Ar Éirinn ní nEosfainn cé hÍ
(FOR IRELAND I’D NOT TELL HER NAME)
Aréir is mé téarnamh um’ neoin
Ar an dtaobh thall den teora ‘na mbím,
Do théarnaig an spéir‑bhean im’ chomhair
D’fhág taomanach breoite lag sinn.
Do ghéilleas dá méin is dá cló,
Dá béal tanaí beo milis binn,
Do léimeas fé dhéin dul ‘na comhair,
Is ar Éirinn ní n‑eosfainn cé hí.
Last night as I strolled abroad
On the far side of my farm
I was approached by a comely maiden
Who left me distraught and weak.
I was captivated by her demeanour and shapeliness
By her sensitive and delicate mouth,
I hastened to approach her
But for Ireland I’d not tell her name.
Dá ngéilleadh an spéir‑bhean dom’ ghlór,
Siad ráite mo bheol a bheadh fíor;
Go deimhin duit go ndéanfainn a gnó
Do léirchur i gcóir is i gcrích.
Do léighfinn go léir stair dom' stór,
‘S ba mhéin liom í thógaint dom chroí,
‘S do bhéarfainn an chraobh di ina dóid,
Is ar Éirinn ní n‑eosfainn cé hí.
If only this maiden heeded my words,
What I’d tell her would be true.
Indeed I’d devote myself to her
And see to her welfare.
I would regale her with my story
And I longed to take her to my heart
Where I’d grant her pride of place
But for Ireland I’d not tell her name.
Tá spéir‑bhruinneal mhaordha dheas óg
Ar an taobh thall de’n teora ‘na mbím.
Tá féile ‘gus daonnacht is meoin
Is deise ró mhór ins an mhnaoi,
Tá folt léi a’ tuitim go feoir,
Go cocánach ómarach buí.
Tá lasadh ‘na leacain mar rós,
Is ar Éirinn ní n‑eosfainn cé hí.
There is a beautiful young maiden
On the far side of my farm
Generosity and kindness shine in her face
With the exceeding beauty of her countenance.
Her hair reaches to the ground
Sparkling like yellow gold;
Her cheeks blush like the rose
But for Ireland I’d not tell her name.
Verses and translation as given in Mary O’Hara, ‘A Song for Ireland’.
She notes:
“The melody of this song has travelled far. Clondillon relates hearing a
Romanian folk singer sing the tune believing it to be a Romanian
folksong. Perhaps some soldier of fortune belonging to the Wild Geese had the gift of song...”
I assume O’Hara means that the Irish soldier took the tune to Romania with him. However, she may have meant the improbable but intriguing opposite: he may have brought it back to Ireland from Romania...