Southwind (A Ghaoth Andeas)

Words by Domhnall Meirgeach Mac Con Mara. As published in Donal O’Sullivan’s 1960 book Songs of the Irish.

(File)
A ghaoth andeas na mbraon mbog glas,
A ní gach faithe féarmhar,
Bheir iasg ar eas is grian i dteas,
Is líon is meas ar ghéagaibh,
Más síos ar fad mar mbínn féin seal
Is mianach leat-sa séide,
Cuirim Rí na bhFeart dhod chaomhaint ar neart,
‘S túir don tír sin blas mo bhéil-se!

(Gaoth)
Sínim andeas a’ díonamh cleas
Nach ndíonann neach sa’ saol so,
Mar íslím gaimh is sgaoilim leac
Is díbrim sneacht’ as sléibhte.
Ó taoi tú ar lear go bhfuí tú mo neart,
‘S gur mian liom do leas a dhéanamh,
Go bhfúigfe mé mo bheannacht ins gach aon tslí
ar maith leat,
Agus choíche i gCathair Éamoinn!

(File)
A Chonnachta an tsóidh, an tsuilt is an spóirt,
I n-imirt ‘s i n-ól an fhíona,
Sin chugaibh mo phóg ar rith ins a’ ród,
Leigim le seól gaoithe í.
Tá mise beó i mboige na seód,
Mar a mbrúitear gach sórt bídh dhom,
Ach is mian liom fós tarraing d’bhur gcomhair
Muna gcluine mé ach ceól píopa!

Translated to English by John Brown, Esq. As published in Edward Bunting’s 1809 Collection, A General Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland.

O southern breeze! thy nectar breath
Awakes the world to life and love
Strews flowrets on the plain beneath
And blossoms on high above

To scenes of hope, to bowers of peace
Where once I knelt a willing slave
Wave onward, thou delightful breeze
Thy wing ambrosial onward wave

With balmy fervor all divine
‘Tis thine to tame the wintry storm
And melt the icy chains that twine
Around entranced Nature’s form

And mingling with thy breath this kiss
Steal silently to Morna’s grove
To sigh it in a dream of bliss
On the dear lips of her I love

Translated to Enlighs by Donal O’Sullivan. As published in his 1960 book Songs of the Irish.

(The Poet)
O South Wind of the gentle rain
You banish winter’s weather,
Bring salmon to the pool again,
The bees among the heather.
If northward now you mean to blow,
As you rustle soft above me,
God Speed be with you as you go,
With a kiss for those that love me!

(The Wind)
From south I come with velvet breeze,
My work all nature blesses,
I melt the snow and strew the leas
With flowers and soft caresses.
I’ll help you to dispel your woe,
With joy I’ll Take your greeting
And bear it to your loved Mayo
Upon my wings so fleeeting.

(The Poet)
My Connacht, famed for wine and play,
So leal, so gay, so loving,
Here’s a fond kiss I send to-day
Borne by the wind in its roving.
These Munster folk are good and kind
Right royally they treat me
But this land I’d gladly leave behind
With your Connacht pipes to greet me.

Words by Ewan McVicar

Lay down the borrowed guitar
Lay down the fiddle and bow
You’d like one more drink at the bar
But the manager says you must go

All the tunes in the world
Are dancing around in your head
But the clock on the gantry says playtime is done
You’ll just have to sing them instead

Lay down the jig and the reel
Lay down the planxty and slide
Everyone knows how you feel
But there’s no time to take one more ride

All the tunes in the world
Are dancing around in your head
But the clock on the gantry says playtime is done
You’ll just have to sing them instead

The barmaid has put on her coat
The barman has emptied the slops
The manager’s pals are afraid
That the music might bring in the cops

All the tunes in the world
Are dancing around in your head
But the clock on the gantry says playtime is done
You’ll just have to sing them instead

Everyone here feels the same
Yes you deserve one more tune
But you know the rules of the game
It’s time to go howl at the moon

All the tunes in the world
Are dancing around in your head
But the clock on the gantry says playtime is done
You’ll just have to sing them instead