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The original verses of the song were written in Irish by Máirtín Ó Clochartaigh and Pádraic Ó Maille of Leitir Caladh (a townland to the north of Leitir Mór, County Galway) around the turn of the 20th century. It was published in the review An Claidheamh Soluis in 1911. However, new verses were added at various times and places as the song gained popularity in Irish-speaking districts. In general, the song extols the beauty of a woman called Peigín, and tells how she attracts not only the poet but men from different districts. The song is also played as a polka, without lyrics, by traditional musicians.
From joeheaney.org: This is a song about a little baby, about six months old. And to anybody who didn’t understand what the song was about, to listen to it, to understand the words of it, you’d swear it was a song composed for a beautiful young woman…and the child was only six months old. And she was so nice, so beautiful, that the…poet, or whoever composed the song, was doing her justice before her time. But she– according to everybody, she deserved it.
Curfá O gairim gairim í, Agus gairim í, mo stór; Míle grá le m'anam í 'Sí Peigín Leitir Móir!
Éirigh suas, a Pheigín Agus seas ar bharr an aird Comhar do chuid bullán Agus féach an bhfuil siad ann.
Curfá
Tá Bríd agam 's tá Cáit agam 'Sí Peig an bhean is fearr; Pé'r bith fear a gheobhas í, Nach air a bhéas an t-ádh.
Chuir mé scéala siar chuici Go gceannóin di bád mór; 'Sé'n scéala 'chuir sí anair chugham go ndéanfadh leathbhád seoil.
Tá iascairí na Gaillimhe Ag teacht anior le cóir Le solas gealaí gile Nó go bhfeicidís an tseoid.
Curfá deiridh 'S ó, gairim, gairim í 'Gus gairim í mo stór Míle grá le m'anam í Is gearr go mbeidh sí mór!
Chorus O welcome and acclaimed is she, my love! Dear to my soul, a thousand told, is Peggy Lettermore
Rise up, dear Peggy and stand up on the height count all your cattle, and make sure they're all there
Chorus
I have Brid and I have Kate but Peggy is the best of all whichever man wins her hand, a lucky man he will be
I sent a message west to her, that I would buy a large boat She sent a message back to me that a medium sized sailing boat would do
The Galway fishermen are sailing from the eastwith a fair wind with the light of a bright moon in order to see the "jewel."
Chorus O welcome and acclaimed is she, my love! Dear to my soul, a thousand told, She will soon be big!
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