Dónall Óg
Sampla d’amhrán an chailín óig thréighte atá anseo, nó chanson de jeune fille mar a thug Seán Ó Tuama air. Tréigeann a leannán, Dónall Óg, an bhean óg agus fágtar í croíbhriste. Tá focail an amhráin simplí agus cumhachtach, agus tá an véarsa deiridh ar cheann de na píosaí filíochta is deise dá bhfuil le fáil sna hamhráin sean-nóis.
This is a song of unrequited love from the female perspective or a chanson de jeune fille as catagorised by Seán Ó Tuama. In this song the young woman’s lover, Dónall Óg, has left her and she is completely heartbroken. The lyrics are simple and powerful, and the last verse in particular is one of the most heartfelt poetic verses in the Irish language song tradition.
Dónall Óg
A Dhónaill Óig, má théir thar farraige
Tabhair mé fhéin leat is ná déan do dhearmad
Beidh agat féirín lá aonaigh is margaidh
Agus iníon rí Ghréige mar chéile leapan agat.
Gheall tú dhomsa ach rinne tú bréag liom
Go mbeifeá romham ag cró na gcaorach
Lig mé fead ort is dhá chéad béiceach
Ach ní bhfuair mé freagra ach na huain ag méileach.
Thug mé grá dhuit is mé beag bídeach
Chuir mé barr ar is mé mór millteach
Níorbh é sin an grá a thug an t-uan don chaora
Ach an grá buan daingean nach féidir a scaoileadh.
Fuair mé póigín, is ní ó chladhaire
An dara póg ag bun an staighre
An tríú póg ag dul a luí dhom
Agus murach an phóg sin bheinn fós i mo mhaighdean.
Tá mo chroí chomh dubh le hairne
Nó le gual dubh a dhóifí i gceartain
Le bonn bróige ar hallaí bána
Is tá lionn dubh mór os cionn mo gháire.
Fuagraím an grá, is mairg a thug é
Do mhac na mná úd ariamh nár thuig é
Mo chroí in mo lár gur fhág sé dubh é
’S ní fheicim ar an tsráid ná in áit ar bith é.
Bhain tú thoir agus bhain tú thiar dhíom
Bhain tú an ghealach gheal is an ghrian dhíom
Bhain tú an croí a bhí i lár mo chléibhe dhíom
’Gus is rímhór m’fhaitíos gur bhain tú Dia dhíom.
Dónall Óg
Oh young Dónall if you take to the sea
Carry me with you and don’t forget me
You will have gifts at fairs and markets
The Greek king’s daughter to take to bed with you.
You made me a promise but told a false truth
That you’d meet me at the sheep’s enclosure
I whistled at you and two hundred cries
I got no answer as the sheep whined.
I gave you my love when I was young
Surpassed that love when I grew older
Not the love of a sheep for the lamb
But deep long love that cannot be undone.
I was kissed, and not by a fool
The second kiss at the bottom of the stairs
The third kiss as I was going to my bed
Were it not for that kiss, I'd still be a virgin.
My heart is as dark as the blackthorn
Or the blackest of coal being burned in a forge
As the trace of a shoe on a white hall
There is a melancholy hanging over my smile.
I renounce that love and he who gave it in sorrow
To the son of that woman, who never understood it
My heart has fallen, for blackened he left it
He’s not on the street and not to be found here.
You took my east and you took my west
You took the moon and sun from me
You took the heart right out of me
And much is my fear that you took God from me.
Translation: Dairena Ní Chinnéide