CASADH AN T-SÚGÁIN. —("Twisting of the Rope.")
The following (which has been furnished by Mr. M. Crean, Secretary of the Chicago
Gaelic Club,) is said to be the original song composed to that delightful old Irish tune
"The Twisting of the Rope.” (The story of its authorship says it was written by a Con-
nacht harper, who, having once put up at the residence of a rich farmer, began to pay
such attentions to the daughter of the house as greatly displeased her mother, who
instantly bethought of a plan for the summary ejectment of the minstrel. She provided
some hay, and requested the harper to twist the rope which she set about making. As
the work progressed and the rope lengthened, the harper, of course, retired backward
until he went beyond the door of the dwelling, when the crafty matron suddenly shut
the door in his face, and then threw his harp out of the window. The song is here given
as found in Hardiman's "Irish Minstrelsy,” Vol. I. Another version, sung in the South
of Ireland, has additional stanzas, which some of our Munster contributors may, per-
haps, be able to furnish. The music of this fine old air is given in the IRISH-AMERICAN
ALMANAC for 1882:—
Nach é an cath marbh chas añ na h-áitesi mé,
'S a líacht cailín deas do fágassa mo dhiaigh;
Tanic me isteach 's teach raibh gradh geal mo chléibh,
'S chuir an cailleach amach air chasadh an t-súgáin mé.
Má bhidheañ tu liom, bidh liom do ló a's d' oídhche;
Ma bhídheañ tu liom, bidh liom ós comhair an t-saoghail;
Ma bhídheañ tu liom, bidh liom gach órdlach añ do chroídhe
'S é mo leun nach liom trathnóna thú mar mhnaoi!
As shíos a Sligeach chuir mé eólus air mo ghradh,
As shuas a n-Gallaibh d' ól mé léi mo sháith:
Dar brigh mo bhasa muna léigfidh dhamsa mar a táim,
Deanfaidh mé clas a bhainfeas suibhal as na mñaibh!
16
a
seoinín's
story and
a sweet lie.
a'rgead
acraidh
Taxes
Bhéarfaidh me ann so cuid d' abhran an chlúthamhail eile, d'a d-tug Ó h-Ar-
gadháin tri rainn faoi ainm "Casadh an t-Sugáin." Fuair mise é faoi ainm an
"Súisín Bán:"
AN SÚISÍN BÁN.
Má bhíonn tu liom bhí liom, a ghrádh gheal mo chroidhe;
Má bhíonn tu liom bhí liom, do ló gur d' oidhch;
Má bhíonn tu liom bhí liom, gach orlach ann do chroidhe,
'S é mo leun a's mo lom nach liom trathnóna tú mar mhnaoi.
An g-cluin tu** mé, a ghiolla, tá ag iarraidh grádh,
Fill a-bhaile arís a's fan bliadhain eile mar táir;
Tháinig me asteach i d-teach a raibh grádh geal mo chroidhe,
A's chuir an chailleach amach ar chasadh an t-sugáin mé.
B' ait liom bean a d' fhanfadh a bliadhain le n-a grádh;
D' ait liom bean a d' fhanfadh bliadhain uile agus a lá;
Níor b' ait liom an bhean bheidheadh leat-sa agus liomsa arís ar ball
'S í mo ghrádh an bhean a d' fhanfadh ar an aon stáid amháin.
A's cad é an cat mar bh do sheól ann san tír seó mé,
A's a liacht cailín deas d' fhágbhaidh mé mo dhéigh?
Ní truimidhe mise sin, 's ní ualach orm é,
A's gur minic do bhain bean slat do bhuailfeadh í féin.
16
Nov. 12,
1892.
Love Songs of
Connaught.
Nach é an
cat mara
Súisín Bán
gheabaidh tu oig bhean dheas
nár h-imrigheadh a
air clár, s na cailltean
thú i g-cluithe'n 256
b'furus dor
aithne
casadh an t-
