Play recording: Cuaichín Ghleann Néifinn
- Teideal (Title): Cuaichín Ghleann Néifinn.
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): none.
- Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): CF0114b and CC 018.022.
- Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): none.
- Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
- Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
- Cnuasach (Collection): National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin.
- 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): Kevin Danaher, Séamas Ennis.
- Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 14/12/1942.
- Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Carna, County Galway, Ireland.
- Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): interview.
- Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
- Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.
Séamas Ennis’ transcription (original handwritten document)
Tá féar fada agus fásach i ngleanntán álainn i bhfad ó bhaile
Tá úllaí ’gus deálraí ’ fás go hard ar bharra gcrann ann.
Dá mbeinnse is mo stóirín pósta is a saol ag gabháil mar ba cheart linn
Bheadh an t‑airgead inár bpócaí is luach an óil ag mná na [sic] leanna.
Tá smúit ar na réalta, ar an ngréin is ar an ngealaigh
Is ar amharc mo shúl fhéin, ní léir dhom na bealaí
I ndiaidh cuaichín Ghleann Néifinn níor fhéad mé riamh a mhealladh
Ach a stóirín ná tréig mé, is í do mhéin bhreá atá ’ mo leagan.
Translation
There is long grass and wilderness in a lovely glen far from home,
Where apples and bounty [?] grow high on the tops of trees.
If my love and I were married, and life going as it should with us,
We’d have money in our pockets, and the price of drink for the landladies.
There’s a mist on the stars, on the sun and the moon,
And on the sight of my eyes, the roads are not clear to me
Since I have never been able to win the little cuckoo of Glen Néifinn.
My little treasure, don’t abandon me, it’s your lovely bearing that is laying me low.
Notes
For additional verses and some discussion, see Ríonach uí Ógáin (ed.), Faoi Rothaí na Gréine: Amhráin as Conamara a Bhailigh Máirtín Ó Cadhain (Dublin, 1999), 165–7. Also Micheál agus Tomás Ó Máille, Amhráin Chlainne Gael, ed. William Mahon (Indreabhán 1991), 90–1 and notes.
A technically superior recording of this song is available on a commercial CD: Seosamh Ó hÉanaí: Ó Mo Dhúchas (Gael Linn CEFCD 191–2; released in 2007 and re-released in 2018). This is a double album. It combines the original vinyl releases Seosamh Ó hÉanaí (Gael Linn CÉF 028; released in 1971) and Ó Mo Dhúchas (Gael Linn CÉF 051; released in 1976).
The album can be purchased from the Gael Linn web site.
The Cartlanna are grateful to Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann for permission to make both Danaher’s recording (CF0114b) and Ennis’ transcription (CBÉ manuscript CC 018.022) available here.