Celtic Woman Presents: Órla Fallon - The Gartan's Mother Lullaby

The Gartan Mother's Lullaby is an old Irish song and poem written by Seosamh Mac Cathmhaoil. The song is a sombre lament by a mother, from the parish of Gartan in County Donegal, to her child. The song refers to a number of figures in Irish mythology, places in Ireland and words in the Irish language

Words of interest:

- Aoibheall of Carraig Leath,(pronounced evil of carrickla) commonly known as Aoibhinn the Beautiful - who is the queen of the Northern Fairies.

- The Green Man,(or Fear Glas in Irish) it is said if you see him in the morning, "no ill follows"; but if at night, death or some other terrible misfortune will surely overtake you. He is sometimes called Fear Liath, or the Grey Man.




- Siabhra, is a generic term for an Irish fairy of any kind. In ancient writings the Tuatha de Danann, or little magicians of the Pagan Irish, were called "siabhra" without distinction.




- Leanbhan, is an old Irish word for little child.

Lyrics:
Sleep, oh babe, for the red bee hums
The silent twilight's fall
Aoibheall from the gray rock comes
To wrap the world in thrall
A leanbhín ó, my child, my joy
My love and heart's desire
The crickets sing you lullaby
Beside the dying fire

Dusk is drawn and the green man's thorn
Is wreathed in rings of fog
Siabhra sails his boat till morn
Upon the starry bog
A leanbhín ó, the paly moon
Hath brimmed her cusp in dew
And weeps to hear the sad sleep-tune
I sing, my love, to you

Sleep, oh babe, for the red bee hums
The silent twilight's fall
Aoibheall from the gray rock comes
To wrap the world in thrall
A leanbhín ó, my child, my joy
My love and heart's desire
The crickets sing you lullaby
Beside the dying fire

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Órla
• Fallon
• The
• Water
• Is
• Wide
• Gartan's
• Mother
• Lullaby
• Traditional
• Irish

[crc778Hypnodoc]

Many thanks for the extra info, I'll be performing this soon and wanted to know the translations, Luke Kelly for me did the definitive version

[helenhblck]

beautifully sung,Orla love to sing with you in harmony!

[jenson7720]

Can you please tell me what key this is in ...Many thanks really beautiful!

[TheCleverFoxGirl]

We are singing this in my chorus class, beautiful song no doubt. :D

[GuamKomudo]

If you understand this song... It's kind of a scary story to go to sleep to... >.> lol

[BigAlzer]

beautiful song

[clmarais]

Thanks for posting this! It's really beautiful :) What an awesome song. I posted a video response of me singing my version :) And I used the words from your description.

[crc778Hypnodoc]

@wadefite Thanks, is it on here?

[wadefite]

@crc778Hypnodoc i agre its great but listen to the robin williamson version

[babygirl98756]

I have to play this once a night since I found it...

Crazy things seem to happen when reshearching for a book. XD

I love it.

[shymermaid1]

ฺำBeautiful :)

[VanessAenAshley]

HEr voice is beautiful!!!!!!!!!! Love her....