Caisideach Bán, An

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  • Teideal (Title): Caisideach Bán, An.
  • Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 850105.
  • Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
  • Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): none.
  • Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
  • Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
  • Cnuasach (Collection): Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.
  • Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): Irish.
  • Catagóir (Category): song.
  • Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney.
  • Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): James Cowdery.
  • Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): between 1979 and 1981.
  • Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, United States of America.
  • Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): private.
  • Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
  • Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.

Thug mé an ruaig úd ó mhullach na cruaiche
Thart anuas go dtí bun Sliabh Bháin1
Ar thuairisc mo chailín d’fhág m’intinn buartha
Is rinne sí gual de mo chroí in mo lár.
D’at mo ghuaillí go dtí mo chluasa
Is fuair mé fuagradh glan géar ón mbás
Níl duine dhá gcuala mo scéal an uair úd
Nár dhúirt go mba trua leo an Caisdeach Bán.

Ar cheann an staighre tá plúr gach maighdean
Is í siúd meidhreog an bhrollaigh bháin.
Is trua nach liom í gan bua ná punnta
Í a bheith ar chuntar2 a bheith liom ar láimh.
Dhéanfainn teach mór di ar chúl an bhóthair
Agus chuirfinn cóistí faoina clann,
Is a chúilín ómra dá mblítheá bó dhom
I do cheangal fómhair ní chuirfinn suim.

Translation

I ran headlong from the top of the peak,
Down to the base of the White Mountain,
Seeking the girl who left my mind troubled
and turned my heart to coal.
My shoulders swelled up to my ears,
And I got a clear, sharp warning from death;
No man who heard my story at that time
but said he pitied Fair Cassidy.

At the stairhead stands the flower of maidens,
The lively girl of the white breast.
It’s a pity she’s not mine without conquest or money,
on my arm without payment.
I would build her a big house at the end of the road,
and her children would ride in coaches;
little amber-haired one, if you would milk a cow for me,
I wouldn’t care how you bound the harvest.

Notes

1. Usually: ‘chun an tSléibhe Bháin’.

2. Usually: ‘í a bheith gan cúntas liom…

Additional verses may be found in E. Mhic Choisdealbha, Amhráin Mhuighe Seóla (1923), 89; M. Nic Philibín, Na Caisidigh agus a gCuid Filidheachta (1938), 53; B. O’Rourke,Pale Rainbow: Gaelic Folksongs with English Translations (1990), 96; W. Mahon, Amhráin Chlainne Gael (1991), 20. Recorded by (among others) Josie Sheáin Jeaic Mac Donncha, Pádraig Ó Catháin, and Máirtín Pheaits Ó Cualáin; Darach Ó Catháin sings it to a different air.