Everybody from Ireland probably learned this song in school. It was used in Riverdance. Bíonn dhá insint ar scéal agus dhá leagan déag ar amhrán "there are two tellings to every story, and twelve versions of every song!" The poem was written by the famous Irish language poet, Antaine Ó Raifteirí. This is considered to be his greatest piece.

le Antaine Ó Raifteirí 1784-1835 "Anois teacht an Earraigh beidh an lá dúl chun shíneadh, Is tar eis na féil Bríde ardóigh mé mo sheol. Go Coillte Mach rachad ní stopfaidh me choíche Go seasfaidh mé síos i lár Chondae Mhaigh Eo." I gClár Chlainne Mhuiris A bheas mé an chéad oíche, Is I mballa taobh thíos de A thosós mé ag ól Go Coillte Mách rachad Go ndéanfad cuairt mhíosa ann I bhfogas dhá mhíle Do Bhéal an átha Mhóir. Fágaim le huacht é go n-éiríonn mo chroí-se Mar a éiríonn an ghaoth nó mar a scaipeann an ceo Nuair a smaoiním ar Cheara nó ar Ghaileang taobh thíos de Ar Sceathach an Mhíle nó ar phlánaí Mhaigh Eo. Cill Aodáin an baile a bhfásann gach ní ann, Tá sméara is subh craobh ann is meas de gach sórt, Is dá mbéinnse i mo sheasamh i gceartlár mo dhaoine D'imeodh an aois díom is bheinn arís óg. Bíonn cruithneacht is coirce, fás eorna is lín ann, Seagal i gcraobh ann, arán plúir agus feoil, Lucht déanta poitín gan licence á dhíol ann, Móruaisle na tíre ann ag imirt is ag ól. Tá cur agus treabhadh is leasú gan aoileach Is iomaí sin ní ann nár labhair me go fóill, áitheanna is muilte ag obair gan scíth ann, Deamhan caint ar phingin cíosa ná dada dá shórt.

by Frank O'Connor Now with the springtime The days will grow longer And after St. Bride's day' My sail I'll let go I put my mind to it, And I never will linger Till I find myself back In the County Mayo. In Clare of Morris family I will be the first night and in the Wall on the side below it I will begin to drink to Maghs Woods I shall go until I shall make a months visit there two miles close to the Mouth of the Big Ford. I swear that my heart rises up as the wind rises up or as the fog lifts when I think about Ceara or about Gaileang on the lower side of it about Sceathach an Mhíle or about the plains of Mayo. Cill Liadain is the town where everything grows there are blackberries and raspberries there and every sort of fruit and were I to be standing in the center of my people age would depart from me and I would be again young. There is always wheat and oats growing barley and flax there rye in branch there flower-bread and meat the folks who make moonshine without a licence selling it there the pride of the country playing and drinking. There is sowing and plowing and fertilizing without manure and it’s many the thing there of which I have not yet spoken kilns and mills working without rest there with hardly any talk about a pennys rent or about nothing of that sort.

Courtesy of Jack & Viaian Hennessey at IrishPage.com June 2024

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