Altan - Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair (with lyrics)

The beautiful Irish song sung in Gaelic by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan. This song was written by Mairéad's father, Francie Mooney. It's one of the most beautiful and meaningful songs of immigration ever written.

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh sings it with great pride and longing, and makes it crystal clear why this is the unofficial anthem of the people of Gweedore.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
Farewell to the noble mountains of Donegal
And twice farewell to tall Erigal, arching over rowen and ash tree
When I passed by Dunlewey Lake, lying quietly in the glen
Behind me were the green glens of Gaoth Dobhair, and it nearly broke my heart.

Traveling through Glendowan's Hills, and Muckish behind me
I don't mind saying with sorrow and grief, that tears fell from my eyes
Westward to America was my journey, far across the wide sea
I said farewell for a while to Donegal, and the green glens of Gaoth Dobhair.

I never wanted to leave my own beloved land
But the foreigner's heavy handed deceipt and treachery drove me away
It would be my heart's desire to return again, when I should get a little money
To spend the end of my life with my family, 'round the green glens of Gaoth Dobhair.

Yet farewell, farewell to Donegal County fine and fair
And to your brave men who in time of need, did not ever cower before the foreigner
There's a place in my heart for each man and woman, each child big and small
Who live in peace, without sorrow or grief, in the green glens of Gaoth Dobhair.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• irish
• music
• folk
• world
• donegal
• dun
• na
• ngall
• gaoth
• dobhair
• gweedore
• gaelic
• gaeilge
• amhran
• gaeltacht
• song

[whoopsidaises]

I'm Italian and I don't understand a word of this song but I really love this kind of music and her voice is great!!!

[macalla100]

Great song!!

[Donegallass72]

@hamid323

Know Downings?

[Donegallass72]

@NorseWarriorKing

Irish is NOT a phonetic language. Join an Irish college while there and that's a good start

[Donegallass72]

Its sung in Irish which I often have to educate folks is a dialect of "Gaelic" or Gaelige in Irish. That is its classification of language, an umbrella so to speak. There are 4 distinctive dialects within this language called Irish and depending upon where you reside in the 32 counties words, spellings and phrases are quite unique. I spoke Donegal Irish therefore am an Ulster Irish speaker. Galway, Cork, Kerry, Sligo/Mayo as well as Donegal all have Irish speaking area called Gaeltachts. Use it

[NorseWarriorKing]

I hereby swear that I will learn this language by my 25th birthday. now to figure out how Ghaoth Dobhair can possibly be pronounced as Gweedore.

[proggoth]

Same tune as Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore

[heatherbuzz1]

jus goes to show hw gorgeous irish music is.... :) <3

[hanklock]

i remember when Mairead Ni Mhoanaigh and Frankie Kennedy use to live in Skerries they use to practes in a local pub the gladstone it was called that's before they were famous, i often meat them in the shops around the town they were a love'ly couple that,s until poor frankie past away may god be good to him i just want to say it was a privlige to have seen and heared them play before they became famous

[christianpoet2003]

@JonTheGoose That's bad, man... Have you tried seeking psychiatric help for this? LOL JK

[JonTheGoose]

I have a re-occuring nightmare where I'm in my underwear on a karaoke stage in front of everyone from my old highschool. I have the microphone in my hand, look down at the tele-promter screen and see this song.

[mrblifil]

They did a very rocking live version on tour of the US long ago, with Paul Brady in tow the night I saw them in NY. Miss you Frankie...