Goodbye to Carlow Town
Themes: Love, patriotism, hero. Ballad about Carlow town in which a woman's lover dies in the fight for Ireland's liberty. Written by S. McCarthy
Town, hero, love
Sung by Damien Brett
From Carlow Streams
Richard Breen
Ballad books
English
Grá Faoi Bhláth
Love song
Love song, sung by Lisa Butler
From Carlow Streams
Richard Breen
Recording
A Visit to the Singers’ Club,
Author: Mikey Byrne
Theme: Local event and characters
Location: Carlow town
Mikey visited the Singers' Club in Carlow and wrote this afterwards
Mikey Byrne Collection
From Carlow Streams
Richard Breen
The Seed in the Soil
Author: D. Barron
Air: THUGAMAR FÉIN AN SAMHRADH LINN
Performed by the Carlow Storytellers
The traditional air is a celebration of summer. The new words seek to reflect and celebrate all four seasons in their ongoing cycles of the Natural world.
Lyrics:
The seed in the soil creeps up to the light
Seeking new life in Springtime cold;
The slow beat of life shows green, shows white,
Growing new buds in flower and grove.
The flower, bud and leaf then burst into life,
Pulsing with sap as Springtime thrives;
The riot of life leaps up to the sky;
Lush life from the sun; bees fill hives.
In full Summer bloom all Nature’s in tune,
God’s bounty fills each vale and hill;
All fish, flesh and fowl, bole, branch and flower
Thrill to the sound of stream and rill.
And when Autumn’s here the earth’s in good cheer
Sharing its wealth of fruit and grain;
The barns all full, the year’s nearly done,
God’s gifts replenished all again.
In late Autumn sun the earth’s work is done,
Energy spent, it’s time to sleep;
The leaves and flowers return to their bowers,
Feed for the seeds in Winter’s keep.
From Carlow Streams
Richard Breen
The Martyrdom of Kevin Barry,
Author: M.C. Nolan
Air: The Foggy Dew
Singer 1: Paddy Lawless, Borris
Singer 2: Paddy Lawless
Theme: Hero, patriotic martyr
Location: Carlow County
Another song in praise of Kevin Barry, written by MCN of Borris
Nano's Song
Author: D. Barron
Air: Sé Mo Laoch (Mo Ghiolla Mear)
Sung by Mary Butler
Theme: hero, love, family hopes.
Se Mo Laoch is a song about heroes. Heroes give us joy and pride and hope: we celebrate with joy at their victories; we take pride in their deeds; we take hope from their potential to overcome adver-sity. Grandchildren also bring those gifts of joy, pride and hope to grandparents. Having experi-enced what’s important in life, grandparents wish fulfillment and contentment for their grandchildren. This happiness can be found through caring and fulfilling relationships, something all humans need and that grandparents wish for their grandchildren.
It is fitting that the traditional air be given these new words about its original theme.
Dado’s**** Song ( Amhran Daideo)
Chorus
Gasúin Óg* you melt my heart;
Torthaí glúine imithe, thart**;
Bring me joy and pride and hope;
Síol na nglúine le teacht fós***.
Cailín Óg, you light my life,
Beaming through the fog of life,
Piercing gloom with your coy smile,
Charming my old heart with joy.
Find a man who’s true to you;
Together see life’s voyage through;
Be aware of both your needs,
May ‘Fulfill each other’ be your creed.
Chorus
Buachaill Óg, you are my pride,
Strong in limb and swift in mind;
You are the minder of our blood:
Grow wise and brave, be kind, be good.
Find a wife, respect her well,
Avoid the loud and gaudy girls;
Keep her safe, make her smile;
Meet both your needs, all the while.
Chorus
May old age see you safe and sound
With friends and family all around,
Admiring all you have achieved,
And your heart content with all your deeds
Gasúin Og, you bring me hope
That age is more than tattered coat;
I will be more than old scarecrow:
My ageing heart restores its glow.
Chorus
*Young Children
**Fruits of generations gone, finished
***Seed of generations still to come
**** Daideo, ‘Dado’ = Grandfather
From Carlow Streams
An Londubh is an Céirseach
Singer: Lisa Butler
One of the traditional love songs from the native culture,
Theme: Love.
AN LONDUBH IS AN CHÉIRSEACH (scroll down for translation)
Tá an londubh is an chéirseach, is an fhuiseoigín le chéile,
Is an smóilín binn bréagach ina ndiaidh i ngach aird,
An chuach i measc an méid sin ag seinm dánta is dréachta
Do chúl trom tais na bpéarlaí is do mo chéad míle grá.
Dá mbeinnse i mo smóilín do leanfainn tríd an mhóin í,
Mar is ise bláth na hóige a thógfadh suas mo chroí.
Ó bheinnse ag seinm ceoil dí ó mhaidin go tráthnóna,
Le ceiliúr binn á cealgadh is le móráil dá gnaoi.
Is trua gan mé is mo shiúirín is barr mo láimhe dlúth léi,
Go seinnfinn di go súgach ar cheolchruit go sámh;
A lao, nárbh aoibhinn domsa dá bhfaighinnse cead bheith ag siúl léi,
Is a rún mo chroí, bí ag súil liom le héirí don lá.
The Blackbird and the Song Thrush
The blackbird and the song thrush and the little lark together,
And the sweet voiced little thrush following them every way,
The cuckoo among them playing poems and little ditties
To your damp pearly hair for you are my first love.
Were I a little thrush I'd follow her through the meadow,
For she is the bloom of youth who would lift up my heart.
O I'd be playing music for her from morning to evening,
With a sweet melody celebrating her and praising her looks.
'Tis a pity I'm not her little sister and the top of my hand tight in hers,
That I as if drunk might play for her on a tuneful harp with gentleness;
My darling, wouldn't it be my delight if I'd be allowed to walk beside her,
And, o you love of my heart, be waiting for me as the day is dawning.
From Carlow Streams
Teresa Malone, Mac Suibhne / Walshe
Battle of Kilcumney
South, Hero
Theme: Heroism, local history.
The song is about an event during the 1798 rebellion in south Carlow.
From Carlow Streams
Richard Breen
English
Senses and Soul
Author: D. Barron
Air: Táim i mo Shuí
Táim i mo Shuí: I am sitting. The pace and complexity of our modern world is often too much for us. The distress and strain of life fragments our sense of wellbeingng; our human nature is dismembered. We are unhappy and discontented. We need to make time for ourselves to recreate our selves, in all our human potential and richness. We need to sit, to take time to allow our human nature reconnect with God’s Nature, to allow Nature to restore us towards our full humanity.
Lyrics:
When the scream of the city has dazzled and frazzled my brain
And the strain and distress everyday seems just the same
I return to Nature seeking escape from the race
And make time for my mind to refind my senses and soul.
When my eyes are scarred by the grasp of the screen’s gaudy glare,
Tv, PC, iPhone and iPad all reign the same,
My eyes seek the green, the azure, the purple, the grey
And make time for my mind to refind my senses and soul.
When my ears are numbed by the drum of the city’s loud wail
And the voices all talking at me are dazing my brain
I long for the whisper of wind or the lapping of lake
And make time for my mind to refind my senses and soul.
When the fumes of the city pollute my nostrils and skin
And the stench seems to ooze from every pore in my being
I seek the embrace of wild wave or high mountain wind
And make time for my mind to refind my senses and soul.
Dave Barron
From Carlow Streams
Richard Breen
The Lonely House (An Teach Folamh)
Air: Ar Éireann ní neosfainn cé hí
Author: D. Barron
Singer: Tony Malone
All across the country are empty, derelict houses that once were vibrant centres of family life. What stories might those old ruins tell, if they could speak!
Lyrics:
I once was a house, more a home,
Where my families felt safe and secure;
Now they’re scattered all over the globe
And I’m left here lone, broken and poor.
My roof that once sheltered them all
Now lies broken and bare to the sky;
No rafter or thatch now at all,
Thorn and ivy grow chimney stack high.
My walls once were sturdy and strong,
Now they’re crumbling, like old broken bones;
One time whistling the family song,
Now the wínd whines, so lonely: sorrow!
My windows are shattered and gone,
Poor, blind, sightless eyes to the sky;
Long ago they glistened and shone
Like my childrens’ bright eyes inside.
My hearth now lies empty and cold
Where once my fire glowed so bright;
My chimney where once warm smoke flowed,
Now a tombstone for times long gone by.
Yes, I once was a home, a warm place
Where my families enjoyed happy days;
Now they’ve parted and gone their own ways
And I’m cold here, a lonely old place.
From Carlow Streams
English