An Bhean Dubh |
The Black-haired Woman |
| Véarsa 1 | Verse 1 |
| Nuair bhímse ar mo dhícheall, | While I am doing my level best |
| Ag díbirt na ngabhar ón dtigh, | To try and remove the goats from the house, |
| Bíonn mo bhean dubh sa díog | My black-haired wife [woman] can be found in the ditch |
| Ag an bpíobaire ‘s í ag foghlaim poirt. | With the piper, learning a tune. |
| Curfá | Chorus |
| A bhean dubh, a gheal dubh, | O black-haired woman, o bright dark-haired one. |
| Is a bhean dubh aro cá bhfuil tú? | O black-haired woman, where are you? |
| Is a bhean dubh aro ró-dhubh | O black-haired woman, very black, |
| Cá bhfuileann tú? Táimse anso | Where are you? I am here. |
| Véarsa 2 | Verse 2 |
| Dá mbeinnse in Uíbh Ráthach | If I were in Uíbh Ráthach[1] |
| Is úr chána glas daraí ‘gam | And I had a freshly-cut cane of green oak |
| Do sciúrsálfainn bom-báille | I would whip the bumbailiff[2] |
| Chuin úsáid mo chailín duibh. | For abusing my dark-haired girl. |
| Curfá | Chorus |
| Véarsa 3 | Verse 3 |
| Trí chúpla d’íbh úra, | Three pairs of fresh eggs |
| Ím iontu ‘s geal-chíste | With butter in them, and white bread |
| Don fhíor-bhrútach, d’fhíor scrúille | To the brutish, worthless old man |
| Bheadh a’ síor-bhrú mo chailín duibh. | Who was always encroaching on my dark-haired girl. |
| Curfá | Chorus |
| Verse 4 | Verse 4 |
| A bhean dubh na n-árann, | ‘O dark woman of my heart, |
| Cár fhágais an bhanúlacht? | Where did you leave your modesty?’ |
| D’fhágas i gCill Áirne í | ‘I left it after me in Killarney, |
| ‘g imirt báire far garsúnaibh. | Playing hurling with the lads!’ |
| Curfá x 2 | Chorus x 2 |
Notes
This a lively, light-hearted song which I have not found anywhere else. The narrator seems far more concerned by his wife’s behaviour than she is!
[1] Uíbh Ráthach or Iveragh is the peninsula on which the famous ‘Ring of Kerry’ is located.
[2] A ‘bumbailiff’ was a bailiff or underbailiff employed in serving writs, making arrests etc. This peculiar word appears to have come into use in the period 1595-1605 and alludes to the bumbailiff following close behind debtors and other offenders. Its use here is clearly meant to be derogatory.