A Little Bit Of Culture...

A little bit of Culture... Poetry from soc.culture.irish

Dánta na hÉireann (poems composed in Irish)

Posted by Gearóid Mac Cuinneagáin
on: 24 July 1999

eala wrote:

I found the following info about this on the web:
...'Amhrán Bréagach / Lying Song' ...published in ....An Crann Faoi Bhláth / The Flowering Tree, Wolfhound Press (1991)...
Does anyone here happen to have Ó Conghaile's original as gaeilge?

K E Dennis wrote:

I thought I'd be able to help, as I have a copy of An Crann Faoi Bhláth - but then I realized why the poem didn't look at all familiar, as Ó Conghaile is not one of those featured in that volume, & Hutchinson's Amhrán Bréagach is completely different - I presume, another example of the way Irish poets echo & answer one another.

A kind-hearted lurker forwarded to me the original Irish, which follows. BTW, speaking of "the way Irish poets echo & answer one another" the air of "Amhrán na mBréag" was recycled for use in a song called "An 'Croppy Lie Down'", an Irish song/poem about listening to the song "Croppy Lie Down". Layers within layers...

Amhrán na mBréag
Micheal Mharcais Ó Conghaile

I Sing Of Lies - translation by James N Healy

[see also The Song of Lies - translation by Pearse Hutchinson]

Is greannúr an sí seo do chím-se ar an bóithribh
Eascú agus píob aici 'sior-sheinim cheóil dúinn
An breac lughach 'sa' linn - och! ba mhín iad a bhróga
Is an bhfeacúir na caoire 'sa' gheimhre 'buaint mhóna?

Da bheicfeá-sa bricín a' breith coinín i bpoll leis
Is nead ag an bhfuiseóg i bhféasog an ghanndail
Ceard uisge 'cronán 's a' buaint ceóil bhreá as trompaí
'Gus madarua ar an dteinteán is an sraouleán ag amhastruigh

Da bhfeicfeá-sa an fhionnóg ar stuaic a' buaint biolair
Is Garrán na mBráthar le n-a chárt a' tomhas mine
Ab´n chearc is an bárdal idir an Spáinneach 's an Turcaigh
'Gus goirae agus bríste air ag ól fíona ar bórd luinge

Do chonnac-sa sgeacha gan mhaidí gan deilgne
Dhá mhadarua is iad gan chluasa gan earball
Teampall ar fuiad gleannta is é a' damhas is ag eiteallaigh
Is ní bréagaí mé féinigh ná an té seo do chreidfeadh mé

I Sing Of Lies
trans., James N Healy

'Twas a funny old thing that i saw by the roadside
an eel with his bagpipes was playing a tune
and the trout in the pool by his side had his shoes on
and was tapping his feet by the light of the moon
mangalum didero shuffle and prance and it's up on your trotters
and join in the dance

There's a sheep futtin' turf in the bog with a skylark
Who is storing the turf in the bread of a goose
While a water-hen 's playing a tune on the jew's harp
And the fox by the fireside is having a snooze

The crow on the hillside is gathering lettuce
while the parson's old horse is out bagging the meal
the hen and the drake took a passage to Turkey
And on board is a hare drinking pints of strong ale

The red rose i plucks had no prickle or thorn
i hope to believe me you never will fail
for the church is down dancing a jig in the valley
and you'd be worse than i if you swallow my tale

--- The End ---