Play recording: A Spailpín, a Rún
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- Teideal (Title): A Spailpín, a Rún.
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 850119.
- 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.
‘A spailpín1, a rún, Dé bheatha‑sa chughainn
ná cár bhainis an fómhar chomh luath seo?
Dhá mbeadh a fhios agam féin cé rabhais aréir
Ba ghairid liom do bhéal a phógadh!’
‘A chailligh bhuí chróin, níor mhilis dom do phóg
Is ní ghlacfainn céad bó mar spré leat,
Ach go mb’ fhearr liomsa póg ó chailín beag óg
Ná a bhfuil agat ar bhord an tsliabh amuigh.’
‘A spailpín, a stóir, fan socair go fóill
Go bhfaigheadsa mo chaidhp is mo chlóca
Mo bhróga sál‑bata agus búclaí ar fhaisiún
Is go deimhin duit go mbogfad an ród leat.’
‘Ó rachainn go Caiseal is go Cluain gheal na Meala
Is go Carraig na Siúire thar m’eolas
‘S go bráth, fad a mhairfead, ní fhillfead ar an bhaile,
Is is cuma cé a bhainfidh an eorna.’
Translation
‘My darleen spalpeen, you’re welcome here;
how is it that you’ve cut the harvest so early?
If I had know where you were last night,
I would soon have kissed your mouth!’
‘You swarthy old hag, your kiss would not be sweet to me,
nor would I take a hundred cows as a dowry with you;
I’d prefer a kiss from a young girl
than everything belonging to you out on the mountain.’
‘Oh, spalpeen, my treasure, wait quietly for a moment
until I get my bonnet and my cloak,
my wooden-heeled shoes with the fashionable buckles,
and indeed I will take to the road with you.’
‘I would go to Cashel and to bright Clonmel,
and to Carrick-on-Siur beyond my knowledge;
and forever, as long as I live, I shall not return home
and I don’t care who cuts the barley.’
Notes
1. An itinerant farm-labourer. The name is derived from speal; a scythe. Unemployed people from poor districts — notably Irish-speaking areas — often travelled to more prosperous parts of Ireland in search of seasonal work, especially at harvest-time. This song is meant to be a dialogue between an old woman and the young man who is cutting her crops, who lets her know that he does not find her expressions of love welcome!
This is a Munster song and was not part of Joe’s usual repertoire.