view \/ hide recording details [+\/-]<\/span><\/p>\n Is n\u00edl cnoc\u00e1n dh\u00e1 aeraighe mo l\u00e9an g\u00e9ar nach n\u2011aithneoinn mo ghr\u00e1 Unfortunately S\u00e9amas Ennis noted down only one stanza of this song, although presumably Joe sang others if he chose this as a competition piece for the Oireachtas. Fuller texts have been recorded from neighbours of Joe\u2019s and can be consulted in Cnuasach Bh\u00e9aloideas \u00c9ireann (National Folklore Collection). See CB\u00c9 1311:488\u201391, recorded from Beartla \u00d3 Conghaile, An Aird Thiar<\/a>, by his son, Eddie Bheairtle in 1952. Also CB\u00c9 74:238\u201340, recorded from Se\u00e1n Choilm Mac Donnchadha, An Aird Thoir<\/a>, by Joe\u2019s brother Se\u00e1n \u00d3 h\u00c9ighnigh in 1932.<\/p>\n Note that while they appear to share some common verses, Caisle\u00e1n R\u00ed N\u00e9ill<\/cite> does not appear to be quite the same song as Caisle\u00e1n U\u00ed N\u00e9ill<\/cite>. The latter song, which normally begins \u2018C\u00e9ad sl\u00e1n don o\u00edche ar\u00e9ir, is \u00e9 mo l\u00e9an nach \u00ed anocht ina t\u00fas\u2019, continues to be performed thanks to its having been recorded commercially by a number of people from an early date.<\/p>\n A recording of it, sung by Kate She\u00e1in Tom of Baile \u2019n tSagairt<\/a> near An Spid\u00e9al<\/a> (forty or so miles east of Joe\u2019s native district and about fifteen west of Galway City) was made by Karl Tempel at University College Galway in September 1930 and can be heard<\/a> at the Doegen Records Web Project<\/a>. The project also has some basic biographical information about Kate<\/a>. Closer to home, she\u2019s mentioned here in the Cartlanna under the entry Br\u00edd\u00edn Bh\u00e9asaigh (Tom Ph\u00e1id\u00edn Tom)<\/a>, which features singing by her first cousin Tom.<\/p>\n More recently, Caisle\u00e1n U\u00ed N\u00e9ill<\/cite> was performed by Ros Muc singer Jim\u00ed \u00d3 Ceannabh\u00e1in at Oireachtas na Gaeilge 2009. On that occasion, Jim\u00ed used the air often heard with the song An Abhainn Mh\u00f3r<\/cite>; as did Joe.<\/p>\n\n
S\u00e9amas Ennis\u2019 transcription (original handwritten document)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.joeheaney.org\/00-micil\/mbm\/caisle\u00e1n-r\u00ed-n\u00e9ill.jpg\")
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N\u00edl maighdean chi\u00fain ch\u00e9illidhe mo l\u00e9an g\u00e9ar nach dteighn orthe cluan
Bhfuil aon fhear beo i n\u2011\u00c9irinn dhe mo ghaolta \u2019iocfadh \u2019ugam ar cuairt?
Is t\u00e1 mo st\u00f3ir\u00edn go mo sh\u00e9anadh l\u00e9 c\u00e9il\u2019 eile \u2019s a Mhuire nach truagh.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNotes<\/h2>\n