This is a spinning song that I learnt it in a sean-nós class with Gearóidín Bhreathnach at Oideas Gael in July 2013.
A Mháire chiúin, tá 'n olann ar tiús
Anois le cunamh an Árd-Rí,
Is cuir do thúirne arís i dtiúin
Is trí chos úr ón Spáinn faoi
Mol as Londain, ceap as Luimneach
Is cuigeal as Laighean Uí Éara
Sreang den tsíoda is fearr sa tír
Is beidh do thúirne sásta
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-la-lu fa-lé-rí
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-lu fa-la fa-lé-rí
'Sé túirne mháire an túirne sásta,
Shiúil sé roinnt mhaith d’Éirinn
Níl cnoc nó glean dá ndeachaidh sé ann
Nár fhág sé cuid dá thréithe
Chaith sé lá in Iúr Cinn Trá
Ar lúb sa ngleanntáin sléibhe
Na síógaí mná a bhí ar thaobh Chnoic Meadha
Do shníomh leis ábhar léine.
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-la-lu fa-lé-rí
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-lu fa-la fa-lé-rí
Is i gCill Mhantáin 'rinneadh an tromán
Tuilleadh mór 'gus ráithe,
De chnámha an ghearrain 'rinneadh 'n biorán,
Is chaith siad 'bhfian 'se Mháire é.
Bhí ceathrar' sníomh ó mhaidin go hóich,
Is ochtar san oíche ag cardáíl
Nach suarach a sníomh do chailíní tí
Leath-thugtha ag sníomh an lá sin.
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-la-lu fa-lé-rí
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-lu fa-la fa-lé-rí
Quiet Mary, the wool is thick
Now with the help of the High King
Tune your spinning wheel again
And with three new legs from Spain on it
A hub from London, a block from Limerick
And a cuigeal (?) from Leinster
The best silk thread in the land
And your spinning wheel will be happy.
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-la-lu fa-lé-rí
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-lu fa-la fa-lé-rí
Mary's spinning wheel is a happy spinning wheel
It has walked much of Ireland
There's not a hill or glen where it hasn't been
That it didn't leave its qualities
It spent a day in Newry
Twisting in the mountain glens
The fairy women were on Knockmagha
Weaving with shirt material.
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-la-lu fa-lé-rí
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-lu fa-la fa-lé-rí
And in Wicklow it oppressed
For more than one season
From the bones of horse it made needles
And they brought evidence to Mary
Four were spinning from dawn to dusk
And eight carded all night
Isn't it mean for the girls of the house to spin
When they were exhuasted from spinning that day.
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-la-lu fa-lé-rí
Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, fa-lu fa-la fa-lé-rí
This is my own translation. I welcome corrections and suggestions for improvements.
Here's a recording of me singing this song:
Another recording of this song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAtTMK_tCeA
Lyrics, information about and a recording of this song
http://www.mrobroin.stcronans.ie/tuirne_mhaire.html
http://www.joeheaney.org/default.asp?contentID=1083
Other songs in Irish | Songs in other languages
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