Play recording: Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór
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- Teideal (Title): Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór.
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 861201.
- 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): unavailable.
- Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): 1979.
- Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): unavailable.
- Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): studio session.
- Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
- Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.
Bliain an taca so d’imigh uaim rún mo chroí,
Ní thiocfaidh sé abhaile go dtabharfaidh sé cúrsaí an tsaoil.
Nuair a chífead é rithfead le fuinneamh ró-ard ‘na chomhair,
Agus clúdód le mil é, ‘s é Jimmy mo mhíle stór.
Bíonn m’athair ‘s mo mháthair ag bearradh ‘s ag bruíon liom féin:
Táim giobaithe, piocaithe, ciapaithe, cráite i mo shaol;
Thugas taithneamh don duine úd ab fhinne ‘s ab áille snó
Ach chuaigh sé ar bhord loinge, ‘sé Jimmy mo mhíle stór.
Bíonn m’athair ‘s mo mháthair ag bearradh ‘s ag bruíon liom féin:1
Táim giobaithe, piocaithe, tá mé ciapaithe, cráite mo shaol;
Thugas taithneamh don duine úd ab fhinne ‘s ab áille snó
Ach chuaigh sé ar bhord loinge, ‘sé Jimmy mo mhíle stór.
Raghad chun coille is caithfead ann deireadh mo shaoil,
San áit ná beidh éinne, ag éisteacht le ceol na n-éan;
Fé bhun an chrainn chaorthainn, mar a bhfásann ann féar go leor,
Ag tabhairt taithneamh don duine úd, ‘sé Jimmy mo mhíle stór.
Translation
A year ago my heart’s secret left me;
he won’t come home until he’s been round the world.
When I see him, I’ll run with great energy to him,
And I’ll cover him with honey – he’s Jimmy, my thousand treasures.
My father and mother are annoying and arguing with me;
I’m pecked, picked-at, tormented and grieved for my life;
I gave my liking to the man with the brightest, loveliest appearance,
But he went on shipboard – he’s Jimmy, my thousand treasures.
I’ll go to the woods and end my days there,
Where there’s no-one, istening to the song of the birds.
Beneath the rowan tree, where plenty of grass grows,
Giving pleasure to that man, Jimmy my thousand treasures.
Notes
1. For some reason, Joe sings the second verse of this song twice. As he was recording it for use by John Cage in his work Roaratorio, it could be that Joe felt the need to add length to the song. In any event, the words to the song would have been unintelligible in the context of that work.
This is not a Conamara song but a Munster one — as the language clearly indicates. Normally, Joe would make changes in a Munster text so that the song would sit more naturally within his own dialect framework; here, however, he makes few such changes, and given the recording circumstances, he may have been using a printed source when he recorded this. Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór was not part of his standard repertoire, and he made no commercial recordings of it.
This air also occurs with Driotháirín-Ó Mo Chroí.
Recorded for John Cage’s Roaratorio.