A Dhónaill Óig má théighir thar farraige
Tabhair mé féin leat 's ná déan do dhearmad,
Beidh agat féirín lá aonaigh agus margaidh
Agus iníon Rí Gréige mar chéile leaptha agat.
Gheall tú dhomsa agus rinne tú bréag liom
Go mbeitheá romhamsa ag cró na gcaorach
Lig mé fead agus dhá bhlaoi dhéag ort
'S ní raibh romham ach na huain agus iad a'méilí.
Nuair a théimse féin go Tobar Phádraig
A' tabhairt an turais ar son mo ghrá geal,
Níl mo shúil leat inniu nó amárach
'Gus a mhúirnín dílis, mo chúig céad slán leat.
Nuair a théim isteach go Teach a' tSuaircis
Suím síos ann a' déanamh buartha
Nuair fheicim a' saol 's nach bhfeicim an buachaill
Go raibh scáil an ómair i mbarr a ghruadhna.
Nuair a théimse féin go Tobar Bhríde
Suím síos ann a' ligean scíthe,
Sileann mo shúile ar nós an díleann,
Tá mo cheann dubh bán le mo dhubh-smaointe.
Dónall Óg - 5
Oh Young Donal, if you go over the sea
Take me with you and do not forget me.
You will have a gift every fair and market day
And the daughter of the King of Greece for a wife.
You promised and you lied to me
That you would meet me at the sheep-shed
I whistled and called a dozen times to you
And no one came but the lambs sadly bleating
When I visit Patrick's holy well
Doing the Pattern for my fair love's sake
I no longer expect you today or tomorrow
And O my darling, five hundred farewells to you.
When I visit the house of merriment
I sit down there in sorrow;
When I see everyone but the young man
Whose amber locks curled to his cheek.
When I visit Bridget's holy well
I sit down there to rest a while,
Tears stream down in floods;
My dark head turns grey with my sad thoughts.
This song is strongly in the tradition. It is found in both Ireland and Scotland in many different versions. My favorite recording of this is "Deora Aille- Irish Songs from Connemara" by
Máire Áine Ní Dhonnchadha. She performs four additional verses.
