Nan Ghriallais - Amhrán Mhaínse

Lyrics:

Is dhá mbeinn trí léig i bhfarraige
Nó i sléibhte i bhfad ó thír,
Is gan aon neach beo i mo thimpeall
Ach an raithneach glas is fraoch,
An sneachta á shéideadh ó thuas ó dheas
Is an ghaoth dhá fhuadach dhíom,
Is mé a bheith ag comhrá le mo Taimín Bán
Is níorbh fhada liomsa an oíche.

A Mhuire dhílis, céard a dhéanfas mé?
Tá an oíche seo a' tíocht fuar,
A Mhuire dhílis, céard a dhéanfas mé
Leis an teach seo is a bhfuil ann?
Dhá mba tusa fhéin a d’imeodh uaim
Agus ise fanacht beo,
Bheinn ag comhrá le mo Taimín Bán
Is níorbh fhada liomsa an oíche

Is dhá mbeadh mo chlann sa mbaile agam
An oíche a bhfaighinnse bás,
Agus chaoinfidís go hard mé,
Trí oíche agus trí lá,
Bheadh píopaí fada cailce acu
Na ceaigeannaí is iad lán,
Is thabhairfeadh Taimín Bán go Maínis mé
Nó is olc a bheadh an lá.

Is ag gabháil siar le Inse Ghainimh dhom
Beidh farraige ag éirí ard
Ná cuirigí i Leitir Calaidh mé
Mar ní ann atá mo dhream;
Ach cuirigí thiar i Maínis mé,
Áit a gcaoinfear mé os ard,
Beidh soilse ar na dúchúnna
Is ní bheidh uaigneas orm ann.

Translation:
If I were three leagues out to sea,
Or on mountains far from the country,
With no living creature around me
But the green ferns and the heather,
The snow being blown up and down,
And the wind carrying it off me,
If I were talking to my Taimín Bán,
The night wouldn't seem long to me.

Loyal Mary, what will I do?
The coming night is cold,
Loyal Mary, what will I do
With this house and all in it?
If it were you who were leaving me,
And she were staying alive,
I would be talking with my Taimín Bán
And the night wouldn't seem long to me.

And if my family were at home,
The night that I die,
They would mourn me loudly,
For three days and three nights,
They would have long clay pipes,
Kegs which would be full,
And Taimín Bán would take me to Maínis,
Or else the day would be bad.

Going west past Inis Ghainimh,
The sea will be rising high,
Don't bury me in Leitir Caladh,
Because that's not where my people are;
But rather bury in Maínis,
Where I'll be lamented out loud,
There'll be lights on the peat mounds,
And I won't be lonely there.

This song is a little unusual in that we actually know who wrote it. Máire Ní Chlochartaigh, from Maínis, wrote this song on her deathbed instructing her husband Taimín Bán, not to bury her in Leitir Caladh but rather in her birthplace on Maínis. Unfortunately, a storm made the sea journey from Leitir Caladh to Maínis too treacherous for three full days after her death, so her dying wish was not granted and she was buried on Leitir Caladh.


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