Comes in a beautifully designed, plastic free, photographic booklet and hard back case containing all lyrics, translations and background on each of the tracks.
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about
(Irish Gaelic) 21st Century
Aililiú Éinín (come down birdy). Such is the salute with which Lynchechaun addresses Sweeny as he perched in a tree in the medieval Irish saga, Buile Shuibhne (the Madness of Sweeny). The eponymous Sweeny was cursed to wander the forests of Ireland and Scotland because he had attacked the monastic community of the cleric, Ronan.
Driven to madness, he thought he was a bird, and roosted in trees in the wild. An old companion, Lynchechaun, tracked him down and tried to coax him from the trees – this is the symbolic flight to madness, whilst the descent to the ground represents the return to reason in this song. He starts with words of comfort and pity but in a cruel twist he mocks Sweeny, telling him that he now has possession of his lands and marital bed.
lyrics
Och, a Erin, ó thréig tú do ghrá
Go héag ó chuaigh tú le Guaire
Do leannán sí, mo náire shaolta,
Is ó chuaigh do chroí i bhfuaire,
Rachaidh mé faoin gcoill nó sa má
Mar nach bhfuil agam cuideachta ná gaolta.
Is trua liom thú a gheilt ghairbh
Ar an gconair ó thuaidh,
Lá suas go go hÉadan Tairbh,
Lá go meán Shliabh Fuaidh
Ailiú éanaí ailiú éaraí
Hoch teidí di éró
Parúsam praedidilí
Is mo lil na ló a ba bó
I mbun seilge is fia
Nó id leaba le do leannán
Tú a bheith gan leann gan bhia
Gan éadach gan bhróg mar dhán
English translation
Och, Erin McQueen, since you fadeabandoned your love fornumbdeathever since you went off with your balefulchronicsicklywhirlwindphantomlover and changed your name, to my greatworldy private-parts-shame, and since your heart has gone cold, I’ll go off aboutunder the castrationdesecrationwoods as an outlaw or in the Mazeplain for that’s where I have neither funcompanionship nor likerelations.
My pity on you vulgar madman
On the northern ridge
A day up to Éadan Tarbh
Another to the top of Sliabh Fuaidh
Come down birdy; mad birdy
Hoch teidí di éró
Parúsam praedidilí
Is mo lil na ló a ba bó
Me hunting and tracking (your lands)
Or in your bed with your wife
You with neither ale or food
Without cloth, without shoes, for a song
credits
from Oran Bagraidh,
track released February 2, 2019
Rody Gorman: voice
Lorcán Mac Mathúna: voice
Conor Caldwell: fiddle
Gwyneth Glyn: voice
Ben Seal: synthesizer
Pete Smith: Galloway bird recordings
One of my favorite albums ever and I listen to it all the time, every song is beautifully made and I admire the songwriting. Way Up on the Mountain wrenches my heart in the best possible way, the blending and passion of these singers is something genuinely special. feathered_fingernail
Surprisingly laid back EP given the cover art, but still some fine traditional music from the band. You can't go far wrong with Dàimh. (Eagerly awaiting the bandana!) Oynque