Casadh an tSugain - Micheal 0'Domhnaill and Bothy Band 1979

[MrEverthere]

First heard him sing the hills of granemore with mick hanley (munroe) followed him through bothy days had the pleasure of meeting him in rostreavor where he went out of his way to sing "the death of queen jane" just cause i asked him. A rare and gentle soul he blew me away with his quiet refined manner. Irish music was robbed of this great talent RIP

[garracarra]

i would kill myself to this song

[leem72]

My father Liam O'Murchu a Sliabh Luacra fiddlle player told me that Casadh an tSugain means "twist of the rope." The father of the woman in question in the song did not like her choice of husband, so he asked the young fella to help make a rope by twisting hay. He told him to keep holding it and stepping back until he backed him right out the gate and off the farm.

[murp0121]

Ah... sorry. I got it wrong. it was the mother who backed him out the door and shut it in his face.

[sanacore77]

I am a fiddler in Québec and I always dreamed to play with Michael, I am so sorry it will always be a dream !!!

I miss him and I am sure it was a wonderful person !

[pjotr60dvd]

@sanacore77 What a voice and intensity! Too bad he passed away...

[vegnej]

Sure I had this on a audio cassette with this, the kesh jig, Queen jane and others and I don't think it was a live version.

[bilko1234]

@MrHoneyWho Sincere condolences

[paudymccaughey]

Sublime. 

[mrblifil]

Gerry O'Beirne is one of my absolute faves, KB a fiddle god, and Michael...what can you say? A miracle. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

[LindsayCurran]

Absolutely spellbinding! Can't thank you enough!

[AnBhfacaTuMoBristi]

Not only is this the most beautiful rendition of the song that I have ever heard, it is quite possibly the most beautiful song that I have ever heard. You can find the lyrics and a translation here (remove the spaces):

celticlyricscorner . net/bothyband/casadh . htm

[eloisamaior]

Uma música irlandesa...a boy loves a girl but her mother makes it impossible.

[locomotive1804]

My fave Gaelic song. Still bristles the hair up my back

[josparkes1]

Lovely

[harmonioushand]

this must be one of the saddest and most beautiful songs I've ever heard and I can't even understand the lyrics. Can anyone provide a translation please?

[harmonioushand]

Oh and does anyone know if this is recorded by him on any album??

[bilko1234]

Only a live version with the Bothy Band on

After Hours -Paris

It's also on the compilation, Keep 'er Lit.

Cheers

Mick

[mrblifil]

@harmonioushand It's on Best of the Bothy Band I think, or at least on one of their albums. I've owned it since 1980.

[joeygsmom]

hey I typed in the title on "google search'...from what I can gather its about a young man who is courting a girl but her grandmother is hindering his efforts...but youre right a beautiful and haunting song. The title refers to some trick with a rope, its hard to explain.

hope this helps a bit.

[joeygsmom]

does anyone know the meaning in English of the title, please?

[chintzgirl]

Twisting of the Rope.

Karen

[joeygsmom]

Ive rarely heard anything lovelier than this

[DonalFlanagan]

Incredible

[FredJ51]

Wonderful. His passing was a tragedy. There isn't a guitar-player of the trad music tradition who played anytime in the 'Seventies in the folk-music golden age in Ireland who doesn't owe him a debt. Nothing remotely like these singers and players nowadays, with their heavy electronic production and studio work. You're missed, old son.

[dreamlikewinds]

he was such a great singer in both Irish and English. There are some wonderful musicians who have learned a lot from the Bothy Band. You should try searching ray coen on youtube - try a search with "ray coen farewell" for ray and his sister singing 'farewell, farewell' at a pub session...

[Jamjareyes]

michael was a beautiful singer himself and triona added a wonderful dimension to irelands greatest musical group the bothy band .we ll not see his like again ar dheis De go raibh a anam

[mhicnanolc]

REQUIEM IN PACEM.

[deirjon]

His voice just draws you into a timeless zone. Absolutely beautiful.

[allblacksthehaka]

Lovely song sung by the consumate professional guy. His absolute love for all he does musically is an example to us all in this disgusting money grabbing world. His word is three dimentional and he has the ability to emanate the' fire within the ice' in all his work.

Those who inspire us in music are never never forgotton. God Bless Michael !

[mickbeater]

I remember a winters night about 12 years ago in Co Leitrim myself and a few friends were having a seisiun. Across the road Micheal O'Domhnaill and Paddy Glackin were having a gig and after they came into the pub.After about 15 mins they asked us if they could play with us. These are things you cant refuse. A memorable night was had. Songs music craic drink and of course the Beatles. We will all miss him. Go raibh an choir ghaoithe i gconai leat

[Uladach]

Heard Micheal perform this live in Sachsenhusen and in Galway, way back. I hope Mícheál never ever tired of singing this, as his singing of this song is tops any other version I've heard, Kevin Burke plays a good second fiddle here,no pun intended

I guess the young man bever got to see the young woman, and with his rendering of this song Micheál delivers a vivid picture of the humor and tradgedy of life.

[rjchevy]

I know how music poor I have been since I found this video. how wonderful this man's music is. I can only hope there are others to carry on his style.

[thepubcrawlers]

r.i.p.micheall beautifull song searched for ages to get english tranlsation

[fergible]

Beautiful

[cmacmuiris]

Galanta ar fad. Go ndéana Dia a mhaith ort a Mhicheal. I love this song for so many reasons. Its casts my mind to the casadh an tsugain pub in good old Loch an Iúir, as many an oíche cheóil was had in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht. Great video. Go raibh maith agat

[Voldemort57]

I've never heard this guy before, but what a beautiful singer. I don't understand Gaelic neither, but it's still beautiful and haunting to listen too. What happened to him

[Jamjareyes]

cancer unfortunately a great loss to music

[skara100]

Need 6 starts to rate this !! I've got some Burke-O'domnhaill stuff on video & will try to put it up on youtube

[UISTMAN59]

I look forward to that, skara100 -  the more the better.

[jalopetos]

I saw im in Brittany in 1974 when he was touring with Mick Hanly : my best souvenir of this festival . They recorded a quite beautiful LP, Celtic Folkweave, that never appeared as a CD.

[OShaughnessyC]

Exquisite rendering of this beautiful love song. Thank you for posting the video.

[radiotarifa]

I echo the sentiments thank you for posting this video to always be able to listen to the beautiful melody ( cannot understand Irish).

[jcw001]

RIP Micheal O'Domhnaill.........I never thought i would ever see this on Video.....Many thanks

[tomasomoro]

Molto bella!

[mick1206]

Thanks for this! I was able to meet Micheal, Triona, and Kevin Burke years ago. Beautiful people. It tears me up hearing about Micheal.

[SydFstyd]

This song stops time....the power of beauty!

[ptmck1986]

R.I.P......a legend of irish and celtic music worldwide! This voice will never be replaced

[giladsinger]

Wow, how beautiful and relaxing :-) thank you for posting this!

[tommyceol]

The ranking along with Luke Kelly is a great idea. excellent. different styles of course but the pure raw talent is beautiful. agus as Gaeilge.

[Lorri555]

the most beautifully done song by Michael, thanks for posting it!

[chrisormston]

Thanks SO much Bilko - you've made a grown man cry! I remember hearing this song on a BBC broadcast when I was supposed to be doing my homework!!

[shaskeen1]

beautiful! R.I.P Micheal

[pattiern]

Amen to that.what a great singer. Rates along the great Luke Kelly.

[futuresoul716]

quite possibly my favorite song ever. micheal's voice literally takes my breath with its beauty and effortless skill. im confused tho. the title says "as I roved out" on the video but i think it translates to "the twisting of the hayrope". I dont speak irish or anything but still, pretty sure they got it wrong on the vid...

[FaolchuRua]

You're right. I do have some Irish (about three and a half years worth). The name of the song translates literally to "Twisting the straw rope," and refers to an old woman (the mother of the girl he's trying to court) asking him to help her make a rope out of straw. It's really just a devious way to get rid of him -- as the rope grows longer, he has to back out of the door to keep twisting it, and the old girl shuts the door in his face.

[ufgatorpaw]

Beautiful song and what a lovely voice! I don't understand a lick of Irish, (wish I did) Thanks for the translation, it helps knowing something of what the song is about.

[DMcGilligan]

There's a couple of different versions though. One version he begs her to marry him in front of everyone and he is claiming to have done stuff with many woman I remember. The Chieftains do a version and he does this version. I think this is the one version I'm thinking of

[FaolchuRua]

Well, as the proverb says: "There are two sides to a story and twelve versions of a song"

He does indeed beg her to marry him in front of everyone. That's what he's begging in the chorus ("if you're mine, be mine, my love")

He does gets tossed by mom though. In the second half of the first verse:

I called at my true love's house...And the old woman put me twisting rope until I was outside the door

[DMcGilligan]

Yeah the you're mine be mine is how does it go again bu liom, tu liom? My Irish is shite I've been in the States four years and I can barley remember anything just the basics

[cmacmuiris]

má bhíonn tu liom bí liom a stóirín mo chroí,

má bhíonn tú liom bí liom as comhair an tsaoil,

má bhíonn tú liom bí liom gach órlach de chroí,

sé mo loim go fann, nach liúm De Domhnaigh thú mar mhnaoi....

Now u can sing along :)

[DEadJACK4090]

lol tanxs

[Takaja316]

@cmacmuiris now tell us what i means -)

[cmacmuiris]

@Takaja316 lol, ok i'll give it a go.........

If you are with me......be with me love of my heart

If you are with me......be with me in front of all

If you are with me......be with me with every inch of your heart

It is my great sadness that i won't declare you on Sunday as my woman.

(that last line doesn't translate v.well into English)

[cuckingfunts]

@cmacmuiris "mar mhnaoi" can also mean "as my wife". The idea is that he can't take her to Church with him, and be "open" about their relationship.

[RockyRoader]

"As I roved out" was the name of the programme where this performance was first broadcast.

[cmacmuiris]

i saw it on a mary black song too.must have been a good show

[jcw001]

Agree with amergin2006...Ive loved this song for years and Micheal O'Domhnaill's Voice' I never knew there was film of it......

Many Thanks for posting.......

[amergin2006]

I have listened to this so song so many times, it's wonderful to see it after all these years. Is this a BBC recording?

[celta31]

great song ,is a beatiful in memoriam ,for the late Micheal O'Domhnaill ,menber and leader of tha big band ,the bothy band ,relativity and nightnoise,abig man ,I pray for him...a great friend of spain...juan