AN GAODHAL.
429
AN BÁRD 'GUS AN FÓ.
A GAELIC IDYL,
Produced for the first time, in Steinway Hall,
Thursday and Friday, 25th and 28th November,
by the Chorus of The S. P. I, Language, and
composed for the Society by Professor Paul Mc¬
Swiney.
(We shall give both the original and translation
of this opera in the GAEL.)
CHARACTERS RERESENTED.
NESSA, - - - Miss Carrie Hun King
BANIA, - - - Miss Clara Stuttsman
EOCAIDH, A Bard - - Mr. P. S. Munro
BEOTHACH, A Soldier, - - Mr. Wm. Long
CHORUS and ORCHESTRA.
SGEUL GAODHALACH.
BROLLACH.
Gan cuimhne tá na Báird do bhí.
Gan cuimhne a sgeulta grádh a choidh'e;
Gan cuimhne an cath-rann treun, ársuigh,
'Gus an crónán os cionn na marbh;
Oir thainic faol-chú an t-Sasanuigh,
A's tá cluinte a uaill go garbh.
Bhí deora 'gus teine 'nn ar d-teangain
bhreágh;
In gach focal budh fuaire bhí abhrán grádh,
A Dhia! mar faisg'dh gach croidhe le crádh,
Nuair chualaidh siad gul caointeora!
Ach Ó! mar do gleus'dh gach teud an trá
Do sheinn sé air Éirinn 's a glóire!
A! bhí ceol 'san tSean Tír 'san am fad ó,
Nuair bhí grádh i gcroidhthibh fear níos teo,
'Gus bhí deuntadh bearta i gcath 'sa ngleo
Do b' fhiú iad abhráin fíre,
'Gus bhí ceoltóiridhe binne an trá sin beo
Do mholfadh neart na tíre.
TRANSLATION.
PROLOGUE.
Forgotten are they, the Bards of old,
Forgotten the tales of love they told :
Forgotten the war-song, stern and bold,
And the lullaby o’er the dead ;
For the Saxon wolf hath crept on the fold,
And his voice is heard instead.
There were tears and fire in that melting tongue,
Whose coldest word was a soulful song.
Ah God ! how iron hearts were wrung
By the wail of the Keener haunted !
But Oh ! how their chords again were strung
When the Might of the Dead he chanted !
Ah ! music lived in the Old Land then,
When love made hearts, and hearts made men,
And men wrought deeds again and again
Were worthy a minstrel's song,
And minstrels there were whose immortal strain
Could no mortal prowess wrong.
PÁIRT I.
Cóimhsheinm Osgailteach.
In Earrach a saoghail bhí dhá óglach 'san t-
[slíghe
O Fhir na h-Éireann!
Bhí aon aca súgach 'san dara aig caoi ;—
O Fhir na h-Éireann!
Oir budh fear dhíobh mac de cheoltaibh binn',
A's do chán sé le spioraidibh aeir;
Ach an dara, do bhí sé 'na shaighdiúr grinn,
Agus d' iomchair sé croidhe bhí saor.
In Earrach a saoghail shuigh dhá mhaighdean
O Mhná na h-Éireann! ('san t-slíghe;
Bhí aon aca súgach 'san dara aig guidhe;
O Mhná na h-Éireann!
Oir bhí bean díob smuain'dh air Dhia gach
(trá,
A's bhí talamh a h-aisling' thar spéir;
Ach an dara, do gháir sí gan brón, gan
(crádh,
Le na croidhe in a súilibh soilléir'.
Cóimhsheinm.
Thar bhárr an tsléibhe, os cionn an mhágha,
Thar an g-cnoc a's thar bhárr na n-gleann,
Go méiréach a' ruagadh gruaim' a's sgátha
Amach ó uaimh a's cluan go teann.
Thar thalamh fhliuch go luath aig imtheacht,
Scuabadh an drúchd ó 'n arbhar buidhe,
Tiormugh'dh deora le teas a beannacht
Tagann Maidin an Laoi.
Tar, O tar in do ghlóire!
Tar ó do chluan a mhaighdean cheansa!
Trí lom-cheo air shléibhtibh móra
Soillsigh mar óigh a g-culaidh a bainse!
Oir tá'n fhuiseog 'g éirighe tar neul chugad
'Gus ag amharc amach ó na scáil chugad,
Tá'n Londubh 'san Smólach cur ceol chug'd
Le abhrán deágh-chroidhe atá saor.
Mar sin bídh'dh Bárd seinm go binn chug'd
Ní féidir dhúinn éirighe go grinn chugad,
Ach mar scathán a chaitheas go glinn chugad,
D' áillneacht, dealruighthe go fíór.
PART I,
INTRODUCTORY CHORUS.
In the Springtime of life met two youths by the
[way :—
O Men of Erin !
