An Lacha Bhacach

The Lame Duck
This traditional Irish sean-nós song is about an injured duck, lovingly nursed back to health by its finder. In the vid more...

This traditional Irish sean-nós song is about an injured duck, lovingly nursed back to health by its finder. In the video is a beautiful rendition by sean-nós singer Nell Ní Chróinín. She is originally from ‘An Choill Mhór’, in the Irish-speaking town of Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, although her family is originally from nearby Cúil Aodha. Her interest in sean-nós singing arose after attending her first Oireachtas na Gaeilge event when she was ten years old. Ní Chróinín started singing lessons and was particularly influenced by local singers such as Máire Ní Cheilleachar and Eoiní Maidhcí Ó Suilleabháin, from whom she was able to learn her songs. As a teenager, she succeeded in winning prestigious sean-nós singing prizes, in particular winning in her age category at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2005 and 2006.

Over the years, Ní Chróinín has made several television appearances as a guest singer, generally on the Irish language television station TG4. She has sung on traditional music shows such as Geanntraí and Anam an Amhrán, and she was also the subject of an episode of Amhráin is Ansa Liom in 2010, a programme where a chosen traditional Irish singer sings and discusses four of their favourite pieces.

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Irish

English

My poor wounded craytur, you’re breaking my heart
Lying sore by the door you look terribly bad
How lovely your wing now all flowing with muck,
Your wee paw now so raw, in two halves it is cut.

Didery aighle dam dodle di am the dam dam (x2)
How lovely your wing now all flowing with muck,
Your wee paw now so raw, in two halves it is cut.

That donkey I’m sure he gave you a fair whack
So may an iron brand all day burn hard on his back
I’ll tie him up for nine days in the field out the back
And my trusty shelalegh will dance on his crack

Didery aighle dam dodle di am the dam dam (x2)
I’ll tie him up for nine days in the field out the back
And my trusty shelalegh will dance on his crack

Come here now my pride
To see how you were hewn
And don’t be so noisy with your whinging tune
With breaking and bawling, your burden is huge
Shur ‘tis torture the dance of the duck with the wound

Didery aighle dam dodle di am the dam dam (x2)
With breaking and bawling, your burden is huge
Shur ‘tis torture the dance of the duck with the wound

What’ll happen tomorrow, consider my case
With no nice blue egg
To greet my morning face
For the loss of your eggs in poor health I am struck
But I’ve patience and faith in my little lame duck

Didery aighle dam dodle di am the dam dam (x2)
For the loss of your eggs in poor health I am struck
But I’ve patience and faith in my little lame duck

I’ll build you a pond to swim away out
Shur it is the best cure for the lame duck no doubt
Go on with your shivering scared little wings
By the start of next March you will fly high and sing.

Didery aighle dam dodle di am the dam dam (x2)
Go on with your shivering scared little wings
By the start of next March you will fly high and sing.

Extra verse:

Come with me right way o’er the old home threshold
Stay there and I’ll wrap you in bandage and board
To give plaster cast growth
To your fractured wee bones
And nine days to just doze in your own happy home

Can you provide a better translation?

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