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Lyr Add: Cathain

23 Aug 00 - 04:14 AM (#283086)
Subject: Cathain
From: Brendy

CATHAIN
(Irish Version Words and Music - Rónán Ó Snodaigh)

Cúrfá - Chorus:
Cathain a thiocfaidh tú abhaile chugam
Ó Cathain a thoicfaidh muid le chéile arís
Cathain a thoicfaidh tú abhaile chugam
fanfaidh mé ar an lá agus fanfaidh mé go dílis
Braithim go bhfuil tú in easnamh orm
Ó braithim uait mé braithim tú i bhfad
Braithim go bhfuil tú in easnamh orm 's neadar
Cathain a bhlaisfidh mé do bheoladh arís

Cúrfá

Cathain a thiocfaidh tú abhaile chugam
Ó Cathain a thoicfaidh muid le chéile arís
Cathain a thoicfaidh tú abhaile chugam
fanfaidh mé ar an lá agus fanfaidh mé go dílis

Tá'n spéir fós ós mo chion, an talamh céanna fúm,
Na sléibhte i mo thimpeal mar a bhí siad ariamh
Tán taoide ag lionadh 's an trá mar a bhíonn
Ach ní ach ar leath shiúl 'tá mé gan tusa le mo thaobh

Cúrfá

Cathain a thiocfaidh tú abhaile chugam
Ó Cathain a thoicfaidh muid le chéile arís
Cathain a thoicfaidh tú abhaile chugam
fanfaidh mé ar an lá agus fanfaidh mé go dílis

Feiceann mé do shúile i mo bhrionglóidí
Cloiseann mé do ghuth is mé í mo luí
Feiceann mé an bóthar ó mo fhuinneog i mo thig
an bóthar úd a thóg tú gan mise le do thaobh.

Cúrfá

Cathain a thiocfaidh tú abhaile chugam
Ó Cathain a thoicfaigh muid le chéile arís
Cathain a thoicfaigh tú abhaile chugam
fanfaidh mé ar an lá agus fanfaidh mé go dílis

B.

23 Aug 00 - 05:02 AM (#283095)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cathain
From: Lox

Cool!

I used to busk with Kila now and then when I lived in Dublin. I remember Ronan being a dude and a damn fine Bodhran player.

It's good to see him get some recognition.

Lox

23 Aug 00 - 05:30 AM (#283097)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cathain
From: Brendy

Couldn't agree more.

Sláinte.

B.

23 Aug 00 - 01:29 PM (#283337)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cathain
From: BeauDangles

Hey Brendy,

Thanks for posting these lyrics! I had no idea of the origins of the song. I thought it was traditional. Any chance for a translation?

BeauD.

23 Aug 00 - 01:38 PM (#283340)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cathain
From: MarciaP

The lyrics are at

http://www.kila.ie/www/music/handel/h_lyrics.html

sorry, don't know how to make it clicky...scroll down the page and you'll find them.

Marcia

23 Aug 00 - 01:39 PM (#283341)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cathain
From: BeauDangles

Wow! I just found your response to my other thread and followed the link. Neat site! I'd be interested in your "updating" of the english translation. I have not as yet been introduced to the music of Kila. I have only read about them in Dirty Linen. I think I will have to put them on my list of cd's to be acquired. Any recommendations of the best recording to get?

Beau

23 Aug 00 - 07:45 PM (#283569)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cathain
From: Brendy

Yo, Beau.

Trouble with translating anything from Irish into English, is that invariably along the way, you will come across words or phrases which do not fit into English as 'literally' as other words or phrases do.
You have, then, an 'interpretation', of the 'offending' words, as a direct translation will not suffice.

For my 'A' Level Irish exam, we were to study a book by Myles na gCopalleen (Flann O'Brian) called 'An Béal Bocht'.
This book is a heavy satire on all things Irish, written in the styles of 3 different literary figures of the genre (Tomás O'Criomhfainn, Séamas Mac Griaínna, and Peg Sayers). The puns in this book; because Myles/O'Brian was both a Gaelic scholar, and a literary genius, were so subtle, and so dry, that it really became a case of "If you weren't there, you wouldn't get the joke". The whole thing was that exclusive.
It was brilliant.

I started translating this book, and tried to fit the images of Corcha Dorcha (like - translate that, and all it's attendant puns, in a form where it would brief and encompass all). I plodded on, and was getting on quite famously. I knew the puns, and at least I had enough of a grip of the imagery that Myles was liberally painting all over his tapestry, to be able to attempt at least a 'working translation'.

I was only doing this for the 'craic', mind you. There was no requirement on any of us to translate the book.
Anyway.
I was about 3 chapters off the end when I walked into our local book store, and nearly died of disgust. There, on the shelf, were rows and rows of 'The Poor Mouth'. This book was 'rendered into English', by an eminent Scholar of the day called Patrick C. Power.
I bought this book, took it home, and started comparing notes (like you do *BG*).

Yeah, of course mine was weaker. Weaker in a load of respects. But I didn't think his was much to write home about neither. Plus the fact there was a large 'glossary' at the back of the book to explain the virtually unexplainable. (maybe this post should be in a different thread *BG*). This book was hailed as a 'masterpiece of modern Irish literature'. Granted, it was good, and Power got the 'essence' of it all surprisingly well, given the 'absolutely definitive masterwork of Irish literature IN OUR TIMES' that he had to strip down, to open the doors of understanding to a public largely ignorant of the themes that weaved it's way through the original, almost, as if, on the whim of na gCopalleen.

Basically my point is this.
I know that translations help the understanding of the original, in order for us to get a better idea as to whats going on. But I'm very sceptical about the using of them; or in Rónán's case, the singing of them, as a substitute for the original.

I mentioned the 'crossover' only to the extent that I would need 5 or 6 tongues flapping around my mouth, at the same time to pronounce all those hard vowel sounds of the translation.

The translation is fine; I see nothing wrong with it the way it is. But you know the craic with 'mouth music'
I don't think I would feel comfortable singing 'Bothán Beag a'Fhionnuaghala' i mBéarla (in English). But the translation would be helpful, if I ever wanted to know what the words meant, if you know what I mean.

Try singing 'Cathain' in English. Doesn't really work, does it?; doesn't suit the ambience?; the genre?.
These things are very important considerations when requiring a song to make the crossover.
I can't think, off hand, of one that has; I'm sure there are, and it's just my blind spot kicking in, but I'm in the process of 'rendering' a few songs by the Norwegian songwriter Jan Eggum into English.
I meet the same walls there; what can you do?
Some things are better left the way they are, I think.

Here's one for you, though. Just as proof that some things are better left 'un-translated' (or at least, not used in it's translated form).

Some wag of a pupil threw a question at me one day, ah, years ago:
"Sir, sir, sir, sir? What's the Irish word for 'banana'?
I said: "What's the English word for a banana?"

'Banana', is, of course, Carribean, in origin.

B.

23 Aug 00 - 08:00 PM (#283581)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cathain
From: Brendy

Sorry.
Forgot the link didin' I?

Kíla Home Page

B.