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Updated
04/24/2013 |
An
Mhaighdean Mhara
(The Sea Maiden)
An Mhaighdean Mhara
is a song about a sea maiden or mermaid, who marries a mere
mortal. The story of a man marrying a mermaid is common in the
oral tradition in Ireland and Northwestern Europe. The husband
knowing his wife cannot return to the sea without a cloak she
wore as a mermaid, he hides it but he is left lamenting her when
one of their offspring discovers it and his wife returns to the
open sea from whence she came. The song is a conversation
between the Mermaid and her daughter, Máire. The mermaid must
leave her family and return to the sea now that she has found
her magic cloak (or seal skin in some versions). |
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Lyrics
GAELIC
Is cosúil gur mheath tú nó gur thréig tú
an greann
Tá an sneachta go frasach fá bhéal na
trá
Do chúl buí daite is do bhéílín sámh
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh is í i
ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
A mháithrín mhilis duirt Máire bhán
Fá bhruach an chladaigh is fá bhéal na
trá
Maighdean mhara mo mháithrín ard
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh is í i
ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
Tá mise tuirseach agus beidh go lá
Mo Mháire bhruinneall is mo Phádraig bán
Ar bharr na dtonnta is fá bhéal na trá
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh is í i
ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
Tá an oíche seo dorcha is tá an ghaoth i
ndroch aird
Tá an tseisreach na seasamh is na
spéarthaí go hard
Ach ar bharr na dtonnta is fá bhéal na
trá
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh is í i
ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh |
TRANSLATION
It seems that you have faded away and
abandoned the love of life
The snow is spread about at the mouth of
the sea
Your yellow flowing hair and little
gentle mouth
We give you Mary Chinidh to swim forever
in the Erne
My dear mother, said blonde Mary
By the edge of the shore and the mouth
of the sea
A mermaid is my noble mother
We give you Mary Chinidh to swim forever
in the Erne
I am tired and will be forever
My fair Mary and my blond Patrick
On top of the waves and by the mouth of
the sea
We give you Mary Chinidh to swim forever
in the Erne
The night is dark and the wind is high
The Plough can be seen high in the sky
But on top of the waves and by the mouth
of the sea
We give you Mary Chinidh to swim forever
in the Erne |
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