Single Release: Mo Ghille Mear (February 2024)

ON BANDCAMP HERE

ON APPLE MUSIC HERE

ON SPOTIFY HERE

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST “M’ANAM: TIMELESS VOICES”

We are very happy to be able to share our recording of the Irish classic “Mo Ghille Mear” with you, arranged by Michael McGlynn. The soloist is Donegal man Cian O’Donnell, a fluent Irish speaker from Letterkenny, percussion is by Noel Eccles with Massimo Orlandini on Uileann Pipes.

Michael says “I wanted to return to this classic song with M’ANAM which I recorded 30 years ago with Sting and the Chieftains for “The Long Black Veil” album. The original arrangement was created to complement Sting’s relaxed delivery of the piece, and iconic it is too! But Cian adds so much to this performance that comes from his insight into the Irish language.”

There is a fascinating article on the genesis of this song HERE

Chorus:
Is é mo laoch, mo ghille mear,
is é mo Shaesar, gille mear;
ní bhfuaireas féin aon tsuan ar séan
ó chuaigh i gcéin mo ghille mear.

He is my hero, my gallant lad
He is my Caesar, gallant lad
Neither sleep nor fortune have I found
Since my gallant lad went far away

V1:
Bímse Buan ar buairt gach Ló
ag caoi go cruaidh’s ag tuar na ndeor,
mar scaoileadh uainn an buachaill beo
is na ríomhthar tuairisc uaidh, mo bhrón.

I am constantly grieving every day
Weeping heavily and shedding tears
As my gallant lad has parted from me
And no word of him is found, alas

V2:
Ní haoibhinn cuach ba suairc ar neoin,
táid fíorchoin uaisle ar uathadh spóirt,
táid saoithe is suadha i mbuairt 's i mbrón,
Ó scaoileadh uainn an buachaill beo.

The cuckoo's sweet noon-song is no more
The gentle nobility have no care for sport
The learned and cultured are in deep sorrow
Since the lively boy has parted from us

V3:
Níor éirigh Phoebus féin ar cóir,
Ar chaoinchneas ré tá daol-bhrat bróin;
Tá saobhadh ar spéir is spéirling mhór,
Chun sléibhte i gcéin mar d'éalaigh an leon

Phoebus (Apollo) himself rises no more
A cloud of mourning covers the moon
The sky is distorted and great storms cover
The mountains over as the lion escaped

V4:
Níl séis go suairc ar chrua-chruit cheoil,
Tá an éigse i ngruaim gan uaim 'na mbeol;
Táid béithe buan ar buairt gach ló,
Ó théarnaigh uainn an buachaill beo.

There is no pleasant music from the harp
The poets are gloomy and cannot write
They are in constant grief every day
Since the lively boy has fled from us

English translation by Daithí Ó Nuanáin