Play recording: Chúilfhionn, An
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- Teideal (Title): Chúilfhionn, An.
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 855413.
- 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): Robin Hiteshew.
- Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 16/03/1980.
- Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Devon, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
- Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): concert.
- Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
- Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.
An bhfaca tú an chúilfhionn ‘s í ag siúl ar na bóithre
Maidin gheal drúchta, ní raibh smúit ar a bróga
Is iomadh ógánach súlghlas ag tnúth lena pósadh
Ach ní bhfaighidh siad mo rún-sa ar an gcúntar is dóigh leo.
An bhfaca tú mo bhábán lá breá is í ina haonar
A cúl dualach drisleánach go slinneán síos léi?
Mil ar an ógmhnaoi is rós breá ina héadan
Gur dóigh le gach spreasán gur leannán leis féin í.
An bhfaca tú mo spéirbhean ‘s í taobh leis an toinn
Fáinní óir ar a méara ‘s í ag réiteach a cinn?
‘Sé dúirt an Paorach a bhí ina mhaor ar an loing
Go mb’fhearr leis aige féin í ná Éire gan roinn.
Translation
Have you seen the faired-haired girl walking down the road
on a bright dewy morning, not a drop on her shoes?
Many’s the grey-eyed youth thinking to marry her,
but they’ll not get my treasure for the bargain they have in mind.
Did you see my baby on a fine day on her own,
her twining tresses tumbling down to her shoulders?
Sweet young woman of rosy countenance,
whom every worthless youth imagines will be his sweetheart.
Did you see the goddess by the side of the sea,
gold rings on her fingers, dressing her hair?
Power, steward on the boat,
said that he’d rather have her than the whole of Ireland.
Notes
‘The Coolin’ is one of the most famous of Irish slow airs, recorded by Edward Bunting at the end of the eighteenth century, and almost always performed instrumentally. In fact, this text doesn’t really suit the air – or not, at least, as we are used to hearing it. Normally, a text takes precedence over its air in suggesting the rhythmical nuance of the performance; in this case, however, Joe is constrained by the well-known air into bending the verse to fit. The result is that some words seem to receive stress on the wrong syllable, others are stretched to breaking-point, and still others race by for no good reason. ‘An Chúilfhionn’ is more convincing on the harp or the uillean pipes.