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Songwriters: Ciarán Brennan, Moya Brennan, Noel Duggan, Padraig Duggan. This song appears on Clannad’s fifth album Crann Úll, released in 1980. It is written in the key of A major and it doesn’t follow any standard rhythm. It starts with a chord progression, which is then followed through most of the song. Then as the mandolin appears at first, the song gets a more traditional form – since then it is played in common time which sometimes changes to 7/8 or 5/4 time signature.
One of the main characteristic signs of the song is the notable use of a Fender-Rhodes electric piano in the second section of the song. The other is a flute solo which begins at around 1:50, and is followed by a bluesish acoustic guitar solo.
Ar a ghabháil 'n a 'chuain damh 'S mé bhí go huaibhreach Tinn lag buartha im intinn Bhi me feachaint uaim ar an speir aduaidh 'S í éaló uaim 'na trealtai
Ach faraoir géar géar 'S mé an ceann gan chéill Níor ghlac mé comhairle mo mháithrin féin 'S gur dhúirt sí liom fríd chomrá ghrinn Go Béal-Ath-hAmhnais 's ná triall ann
Ach ba mhón a thug mé grá Do mo chailín bán An lá breá i gcúl an gharraí 'S do bhéilín bláth mar chúr na trá 'S do ghruann chomh dearg leis na caorthainn
Chuir mé lámh ar an chuan 'S bhí mo chroí lán gruaim Ag ceiliúr caoin na n-éanlaith 'S nach trua gan mise ag éaló leat Faoi rópaí 's seoltaí seidte
Orú, a chuid 's a rún Dá ngluaisfeá ar súil Go tír na long as Éirinn Níl tuirse croí nó tinneas cinn Nach leighisfí ann gan amhras
Nó ba tú mo rogha innui is inné Agus coinnich agat féin ón bhás mé Nó gan ghrásta Dé ní mhairfitdh mé Ar an tsráid seo i mBéal-Ath-hAmhnais
I walked down by the sea Right wearily My heart, it was tormented From a northern sky the small clouds did fly And sorely I lamented
I'm sorry now I swear That I didn't care To heed my mother's caution She spoke to me fair saying don't venture there Don't go the road to Ballyhaunis
Yet dearly did I love My fair-haired girl In the garden that morning early Your lips as tender as the foam on the ocean's rim And cheeks like red haw-berries
I put my arm around your waist But my mind knew no ease Though the small birds sang so gaily I wished we were going under white sails blowing Be it fair or stormy weather
My own heart's dear If you'd come away To that land of ships from Ireland There's no heartache nor there's no pain That wouldn't find a cure for certain
You are the one I've always loved So save me now from dying For without God's grace I'll never survive On this street in Ballyhaunis
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