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This is a traditional Irish song arranged by Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill and Dónal Lunny. It appears on the album Dhá Phingin Spré (No Dowry) the second music album by Irish musician Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill. It was released in both Ireland and contintenal Europe in 1991. See another version An Clár Bog Déil by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Frankie Kennedy.
This fine song, with its intriguing and splendid melody, was widely sung in Munster in the early decades of the 19th century. The reference in O’Daly’s Poets and Poetry of Munster states that the original version of An Clár Bog Déil is better known as Caiseal Mumhan. It suggests further that the song was originally written by an Augustinian friar, the Reverend William English of Newcastle West, Co. Limerick who previous to his taking the Augustinian habit had produced many striking and beautiful songs in his native tongue.
Phósfainn thú gan bó Gan puntaí gan dhá phingin spré Leagfainn fúm thú maidin drúchta Le bánú an lae Mo ghalar dúnta gan mé agus tú A ghrá mo chléibh I gCaiseal Dubh is gan de leaba fúinn Ach an chlár board deal
Bean solasta ní mholfaidh mé Is ní cháinfidh mé í Bean dorcha ní ghlacfaidh mé Go deo mar mhnaoi Iníon bhodaigh ní shantóidh me Mar gheall ar mhaoin Ach pósfaidh mé mo stórín Is í grá mo chroí
O léifinn leabhar Gaeilge Agus canúint mhaith chrua Scríofaidh mé ina dhiaidh sin Le barr mo phinn Loch Éirne go snámhfainn Ar chúl mo chinn Is dá dtéadh agam bean a bhréagadh Bheadh an báire liom
Ná síl cé gurb íseal Nach uasal mé Ná síl gur insan díog adaí A fuarthas mé Sín síos liom seal míosa Agus cuartaígh mé Is gheobhaidh tú scríofa in mo thaobh deas Gur b'uasal mé
I would marry you without a cow Without pounds, without tuppence dowry I would lay you beneath me on a dewy morning At the dawn of the day It is my complete affliction that you and I My darling love Aren't in Caiseal Dubh with nothing for a bed But the deal board
A bright woman I'll not praise And I'll not find fault with I'll never take a dark woman As a wife I'll not desire the daughter of somebody important Because of wealth But I'll marry my darling She's the love of my heart
Oh I would read an Irish book In good, hard language After that, I'll write With the tip of my pen I'd swim Loch Éirne On my back And if I could entice a woman I'd have won the day
Don't think that I'm not noble Even though I'm lowly Don't think that in yonder ditch I was found Lie down beside me for a month or so And try me out And you'll find written in my right side That I'm a playboy
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