Kate Bush - Mná na hÉireann

A beautiful song that Kate recorded for the album "Common Ground" by Donal Lunny in 1996. The title means "Women Of Ireland". The lyrics are by Peadar O'Doirnin and the music by Sean O'Riada.

Irish lyrics:

Tá bean in Éirinn a phronnfadh séad damh is mo sháith le n-ól
Is tá bean in Éirinn is ba binne léithe mo rafla ceoil
No seinm théid; atá bean in Éirinn is níorbh fhearr léi beo
Mise ag léimnigh no leagtha i gcré is mo tharr faoi fhód.

Tá bean in Éirinn a bheadh ag éad liom mur bhfaighinn ach póg
O bhean ar aonach, nach ait an scéala, is mo dhaimh féin leo;
Tá bean ab fhearr liom no cath is céad dhíobh nach bhfagham go deo
Is tá cailín spéiriúil ag fear gan Bhearla, dubhghránna cróin

Tá bean a dearfadh da siúlainn léithe go bhfaighinn an t-ór
Is tá bean 'na léine is fearr a méin no na tainte bó
Le bean a bhuairfeadh Baile an Mhaoir agus clar Thir Eoghann,
Is ní fhaicim leigheas ar mo ghalar féin ach scaird a dh'ól

English lyrics:

There's a woman in Ireland who'd give me shelter and my fill of ale
There's a woman in Ireland who'd prefer my singing to strings being played
There's a woman in Ireland who'd prefer me leaping than laid in the clay and my belly under the sod

There's a woman in Ireland who'd envy me if I got naught but a kiss
from a woman at a fair , isn't it strange, and the love I have for them
There's a woman I'd prefer more to a battalion,
and a hundred of them I will never get
And an ugly, swarthy man with no English has a beautiful girl

There's a woman who would say that if I walked with her I'd get the gold
A woman in night dress whose mein is better than herds of cows
With a woman who would deafen Ballymoyer and the plain of Tyrone
And I see no cure for my disease but to give up the drink

Category:

Music

Tags:

• kate
• bush
• mna
• na
• heireann
• women
• of
• ireland
• donal
• lunny

[MissNeverForEver]

How did you get this song? I really want to know, it's lovely, thankyou

[Symphonyofflowers]

@MissNeverForEver Well, I tried to find the album but with no luck so I had to ask a friend to send me an MP3 of the song.

[nanarjain74]

Beautiful! Makes me want to go to the Emerald Island TODAY! Thank you for the English translation, since I had no idea what Kate was singing about. It's actually romantic.

[Symphonyofflowers]

You're welcome! I'm glad that you like it.

[RonaldsonTippet]

How beautiful...Bless you Symphony.

[Symphonyofflowers]

Thank you!

[MegaIhatetheworld]

Déanann sé mo chroí bródúil as a bheith ag éisteacht chun éisteacht leis an amhrán. Cad é guth amhránaíochta iontach a thaitin liom i gcónaí kate Bush agus a chloisteáil a canadh i gaeilge, chomh maith is atá sé ach tá wonderful.To dom Éire an tír is fearr sa domhan ar fad agus tá mé an-bhródúil as a bheith Gaeilge.

[Mondensohnmamo]

...eire is so beautiful...

[paty3529]

Wonderful; it touches my soul!!!! ;-)

[kenj31862]

Go reibh mille maith agat Kate!

[seixas84stg]

So nice pics! Now I want to travel Ireland!

[jbooks888]

@marmelade721 Oh you've got to be kidding - this song is gorgeous and Kate Bush's vocals are nothing less than exquisite! A perfect vehicle for her unique voice.

[setantaize]

My roots,

[coffeenciggy]

Thank you for the translation!  The Irish sure knows how to write songs!

[marmelade721]

Sinéad O'Connor does a much better version of this, nothing against a non-native Irish speaker (I think Kate Bush is go h-iontach), but I think you have a bit of the blas to sing this as it should be sung, it's best played on a tin whistle actually. She sounds like a middle-aged mammy asked up to sing at a wedding and it's not the most ideal vehicle for her extraordinary vocal talent.

[cuchukid]

irish sounds just wonderful and her voice combined with the language takes you on a trip =)

[ahiddenego]

Well done! Kate...