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This is a traditional Irish song arranged by Ciarán Brennan. It appears on Clannad‘s third studio album Dúlamán released in 1976. See also two other versions by Anúna and Altan.
Dúlamán is Irish for “channelled wrack”, a type of edible seaweed. The text of the song relates to the Irish practice of gathering seaweed for various purposes, dating from lean times when seaweed was valuable as a defence against famine.
The mother telling the daughter that the men are coming and the girl wanting to look like she’s good housewife material, i.e., showing them she can spin.In the second verse, the mother and daughter are talking about how unattractive the fellow is (the dulaman gaelach); however, in the third and fourth verse they’ve decided that he looks like he could afford to spend some money on them, as he can dress himself fairly well. In the fifth verse, the fellow promises the girl a present as an enticement to marriage. However, in the sixth verse the girl’s daddy (who is also a ‘dulaman gaelach’ – the names change in this verse) demands to know the fellow’s (the ‘dulaman maorach’ now) intentions; and, the daddy declares in the last verse that he’ll not let the fellow take his daughter away. However, the upstart says that he’ll just kidnap her!
In Ireland certain men made their livings by collecting and selling different types of seaweed, and were frequently nicknamed for the particular types in which they dealt. Dúlamán Gaelach is a seaweed used in dying cloth, while dúlamán maorach is an edible variety. The song is a conversation between two seaweed collectors. Dúlamán Gaelach has a beautiful daughter whom Dúlamán Maorach wishes to marry. Gaelach is not exactly thrilled with the idea of having Maorach as a son-in-law, but Maorach elopes with his daughter anyway.
A'níon mhín ó Sin anall na fir shúirí A mháithair mhín ó Cuir na roithléan go dtí mé
Curfá: Dúlamán na binne buí Dúlamán Gaelach Dúlamán na binne buí Dúlamán Gaelach
Tá ceann buí óir Ar an dúlamán gaelach Tá dhá chluais mhaol Ar an dúlamán gaelach
Curfá
Rachaimid 'un an Iúr Leis an dúlamán gaelach Ceannóimid bróga daora Ar an dúlamán gaelach
Bróga breaca dubha Ar an dúlamán gaelach Tá bearéad agus triús Ar an dúlamán gaelach
Ó chuir mé scéala chuici Go gceannóinn cíor dí 'Sé an scéal a chuir sí chugam Go raibh a ceann cíortha
Caidé thug tú 'na tíre? Arsa an dúlamán gaelach Ag súirí le do níon Arsa an dúlamán maorach
Chan fhaigheann tú mo 'níon Arsa an dúlamán gaelach Bheul, fuadóidh mé liom í Arsa an dúlamán maorach
Dúlamán na binne buí Dúlamán a' tsleibhe Dúlamán na farraige Is dúlamán a' deididh
Oh gentle daughter Here come the wooing men Oh gentle mother Put the wheels in motion for me
Chorus: Seaweed of the yellow cliff Irish seaweed Seaweed of the yellow cliff Irish seaweed
There is a yellow-gold head On the Irish seaweed There are two blunt ears On the Irish seaweed
Chorus
We'll go to Newry With the Irish seaweed I would buy expensive shoes Said the Irish seaweed
The Irish seaweed has Beautiful black shoes The Irish seaweed has A beret and trousers
I spent time telling her the story That I would buy a comb for her The story she told back to me That she is well-groomed
"What did you bring from the land?" Says the Irish seaweed "Courting with your daughter" Says the stately seaweed
"You're not taking my daughter" Says the Irish seaweed "Well, I'd take her with me" Says the stately seaweed
Seaweed of the yellow cliff Seaweed of the mountain Seaweed from the sea Seaweed of Déididh
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