Clannad - An tOileán Úr

Clannad with 'An tOileán Ur' from their debut album, 'Clannad'.

This is an unusual immigration song, in that the singer returns to Ireland from 'An t-Oileán Úr' (literally, 'The New Island," but used symbolically in immigration songs to mean North America). This probably was sung with wishful thinking, as the majority of the Irish Diaspora never returned to their native land.

LYRICS:
Rinne mé smaointiú i m'intinn agus lean mé dó go cinnte
Go n-éalóinn ó mo mhuintir anonn chun 'Oileáin Úir
Ó bhí mé ag déanamh impí ar an ArdRí os mo cheannsa
Mo choinneáil ó gach tubaiste go gcríochnóinn mo shiúl

Shiúil mé fiche míle is níor casadh orm Críostaí
Capall, bó nó caora ag déanamh inghilt ar an fhéar
Ach coillte dlútha is gleanntáin agus búirtheach beithigh allta
Fir is mná gan tant orthu a chasfá fá do mhéar

Ach tharla isteach i dteach mé nuair a casadh orm daoine
D'fhiafraigh siad mo ainmse is cén tír inar tógadh mé
Dúirt mé leo i mBéarla gur tógadh mé in Éirinn
Láimh le Loch Éirne i gCoillidh Lios na Raoch

Bhí seanbhean insan chlúdaigh agus stocaí ar a glúiní
D'éirigh sí go lúcháireach agus chraith sí liomsa láimh
"Sheacht mh'anam, fear mo thíre, thar a bhfaca mé ariamh de dhaoine
Tógadh mise in Éirinn i mBaile Lios Béal Áinetha"

Rinne mé an dara smaointiú agus lean mé dó go cinnte
Go bpillfinn ar ais go hÉirinn, an áit a sínfí mé faoin chlár
Mar a bhfaighfinn lucht mo chaointe is an t-aos óg atá lách aoibhinn
A chaithfeadh liomsa an oíche agus páirt mhór den lá

English translation: ('The New Island')

I made a decision and I followed it with certainty
That I could escape my family over in America
Oh, I was turning away from the High King above me
Who kept me from every misfortune which could end my journey

I walked 20 miles and didn't meet a soul
A horse, a cow or a sheep grazing in the field
Only dense woods and glenns and roaring wild beasts
And men and women in tatters

But I happened into a house when I met some people
They asked me my name and what land I was from
I told them in English that I was raised in Ireland
By the side of Loch Éirne in the woods of Lios na Raoch

There was an old women in the corner knitting socks
She joyfully arose and shook my hand
"Bless my soul, my countryman, you are truly one of us
I was raised in Ireland in Baile Lios Béal Áinetha"

I made a second decision and I followed it with certainty
That I would return to Ireland, the place where I would be buried
As I might find gentle folk and young folk who are friendly and delightful
With whom I could spend the night and the day

Category:

Music

Tags:

• gweedore
• irish
• song
• language
• donegal
• ireland
• world
• music
• folk

[nina1414]

Thanks for uploading this. It's not a song I've heard before. And I do like it when the men get a chance to sing, too.

I'm from Wales so I can't understand a word of Irish Gaelic, but I do prefer the Irish songs to those sung in English. They sort of 'call' to my soul more. We're all Celtic brothers and sisters.

[caoimhinodonnchu]

Amhrán alluinn, taifeadadh alluinn.

Setanta

[NormbrettaMod]

@EBSJones4

that wasn't directed at you. but also, why must our "family" be limited to those labelled as "humans". i for one feel more connection with a tamed beast than a middle eastern man but i accept that we are kin. forget the differences between us, we're all in the same shoes as each other.

[EBSJones4]

@NormbrettaMod Hi - I do believe we are all in the 'family of man'. What I meant was that even though I couldn't understand the words, the sense and the tunes appealed to me. I have loads of songs by other artists in English - and even Cuban songs in Spanish - but when it comes to Clannad, I definitely prefer their Irish songs. Some of their more modern songs like "In a Lifetime" are too commericial and/or wishy-washy. Although, I must say that I am very fond of 'I See Red'.

[NormbrettaMod]

@nina1414

i hate how people try to cause division like this. "we're all english brothers and sisters" " we're all white brothers and sisters" "we're all human brothers and sisters"...

[TheGodedur]

Have the anthology, happy to hear this for the 1st time:)

[05104658]

@kokoshnetuna

Cuir scairt orm ar 086 1716348 (Éire gan amhras) agus réiteoimid an scéal ar fad, tríd an riomhpost agus mar sin.

[kokoshnetuna]

@05104658 Ó, ag éisteacht leis an amhrán arís, tá mé ag tuigbheáil go bhfuil cúpla áit eile ann nach dtig liom a fháil amach. Arbh fhéidir leat deireadh an cheathrú rainn (as "Sheacht m’anam, fear mo thíre" amach) chomh maith leis an dara agus an tríú líne sa chúigiú rann a thabhairt domh as an leabhrán feasta? Ní aithnighim ainm an bhaile sa chéad chás úd, agus ní dóigh liom go ndeir sé »Mar a bhfaighfinn lucht mo chaointe is an t-aos óg atá lách aoibhinn« sa dara cás, ach ní chluinim. GRMMA!

[kokoshnetuna]

@05104658 Óch! "D’fhiafraigh siad domhsa", sin a deir sé! Chomh simplí leis sin. Go raibh míle maith agat, a uimhir fhada. ;-)

[05104658]

@kokoshnetuna

Tá na focail agam a tháinig leis an chéirnín a cheannaigh me na blianta ó shin.

3ú rann:

Tharla isteach i dteach beag mé 's casadh orm daoine,

D'fhiafraigh siad san domhsa cén tír nár tógadh mé

D'ins me daofa i nGaeilig gur tógadh mise i Éirinn

Lámh le bruach Loch Éirne i mbaile chois na trá.

Ta cúig véarsaí ar fad ann.