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This is an original song composed by Michael McGlynn. It appears on Anúna’s 1997 album Behind The Closed Eye (remastered in 2003).
The text uses fragments of the traditional poem Anach Cuain. this was composed by the travelling Irish poet, Antoine Ó Raifteiri, as a lament of the twenty people from Annaghdown (Anach Cuan) who drowned at Menlo, Galway, on 4 September 1828 while on their way to a fair in Galway. Annaghdown is a parish in County Galway, Ireland. It takes its name from Eanach Dhúin, Irish for “the marsh of the fort”.
About thirty villagers with ten sheep and other goods set off in an old boat from the shores of Lough Corrib to go the eight miles into Galway. In those days there was no direct road, and the lake was the nearest way. The boat was rotten, and within two miles of Galway it sprung a leak. One of the men tried to plug it with his coat, and pressing with his heel to drive it more firmly in, drove the whole plank out of the boat. In a few seconds all of these poor people were struggling in the water, and although they were close to land, nineteen of them drowned, eleven men and eight women.
Má fhághaimse sláinte as fada bhéas Tráchtadh ar an méid Do bháthadh as Anach 'S mo thruagh amárach gach athair's máthair Bean as páiste tá ag sileadh súl
Ach lá chó breá leis gan ghaoith ná baisteach Lán an bháid aca sguab' ar siúl
A Rí na nGrásta, cheap Neamh is Párrthas Nár bheag an tábhacht dúinn beirt ná triúr Ach lá chó breá leis gan ghaoith ná baisteach Lán an bháid aca sguab' ar siúl
As long as I have health There will be said about hose Who died at Annaghdown And my sorrow tomorrow every father and mother Woman and child are weeping
But such a beautiful day without wind or rain The whole boat of them to be swept away
King of Graces who created Heaven and Paradise It would not have been much to take two or three But such a beautiful day without wind or rain The whole boat of them to be swept away
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