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This is a traditional Gaelic song performed by Kathleen MacInnes. It appears on her album Òg-Mhadainn Shamhraidh released in 2006. There are also many versions of the song in Irish. I’m not certain where she sources this Scottish Gaelic version. Kathleen MacInnes was born and brought up on South Uist, Western Isles, in a Gaelic-speaking home, and has enjoyed a career in television and the theatre as an actress, presenter and singer.
This is not a Connemara song, but comes – as the language indicates – from Munster. Normally, Joe would make changes in a Munster text so that the song would sit more naturally within his own dialect framework; here, however, he makes few such changes, and given the recording circumstances, he may have been using a printed source when he recorded this. ‘Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór’ was not part of his standard repertoire, and he made no commercial recordings of it.
“The air of this song -a lovely tender simple melody – was published for the first time by me in my Ancient Irish Music, It is well known all over Munster, wher it is also called Drahaareen O Mochree [Dearthairín-ó Mo Chroí] ….The Irish words of Jemmy mo Veela Sthore may be seen in my Irish Music and Song.”
Bliadhn' mun àm sa dh'fhalbh Fada bhuam rùn mo chrìdh' Gus an cuairtich e an saoghal Cha bhi dùil ris air ais anns an tìr Nuair a chì mis' e rithist Nach mi nì an ogag 's an gaol Le pòg na blas mil O Jimmy mo mhìle stòr
Bidh mo mhàthair 's m' athair A' gearain 's a' trod rium a' strì Tha mi sgìth 's mi claoidhte 'S mi searbh 's mo bheatha gun sìth Thug mi gaol dhan fhear fhlathail Gun iarraidh thug mise dha pòg 'S chaidh esan a sheòladh O Jimmy mo mhìle stòr
Thig mise dhan choille 'S caithidh mi ann cuid mhath dhem shaogh'l Gun ghuth ann ri chluinntinn Ach ceòl binn bho cheileireadh eòin Aig cas nan craobh chaorainn Far 'eil fhùraichean fàs ann gu leòr Thug mi ghaol dhan fhear fhlathail O Jimmy mo mhìle stòr (2x)
A year ago my heart's love left me For faraway places He'll never return Until he sees the wide world around When I'll see my love coming I'll give him all my love And smother him with honey kisses Oh Jimmy my darling
My father and mother They never can give me ease I'm tired and fed up And tormented with this life I gave my love to the fairest Without asking I kissed him And he went off to sea Oh Jimmy my darling
I'll go to the woods And spend there all of my time With no one around Listening to birdsong Beaneath the rowan tree With flowers aplenty there Giving love to the most heavenly To Jimmy my darling (2x)
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