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This is a traditional Irish and Scottish song arranged by Altan. It appears on Atlan’s first studio album Horse With A Heart, released in May 1989.
The following lyrics are taken from the singing of Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, who got the song from the late Neilí Ní Dhomhnaill of Rann na Feirste, Co. Donegal. The song is sung in both Ireland and Scotland and there are many versions of the words and the tune. This version is in the form of the call and answer song typical of many older traditional songs in County Donegal. The Girl/An Cailín lures The Wife/An Bhean out to the strand, binds her by the hair to a rock, and drowns her and the children in order to get the husband for herself. The Wife pleads for mercy and is refused by The Girl. When The Wife sees there is no pity at all in the other woman, she brings down a curse upon her. [a shí ógó / a shíogó] These two terms when spoken or sung sound very much alike. The poet uses a very subtle play on words and increases the irony and emotion of the song with these two terms. The term “Sí óg”, used by the Wife in the song in addressing the Girl, can be translated to mean a young fairy, or more applicable to this situation, a young deceiver. “Síog” or “Síogán”, the term used by the Girl to insult the dying Wife, is a rope-bound stack of grain, referring to her state of being bound by her hair to the rock.
The following lyrics are taken from the singing of Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, who got the song from the late Neilí Ní Dhomhnaill of Rann na Feirste, Co. Donegal. The song is sung in both Ireland and Scotland and there are many versions of the words and the tune. This version is in the form of the call and answer song typical of many older traditional songs in County Donegal. The Girl/An Cailín lures The Wife/An Bhean out to the strand, binds her by the hair to a rock, and drowns her and the children in order to get the husband for herself. The Wife pleads for mercy and is refused by The Girl. When The Wife sees there is no pity at all in the other woman, she brings down a curse upon her.
[a shí ógó / a shíogó] These two terms when spoken or sung sound very much alike. The poet uses a very subtle play on words and increases the irony and emotion of the song with these two terms. The term “Sí óg”, used by the Wife in the song in addressing the Girl, can be translated to mean a young fairy, or more applicable to this situation, a young deceiver. “Síog” or “Síogán”, the term used by the Girl to insult the dying Wife, is a rope-bound stack of grain, referring to her state of being bound by her hair to the rock.
Tá mo grábháil í, a shí ógó Greamaithe don dheánaí, a h-óbó 'S mo ghrábháil gheal fán únán tráigh 'S mé 'gabháil i tsáile i mBaile Leóil
'S a bhean udaí thall, a shí ógó Tá a' siúl na traigh seo a h-óbó Nach truaigh leat bean ina húire ceoidh 'S í 'gabháil a báthadh i mBaile Leóil
Ó níl mo ghaol, a shíogó Nó mo pháirt, a h-óbó 'S an uair nach bhfuil, san úire ceoidh 'S é bheirim cead snámh duit i mBaile Leóil
Tiocfaidh m'athair a shí ógó Anuas fán tráigh a h-óbó Is gheobhaidh sé mise 'mo bhradán bhog bháidhte 'Gabháil i tsáile i mBaile Leóil
Ní thiocfaidh d'athair a shíogó Anuas fán tráigh a h-óbó Ná tiocfaidh mé féin 'na banú an lae A scaoileadh le céaslaidh i mBaile Leóil
Ó tá leanbán agam a shí ógó I gcionn a chúig raithe a h-óbó Is béidh leanbán eile 'na húire ceoidh I gcionn a thrí raithe i mBaile Leóil
Ó tá leanbán agat, a shíogó I gceann a chúig raithe, a h-óbó 'S béidh leanbán agam ó úire ceoidh A bheas ina mháistir i mBaile Leóil
Tabhair mo bheannacht, a shí ógó Annsoir mo mháthair, a h-óbó 'S é darna beannacht ó úire ceoidh 'S ar 'athair mo chlainne i mBaile Leóil
Nár thabharfá mo bheannacht, a shí ógó Annsoir mo mháthair, h-óbó A bhéarfaidh mo mhallacht ó úire ceoidh 'S ón athair mo clainne i mBaile Leóil
Ina méanair Do'n mhnaoí óig, a shí ógó A rachas 'm'áitse, a h-óbó Béidh beithígh geala Ó úire ceoidh Is fuinneogaí gloinn' aici 'mBaile Leóil
Ó mise an bhean óg, a shíogó A rachas 'd'aitse, a h-óbó Béidh beithígh geala Ó úire ceoidh Is fuinneogaí gloinn' aici 'mBaile Leóil
This is my grave, a shí ógó Trapped in the channel, oh no My white grave beneath the foaming strand As I'm drowning in Baile Leóil
Oh woman yonder, a shí ógó Who is walking on the strand, oh no Have you no pity for a woman in her watery grave Who is drowning in Baile Leóil
You're not my relation, a shíogó Nor my friend, oh no The time has come, hasn't it, in the watery grave That I took you to swim in Baile Leóil
My father shall come, a shí ógó Down to the strand, oh no And find my soft bloated body Drowning in Baile Leóil
Your father shan't come, a shíogó Down to the strand, oh no Nor shall I come myself 'til break of day To free you in Baile Leóil
Oh I have a babe, a shí ógó Who is fifteen months old, oh no And another babe will be in his watery grave Who is three months old in Baile Leóil
Oh you have a babe, a shíogó Who is fifteen months old, oh no And I will have a babe from this watery grave Who will be the master in Baile Leóil
Take my blessing, a shí ógó Back to my mother, oh no And my second blessing from a watery grave To the father of my children in Baile Leóil
You would not take my blessing, a shí ógó Back to my mother, oh no You shall take my curse from a watery grave And from the father of my children in Baile Leóil
There's fortune in store For the young woman, a shí ógó Who will take my place, oh no And will have pure white cattle From a watery grave And windows of glass in Baile Leóil
I am the young woman, a shíogó Who will take your place, oh no And will have pure white cattle From a watery grave And windows of glass in Baile Leóil
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