The hackler, the weaver, and the tailor in the town have their eyes on this young maiden. So the piper writes this song describing how bad life will be for her if she marries one of them instead of him. The group Altan performs a fine version of the Piper's Song on their debut CD "Altan". The song is also included on their compilation CD - "Altan -the first 10 years."

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Traidisiúnta lirci agus ceol úr Má phósann tú an siostalóir, is tú a bheas ag caoineadh, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó, Ó, beidh tú do thachtadh le barrach na tíre, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó, Ó, beidh tú ‘do shuí go mbeidh sé an meán oíche, Ag síordhó na gcoinneal is ag sciobadh an lín dó, Míle b'fhearr duit mise agat, is ceol binn mo phíoba, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó.	Anonymous If you marry the hackler, it's you who will be crying, My own true love, my fair maiden, Oh you will suffocate with the roots of the earth, My own true love, my fair maiden, Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night, Rummaging for a candle and grabbing the spade, You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes, My own true love, my fair maiden.
Má phósann tú an fíodóir, is tú a bheas ag caoineadh, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó, Beidh céad luig laig ag an úim a scaoileadh, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó, Ó, beidh tú ‘do shuí go mbeidh sé an meán oíche, Ag síordhó na gcoinneal is ag crónan fán íneadh, Míle b'fhearr duit mise agat, is ceol binn mo phíoba, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó.	If you marry the weaver, it's you who will be crying, My own true love, my fair maiden, You'll soon be weak and lost from the working of the loom, My own true love, my fair maiden, Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night, Rummaging for a candle and moaning from the poverty, You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes, My own true love, my fair maiden.
Má phósann tú an tailliúr, is tú a bheas ag caoineadh, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó, Beidh sop i mbéal an dorais, mar bheadh madadh ar charnán aoiligh, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó, Ó, beidh tú do shuí go mbeidh sé an meán oíche, Ag síordhó na gcoinneal is ag creimneáil na bpíosaí, Míle b'fhearr duit mise agat is ceol binn mo phíoba, A mhuirnín dílis ‘fhaoilí ó.	If you marry the tailor, it's you who will be crying, My own true love, my fair maiden, There'll be wisps of straw piled at the door, like a dog would drop his dung, My own true love, my fair maiden, Oh you will sit until it is the middle of the night, Rummaging for a candle and gnawing bits of cloth, You'd much prefer to have me and the sweet music of my pipes, My own true love, my fair maiden.

The Irish piper above is playing the 'War Pipes' as opposed to the Uillean (Elbow) pipes. He is wearing a saffron kilt which is the Irish version and his sporran ('sporán = purse) has no 'war plumes' on it commemorating battles as the Jocks wear. It is, of course, a 19th C. concoction to match the Queen Victoria get-up over the water... Caoimhghín Ó Brolcháin

For additional information on the standard Caighdeán phonetics, consult the pocket dictionary Fóclóir Póca.
Courtesy of Jack & Vivian Hennessey, IrishPage.com, Feb. 2024
Foghraiocht ó (phonetics by) Gearóid Ó hAnnaidh as Lucsamburg
Replay music: Music of the Piper

Filleadh go liosta
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