Hi,

I am looking for the lyrics of a sean nos song called 'Tomas Ban Mac Aogain', sung by Darach O Cathain. If anyone can provide them in either English or Irish I would be very grateful.

A's aréir ag tíocht ón tórramh dhom 'sea dhearc mé stór mo chroí
'S mo chreach agus mo chrá ní sa mbaile 'chaith mé an oích'
Tá arraing ag dhul trasna thríom, is í ag cónaí i lár mo chroí
Is a stór, mura dté tú abhaile liom 's ní mhairfidh mé beo mí.

Is tháinig Tomás Bán ar cuairt agam is mé in uaigneas liom féin
Séard a dúirt sé, "Ná bíodh buaireamh ort ná rud ar bith mar é
'S í do chúilín catach a mharaigh mé 's mar gheall ort a gcrochfar mé
Is gur measa liom naoi n-uaire thú ná an mháthair atá i mo dhiaidh."

Ó 's a Thomáis Bháin Mhic Aogáin, 's é mo léan thú bheith ag dhul i gcéin
Cérbh ionadh liom do mháithrín bhocht 'tá go brónach i do dhiaidh
Dhá mbeifeá ar leaba an bháis aici, cér chás di thú 'bheith tinn
Ach do chrochadh as na sáltrachaí is an bháisteach le do dhroim.

Ó 's a Thomáis Bháin, bí cinnte, 's tú searc is rún mo chroí
A Thomáis a dtug mé gean dhuit, seachas fearaibh óg an tsaoil
Ó crochfar thú go cinnte, mura bhfuil ag grásta Dé
Is a Dhia nárach* mór an feall é an planda breá mar é.

Is tá cuireadh go Cill Chainnigh orm agus caithfidh mé dhul ann
Beidh ann an seisiún ceathrúna idir Gaeil is clanna Gall,
Ní dhaorfar ann ach beirt éicint agus crochfar iad, mo léan,
Mar 'tá Tomás Bán Mac Aogáin 's Mac Uí Mhaoláin lena thaobh.

* I'm not sure about the form "nárach" here - I expected "nár" - but it's what I think I'm hearing. A second opinion would be nice!
(I can post a clip of that verse if anyone wants.)


And here's a fairly rough English translation:

It was last night, coming from the wake, that I saw my heart’s treasure.
My woe and my torment, that I did not spend the night at home!
An arrow is piercing right through me and lodging in my breast,
And my dear, if you don't come home with me, I shall not live a month.

Tomás Bán came to visit me as I sat all alone.
He said, “Do not be troubled or any such thing.
It's your curly head that’s killed me, and on your account I'll be hanged
and I mind it nine times more for you than for the mother I leave behind.”

Oh, Tomás Bán Mac Aogáin, it's my sorrow that you are leaving.
I don't wonder that your mother is grieving after you.
If she had you, on your deathbed even, she'd not mind that you were ill -
but you hanging from the gallows, with the rain at your back.

Oh, Tomás Bán, be certain you are my heart's love and desire,
Tomás whom I loved above all young men on earth.
Oh, you will surely be hanged, unless God's grace intervenes,
and God, is it not a shame, a fine young man like him.

I have been summoned to Cill Chainnigh and I must go there,
There will be a quarter-session between the Irish and the English.
Just the two will be condemned - and alas, they will be hanged:
Tomás Bán Mac Aogáin and young Ó Maoláin beside him.

A Abigail,
Meastú nach "ag dul i gcill" atá ag tosach an triú véarsa. "Narach" is indeed what he says. I think it would be "nach", but maybe Darach Ó Catháin himself wasn't too sure of whether it was "nach" or "nár" and combined the two, perhaps unintentionally, to give the meaningless "nárach."

An ceart ar fad agat, ar ndóigh. Chuala mé an rud a raibh súil agam leis.

Céard faoin tríú líne den véarsa céanna? An é "cér chás di" a deir sé, meas tú, nó an bhfuil fuaim/focal eile sleamhnaithe isteach ann?

Níl. Deireann sé "cér chás di" i leaba "cén chás di," ach bhí sé sin coitianta nuair a d'úsáidtí an leagan sin sa gcaint. Níl mé cinnte cén fáth ach measaim go ndeirtí "cér" nuair a bheadh cineál "hypothethical" nó "if clause" i gceist. Cineál módh fo-shuíteach, b'fhéidir. B'fhéidir go mbeadh Dennis nó duine éigin in ann míniú níos cruinne a thabhairt air ó thaobh gramadaí de.