Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal

Subject: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: GUEST,Sussie Nielsen
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 01:20 PM

Can anyone tell me where I can find the lyrics to Aisling Gheal, as sung by Iarla O`Lionáird. Sussie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Brían
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 02:01 PM

The words are on the CD Bruach na Carraige Baine by Diarmuid O Suilleabhain. I don't have time to post them now, but I will save this thread in case no one else does.

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: GUEST,Sussie
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 04:32 PM

Thanks Brían. Look forward to seeing them. Sussie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: GUEST,Sussie
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 01:39 PM

Still looking for the lyrics to this song. Anyone?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: ard mhacha
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 01:55 PM

Aisling Gheal sung by Iala O`Lionaird can be had on a Gael Linn CD entitled, A Treasury of Irish Song, [CDTCD 004].

A short history of each song with the words are included in the booklet, I rate this CD as one of the best ever produced by Gael Linn.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 02:33 PM

His own CD Seven Steps to Mercy on Real World has the english translation. Would you be wanting that? I can hunt it out.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 02:50 PM

Irish Gaelic and English texts also with Aislingí Ceoil (Tony Mac Mahon, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Noel Hill: Gael-Linn CEFCD 164, 1993).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: GUEST,Sussie
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 03:20 PM

Thanks "Guest", yes I´d like the English lyrics, though it´s the gaelic lyrics that I´m mainly looking for.
>ard mhacha: any chance that you´d send me the text? I have neither this cd or the one Malcolm talks of.
>Malcolm:I know the cd but don´t have it, any chance of you sending the text?
Not that I´m trying to get three people writing for me, just eager to get hold of the lyrics.
:-) Sussie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 03:34 PM

AISLING GHEAL - Bright Vision.

And then I saw her
My vision woman
Hair abundant
And flowing about
Falling starlike
Touching the dewdrops
Stepping lightly
Brushing the heath
Upon her chest
Her breasts
Perfection
Her face a rose hip
Her neck a swan...

And Iarla's liner notes re this track...

In the tradition of the 'vision song' a story unfolds of a woman of great beauty, sometimes symbolising Ireland, who encounters the poet in a dream.

This particularly beautiful and mysterious version was introduced to me by the composer Peadar O Riada, whose guidance resulted in this recording of 1978 when I was 14 yrs old. The juxtaposition of child and love song gives this rendition its enigmatic power.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: GUEST,Sussie
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 03:59 PM

Thanks Guest

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Brían
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 07:00 PM

I'll post it later. It has been a very busy day.

Brían

Subject: Lyr Add: AISLING GHEAL
From: Brían
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 10:08 PM

AISLING GHEAL

Aisling gheal do shlad trím néal mé
Is go rabhas-sa tréithlag seal im luí
Is go rabhas i ngleann cois abhann im aonar,
Is go rabhas ag aeraíocht le grá mo chroí.
Go raibh na camthaí Gall agus Gaelach
Is claimhte géara ag uaisle an tsaol,
Ag breith barr áidh is á rá le chéile
Go raibh clann an fhaoit anois le fáil gan mhoill.

Ba ghearr a shamhail dom gur dhearcas Mary,
'Gus gruaig a cinn léi go féar a' fás,
A folt a tíocht mar na réaltainn
Ag titim léise go barr a troighe,
Ag siúl na drúchta de barr an fhéir glais
'S is lúafar éadtrom mar do shiúladh sí,
A dá chíoch chruinne ar a hucht go néata,
A grua mar chaortha, is ba gheal í a píb.

Do bheannaíos-sa do mo chuid i ngaelainn
Is modhail 's maorga do fhreagair sí:
"A plúr na bhfear, mo shlad ná deinse
Mar is maighdean mé nár tháinig d'aois
Dhá dtéadh sa ghreann dúinn clann a dhéanamh,
Is go mbéifeá séantach ins an ghníomh,
Gur gearr ón mbás mé, is go bhfágainn Éire
Im ghóist im aonar bheinn romhat id shlí."

Do leagas mo láimh uirthi go béasach
Ó bhun a stays go dtí barr a troighe,
In aghaidh gach staire go ndeinfinn léi dhi
Go bpógfainn a béilín tlath arís;
Nuair a fuaras-sa dhom gur ghéill sí
Mo chroí do léim mar an éan ar chraoibh;
Trí lár mo smaoinimh ach gur dhúisigh néal mé
Is de chumha ina disdh siúd, ní mhairfead mí.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Brían
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 10:24 PM

The notes of the song from Bruach na Carraige Báine (CICD 115)state, "This beatiful love song came from Peig Donoghue from Baile Mhúirne, and had been almost forgotton in Muskerry until it's revival by Seán Ó Riada in the sixties, when he recorded the tune on Ó Riada's Farewell. Another version of the song arranged foe Iarla Ó Lionáird by Peadar Ó Riada later achieved national acclaim."

I believe it is the same song. However, Seán Ó Riada had a habit with changing melodies on songs to suit his arrangements. I don't know if Peadar is any relation. I also don't know how good your Irish is. You may be able to salvage Iarla's version out of this. I am not familiar with it.

Go n-éirigh an t-adh leat,

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 11:24 PM

The set recorded on Aislingí Ceoil (see above) is the same as the first three verses Brian quotes, and is from the same original source. "Mary" in verse two, however, is given as "maidhre".

The song was noted from Peig Ní Dhonnchadha (Peg O'Donoghue) by A. Martin Freeman in 1914. It was (first?) published in The Journal of the Folk-Song Society, vol VI (issue 24) 1921, 224-226. Freeman printed 5 verses (those above, plus another in penultimate place), using an early (and now obsolete) form of Reformed Irish Spelling for the transcriptions.

I quote here the translation into English (first three verses above) provided with Aislingí Ceoil. It was made by Liam Mac Con Iomaire, and seems to fit the tune quite elegantly.


A Vision Bright

A vision bright beguiled in sleep me
As I lay feebly bereft of cheer;
In a river valley I wandered gaily
In conversation with my true love dear.
The host of foreigners and host of Gaeldom
In battle baring their sword and spear;
And the word went out in loud lamentation
That the day of saints was now drawing near.

Then soon I gazed on a fair young maiden
With shining hair falling to the ground;
Her flowing tresses like stars cascading,
Falling in waves to her ankles down;
Sweeping the dew off the meadow early
And tripping gaily with footsteps light;
Her two round breasts on her bosom neatly,
Her cheeks were berries and her throat was white.

And when I greeted my love in Gaelic,
In manner gracious she did reply;
"O, flower of men, please do not take me,
I am underage and a maid forby.
If our lovemaking conceived a baby
And if your blame then you should deny,
I would leave Erin and death would face me
And my ghost would plague you all through your life".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Brían
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 12:08 AM

Here is the last verse. I am guessing the third line. It seems very complex to me.

I laid my hand on her so ever gently
From the top of her stays to the tips of her toes
In spite of every rumour I would do it with her?
Until I kissed her tender lips again
When I gained what she yielded to me
My heart leapt like a bird on a branch
In the middle of my vision, alas I awoke in sorrow
On account of my tears, I shall not live a month.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 12:40 AM

Freeman rendered it much the same, but with sufficient difference to make his effort worth quoting as well. I am no judge of which is the more accurate, though I suspect that Brian has the edge for the most part.

Then I stroked her fair white neck with my hand,
And into my arms I took my heart's love;
And for every story that I told my dearest
I gave her soft, small mouth another kiss.
And when I found that she consented,
Oh, my heart leapt like a bird on a branch
But in the middle of my fancy, a flash awoke me;
And through regret for her I shall not live a month!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: GUEST,Sussie
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 03:24 AM

Thanks very much Brían and Malcolm for all the information.
Kind regards
Sussie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: MartinRyan
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 06:32 AM

On O'Riada: Peadar is Sean's son.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Brían
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 07:03 AM

Thanks, Martin. I had suspected as much.

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Brían
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 09:23 AM

I made a small typo. the last line should read:

Is de chumha ina diaidh siúd, ní mhairfead mí.

Brían

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: aisling gheal
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 01 May 05 - 02:00 PM

I missed Freeman's comment relating to the last verse. He mentions a similar song, Aishling an Óigfhir (The Young Man's Vision) in Hardiman's Irish Minstrelsy (I, 304) and goes on to say "In place of the first two lines of verse 5 as noted, I have translated a couplet from Hardiman's last verse".

I suppose that was to avoid the hint of indelicacy. The lines in Irish (early reformed spelling) were not similarly substituted, and run:

'S do leogas mo láv irhì go béasach
Ó wun a shdéz go dí bár a truí

That would explain the difference in the two translations above.

Subject: Tune Add: AISLING GHEAL
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 01 May 05 - 04:28 PM

Here is an abc made from Freeman's notation. Rather than use the "reformed spelling" text, which would puzzle people nowadays, I've substituted the cd insert text (see above). That required a couple of small elisions to make it fit, and some guesses at the appropriate hyphenation; since my knowledge of Gaelic is very limited, I hope you won't mind too much if these turn out to be bad grammar or style.


X:1
T:Aisling Gheal
T:Bright Vision
S:Peig Ní Dhonnchadha (Peg O'Donoghue), Ballymakeery, 1914
Z:A Martin Freeman
B:Journal of the Folk-Song Society, vol VI (issue 24) 1921, 224-226.
N:Freeman transcribed the text in a form of revised spelling. Here substituted for transcription in insert, 'Aislingí Ceoil' (Mac Mahon, Ó Lionáird, Hill: Gael-Linn CEFDC 164, 1993)
N:Tune variations (bars 3, 8, 10) omitted
L:1/8
Q:1/4=88
M:3/2
K:C
E2 F2|A4 G4 c2 c2|(Hd2 He (3d/e/d/) Hc2 (3cBG E2 E2|(G4 E4) (FE) D2|
w:Ais-ling Gheal do shlad trím néal____ mé, Go__ rabhas-sa tréith_lag_ le
M:4/2
C2 C2 C4 z2 C C E2 F2|
w:seal im lui, 'Gus go rabhas i
M:3/2
(G2 A4) G2 c2 c2|(Hd2 He (3d/e/d/) Hc2 C2 E2 F2|
w:ngleann_ cois abhann i-m'ao____nar, 'Sgo rabhas ag
M:4/2
(G4 E4) (FGFE) (DEDC)|C2 C2 C4 z2 G2 B2 c2|
w:ae_ríocht___ le___ grá mo chroí, Go raibh na
M:3/2
Hd2 (He2 Hf3 e) c2 d c|(c3 d) e2 G G G2 G2|(c3 d) e2 e2 d2 c2|
w:cam-paí__ Gall a-gus Gae_lach, A-gus claimh-te gé-a-ra ag uais-le'n
c4 z2 (GA) (GA G2)|c4 G2 G2 (DF) (ED)|C4 C2 C C E3 F|G4 E4 F E D2|
w:tsaoil; Breith_ bharr__ áidh ia á rá_ le_ chéi-le Go mbeadh lá na naomh a-n-ois le
M:4/2
C2 C2 HC4 z2|]
w:fáil gan mhoill.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 14 - 08:27 PM

is the melody to this song the original melody? The song re-emerged in the late 1960`s when Sean O Riada played it on piano and harpsichord. Given that he was known to touch up old tunes and maybe reinvent them, like Carrickfergus and Port na bPucai, could he have done something similar with Aisling Gheal?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST,Billy Finn
Date: 12 Apr 14 - 04:52 PM

Interesting that O Riada might have composed the modern version of Aisling Gheal. His piano version from 1971 on the Muscrai album is haunting and definitely the same version as Iarla O Lionaird`s.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 14 - 08:43 AM

Both Aisling Gheal and Port na bPúcaí are played by Ó Riada on a new album from Gael Linn. The pieces were played at a concert in March 1971. oriadacd07 Gael Linn release 16 May 2104

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST
Date: 31 May 14 - 07:28 PM

Having listened to the new Sean O Riada 2014 album, I am convinvced that O Riada composed the melodies of Carrickfergus, Aisling Gheal and Port na bPucai. I also suspect he composed the tune Marcshlua Ui Neil from the O Riada sa Gaiety concert 1969. It`s ben described as a spirited Ulster C

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 01 Jun 14 - 04:28 AM

I would agree he had a firm hand in the current versions of the tunes, and a good few others like Caoinneadh an Spailpín. I would look at those sooner as re-workings rather than compositions. Recordings of Port na bPucai by Seán Cheaist Ó Catháin and Muíris Ó Dálaigh for example show the tune in it's earlier pre-Riada form.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST,Billy Finn
Date: 01 Jun 14 - 05:54 PM

Thanks, Peter. You are right about the reworking of those tunes by O Riada, rather than compositions. By the way, are the Blasket island recordings of Port na bPucai any way similar to the current tune? I haven`t heard them and would love to know how alike they are?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 02 Jun 14 - 04:35 AM

Here is the recording from the Blasket island CD, Beauty an Oileáin . Seán 'Cheist' Ó Catháin playing that.

The Muíris Ó Dálaigh recording is included in the 'Otherworld' book/cd. (see here)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 02 Jun 14 - 04:37 AM

TG4 re-ran their Blasket music documentary yesterday as it happens, it's also here on youtube. It touches on Port na bPucai briefly in the playing of Feargal Mac Amhlaoibh in a version learned from Seán 'Cheist



[sorry, had to split my post, the system only allows guest posts a limited number of links for each post]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 02 Jun 14 - 04:43 AM

And the system mangled my link to the Otherworld Book as well: corrected

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Aisling Gheal
From: GUEST,Billy Finn
Date: 02 Jun 14 - 08:06 AM

Many thanks, Peter. Sean Cheaist`s version of Port na bPucai is the same version as Sean O Riada`s and, obviously, O Riada learned it from that version.I have to revise my opinion that O Riada composed these airs and, no doubt, the original version of Aisling Gheal will emerge, in time. That documentary on the Blasket islands was excellent and thanks again. You were very patient to post all the data. Here`s to you, Sean Cheaist O Cathain...may your memory live on whenever Port na bPucai is played.