Mudcat?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 03:58 PM

Seacht Suailce na Maighdine Muire  Text, translation and abc; with links to various joys/sorrows discussions and DT examples; both Irish and English songs on the subject.

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 04:43 AM

there are a few threads featuring "Don Oíche Úd i mBeithil". Check the Mudcat Digital Tradition (DT) for English language version "I Sing of a Night". Also, if you do a forum search for "mBeithil" you will find several other threads dealing with Irish Christmas songs besides "Don Oíche Úd i mBeithil".

there are more carols translated from English to Irish than the other way about, but there are at least a few that are Gaelic in origin.

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 04:48 AM

Re the other thread (link above), I don't think Seven Joys is included in Noirin's book, cited by Cliff* though there's a Seven Sorrows, but it's a treasure trove of old Irish religious song and is also gorgeous to look at (IF it's still in print). It would surely contain plenty of the sort of material you're looking for, though be warned that it's in Irish.

The version I am referring to has that stunning Gregorian-chant-like Alleluia chorus, scanned as noted:

Seinn alleluia, seinn alleluia,
Seinn alliliú, seinn alliliú, [note missing final syllable]
Seinn alleluia


*> ... Noirin Ni Riain's book Stór Amhrán which is available from Ossian [[e-mail]]

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Dec 21 - 07:25 PM

Take a look at this link:

http://www.irishlanguageforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1713

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Felipa
Date: 13 Dec 21 - 08:07 PM

there is also a Mudcat thread re songs in Irish language
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=158738#3757198

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 13 Dec 21 - 09:25 PM

See also Finola O Siochru's cd solas na seilse

http://www.osiochru.com/node/2

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Thompson
Date: 14 Dec 21 - 03:40 AM

There's a version of Silent Night in Irish too, Oíche Chiúin.

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Thompson
Date: 14 Dec 21 - 03:43 AM

Enya singing Oíche Chiúin here.
Altan with friends here.

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 14 Dec 21 - 11:44 AM

A search for the Kilmore carols should set you up with a few.

Here's a start:


https://aineminogue.com/the-kilmore-carols

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,Anne Lister sans cookie
Date: 14 Dec 21 - 11:51 AM

Mary McLaughlin has been running two different series of classes on singing Irish carols via Zoom, and her album "A Gaelic Christmas" is beautiful. Check out www.marymclaughlin.com

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: leeneia
Date: 15 Dec 21 - 01:13 PM

Here's a helpful page:

https://christmas.lovetoknow.com/christmas-music/irish-christmas-carols

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Dec 21 - 02:12 PM

Deck the halls with bits of shamrock?

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 16 Dec 21 - 06:05 AM

https://aineminogue.com/celtic-christmas-carols;
Click here to listen to the old Irish Carol "That Night in Bethlehem"

There are thirteen Kilmore carols in all, one for Christmas night ("The Darkest Midnight" ), and one for each of the twelve days of Christmas. More recently, these carols are sung on New Years Day, Christmas Day, Little Christmas (January 6th) and the Sunday that falls between Christmas and New Years.

The original thirteen carols are from a variety of sources. One, "Jerusalem, My Happy Home"(16th century) is from England. Some were composed by Bishop Luke Wadding during the 17th Century.Those which have proved to be the greatest source of pride are by a local returned missionary, William Deveraux, (16th century). His descendants continued to sing these carols up to recent times.

Subject: RE: Any nice, traditional Irish carols?
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 16 Dec 21 - 08:39 AM

Here's some image and sound from Kilmore:

RTE archive : Kilmore carols 1977

Kilmore carolers