Mainistir na Búille

Play recording: Mainistir na Búille

Chaith mé seacht seachtainí i Mainistir na Búille
I mo luí ar mo leaba, ní i mo chodladh ach i mo dhúiseacht.
Bhí mé ag súil leat ar chuile leath-uair go dtabhairfeá an sagart faoi rún leat;
Ach bhí tú do mo mhealladh gur chaill mé mo chliú leat.

Is éireoidh mé amáireach le fáinne an lae ghléghil
Is tabharfaidh mé mo chuairt úd ar mo rún-searc má fhéadaim
Fágfaidh mé slán is beannacht ag a maireann de mo ghaolta
Ní feicfear aríst ar cuairt mé go labhraí an chuach ins gach réigiúin.

Chuaigh mo mhuintir go Baile an Róba ag cur mo chónra dhá déanamh
Chuaigh an chuid eile go coillte Eochaill ag bhaint mo chróchair de bharra géaga ann.
Tá súil a’m le Rí na Glóire go mbeidh siad uilig bréagach –
Beidh mise is mo mhíle stóirín seal ag gabháil lena chéile.

Mar bhláth bán na n-áirní a bhíonns mo ghrá i dtús an tsamhraidh
Nó na faoileáiníní bána a bhíonns ag snámh ar Loch Éirne.
Ó, dúirt tú is gheall tú ‘gus rinne tú bréag liom;
Dhá bpóstaí le tríur thú, bheadh mo shúil leat ina dhéidh sin.

Translation

I spent seven weeks in Boyle Abbey,
Lying in my bed – not sleeping but awake –
Expecting every half-hour to see you coming with the priest in secret;
But you were only seducing me, until I had lost my virtue with you.

I will arise tomorrow at dawn,
And I will go to visit my love, if I can;
I will bid farewell to my relations,
And I will not be seen again until the cuckoo calls in every region.

My people have gone to Ballinrobe to get a coffin made for me;
And others have gone to the woods of Youghal to cut my bier from the branches there.
I trust in the King of Glory that they are all liars,
And that my darling and I will be together yet.

My love is like the white flowers of the sloe at the beginning of summer,
Or like the little white gulls that swim on the waters of Lough Erne.
You told me, you promised me – and you told me a lie;
But if you were married to three [women] I would still look for you after that.