I Am Asleep - iarla O Lionaird

From The Highland Sessions

Category:

Music

Tags:

• highland
• sessions
• iarla
• Lionaird
• scottish
• irish
• celtic

[bb3ca201]

Here are the Irish-language lyrics:

"Tráthnóinín déanach i gcéin cois leasa dom

Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé

Sea dhearcas lem' thaobh an spéirbhean mhaisiúil

Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé

Ba bhachallach péarlach dréimreach barrachas

A carnfholt craobhach ag titim léi ar bhaillechrith

'S í ag caitheamh na saighead trím thaobh do chealg mé

Táimse im' chodhladh is ná dúistear mé

[Bastarden]

I will learn this language, it is magical just in itself!

[Tuigim]

Táimse im’chodladh (‘s ná dúistear mé)

1. Tráthnóinín déanach i gcéin cois leasa dom, táimse im’ chodhladh ‘s ná dúistear mé, Sea do dhearcas lem’ thaobh an spéirbhean mhaisiúil. Táimse im’ chodladh ‘s ná dúistear mé. Ba bhachallach péarlach ó dréimreach barrachas a carnfholt craobhach ag titim léi ar bhaillechrith. ‘S í ag caitheamh na saighead trím thaobh do chealg mé. Táimse im’ chodladh ’s ná dúistear mé.

[Tuigim]

1. And I out late one afternoon far away by a fairy fort, I am asleep ‘n don’t wake me,I saw by my side the shiny heavenly woman. I am asleep ‘n don’t wake me. They were pearly falling curls, her waves (lit. branches) of hair that fell trembling to the groundand she was sending a sword through me that stung me [deep]. I am asleep‘n don’t wake me.

[Tuigim]

2. Is mó buachaillín óg a tógadh go ceannasach, táimse im’ chodladh ‘s ná dúistear mé, do cuireadh le foirneart anonn thar na farraige. Táimse im’ chodladh ‘s ná dúistear mé. Go bheicfeadh an lá a mbeidh ár ar Shasanaigh ughaim ar a ndroim is iad ag treabhadh is ag branar dúinn. Gan mise a bheith ann mura dtéannam an maide leo. Táimse im’ chodladh ‘s ná dúistear mé.

[Tuigim]

2. ‘Tis many the young boy that was forcefully taken off, I am asleep ‘n don’t wake me, that was put to slave away on the far side of the sea. I am asleep ‘n don’t wake me. Would that I see the day when the English (lit. Saxons) were bent over and they plowing and tilling for us, without me there, unless I would be offering them the plow! I am asleep ‘n don’t wake me.

[1612ydraw]

Ceol go hÁlainn. Guth go hÁlainn.

[krotala3]

I moved to Ireland a few weeks ago and, to my delight, he is playing live later this month. Time to reconnect with his voice!!!

[johnnyDuhan]

Sublime, song and singer. A perfect match of melody and voice. You'll find few performances to match it on youtube.

[NikkoYM]

gorgeous

[akooshla]

This is a type of song known as an aisling - a dream. It's an 18th-century mode, which always follows the same pattern: the poet is wandering and meets a beautiful woman (representing Ireland; these songs were written in code as singing about Ireland overtly could get you hanged at the time). There's a formal description of her beauty, and then she makes an appeal for his help.

Incidentally, this was the song Oscar Wilde used to sing as a lullaby to rock his little sons to sleep.

[abbasalikhan]

OMG! what amazing music.