Dún do Shúil

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  • Teideal (Title): Dún do Shúil.
  • Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 853920.
  • 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): Lucy Simpson.
  • Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 18/06/1981.
  • Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, 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.

Dún do shúil, a rúin mo chroí
A chuid den tsaol is mo bhláth-sa
Dún do shúil, a ghrá mo chroí
Is gheobhaidh tú féirín amárach

Tá do dheaide ag teacht ón tsíol ar fad
ón tsíol ar fad, ón tsíol ar fad
Tá do dheaide ag teacht ón tsíol ar fad
Is gheobhaidh tú féirín amárach

Dún do shúil, a rúin mo chroí
A chuid den tsaol is a ghrá bán
Dún do shúil, a ghrá mo chroí
Is gheobhaidh tú féirín amárach.

Tá do mháithrín ag obair go dian sa teach
go dian sa teach, go dian san teach
Tá do mháithrín ag obair go dian sa teach
Is tabhairfaidh sí féirín duit amárach.

Dún do shúil, a rúin mo chroí
A chuid den tsaol is a ghrá bán
Dún do shúil, a rúin mo chroí
Is gheobhaidh tú féirín amárach.

Tá na haingle amuigh ar an teach ar fad
ag fanacht leat, ag fanacht leat
Tá na haingle amuigh ar an teach ar fad
ag fanacht le mo dheaidín amárach.

Dún do shúil, a rúin mo chroí
A chuid den tsaol is a ghrá bán
Dún do shúil, a stóir mo chroí
Is gheobhaidh tú féirín amárach.

Translation

Close your eyes, secret of my heart
My life’s portion, my flower
Close your eyes, love of my heart
And you’ll get a present tomorrow.

Your daddy is coming in from the sowing
In from the sowing, in from the sowing,
Your daddy is coming in from the sowing
And you’ll get a present tomorrow.

Close your eyes, secret of my heart
My life’s portion, my dear love
Close your eyes, love of my heart
And you’ll get a present tomorrow.

Your mother is working hard in the house
Hard in the house, hard in the house
Your mother is working hard in the house
And she’ll give you a present tomorrow.

Close your eyes, secret of my heart
My life’s portion, my dear love
Close your eyes, secret of my heart
And you’ll get a present tomorrow.

The angels are hovering above the house
Waiting for you, waiting for you,
The angels are hovering above the house
Waiting for my little daddy tomorrow.

Close your eyes, secret of my heart
My life’s portion, my dear love
Close your eyes, my heart’s treasure
And you’ll get a present tomorrow.

Notes

On other occasions Joe sang different verses to this well-known lullaby:

Tá do dheaide ag teacht ón tuinn isteach
Ón tuinn isteach, ón tuinn isteach
Tá do dheaide ag teacht ón tuinn isteach
Is innseoidh sé scéal dhuit amárach.

Tá na síógai ag teacht ag faire ort
Ag faire ort, ag faire ort
Tá na síógai ag teacht ag faire ort
Ach ní bhfaighidh siad mo leanbh go bráth, bráth.

Your daddy is coming in from the sea,
From the sea, from the sea
Your daddy is coming in from the sea
And he’ll tell you a story tomorrow.

The fairies are coming to watch for you
To watch for you, to watch for you
The fairies are coming to watch for you
But they’ll never get my baby!

A number of Joe’s songs and stories relate to the belief in people being stolen by fairies. See Tháinig Bean Cois Leasa, The Fairy Boy, The Fairy Frog, The Fairy Greyhound, The Woman Who Came Back from the Dead, Why children are stolen by the fairies, The Changeling, and Seoithín, Seo-hó.