The South Wind
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Irish
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
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Lyrics:
A Ghaoth Aneas na mbraon mbog glas
A ní gach faiche féarmhar
Bheir iasc ar eas is grian i dteas
Is líon is meas ar ghéagaibh
Más síos ar fad mar mbínn féin seal
Is mianach leat-sa séide
Cuirim Rí na bhFeart dhod chaomhaint ar neart
‘S túir don tír sin blas mo bhéil-se!
Sínim aneas ag díonamh cleas
Nach ndíonann neach san saol so
Mar íslím gaimh is scaoilim leac
Is díbrim sneachta as sléibhte
Ó taoi tú ar lear go bhfuí tú mo neart
‘S gur mian liom do leas a dhéanamh
Go bhfúigfe mé mo bheannacht ins gach aon tslí ar mhaith leat
Is choíche i gCathair Éamoinn!
A Chonnachta an tseoid, an tsuilt ‘s an spóirt
I n-imirt ‘s i n-ól an fhíona
Sin chugaibh mo phóg ar rith ins an ród
Leigim le seol gaoithe í
Tá mise beo i mboige na seod
Mar a mbrúitear gach sórt bídh dhom
Ach is mian liom fós tarraing d’bhur gcomhair
Muna gcluine mé ach ceól píopa!
Literal translation:
O South Wind with the soft clear drops
You that make every sword grassy
Bring the fish to the waterfall, give heat to the sun
And abundance of fruit to the branches
If it is far to the north where I once lived
That you are minded to blow
May the King of Power preserve your strength
And give the taste of my mouth to that country!
I blow from the south, performing feats
Which no one else on earth can do
For I lay winter low and scatter the ice
And banish the snow from the mountains
Since you are in need you shall have my strength
And I want nothing more than to help you
I shall leave my blessing in every place you choose
And always in Cathair Éamoinn!
O blissful, joyous, sporting Connacht
Home of gaming and of wine-drinking
Here goes my kiss to you rushing along the road
I send it on the wings of the wind
I am living in splendid luxury
Where every kind of food is dressed for me
But yet I am fain to draw towards you
If I should hear but the music of the pipes!
Rhyming translation:
O South Wind of the gentle rain
You banish winter’s weather,
Bring salmon to the pool again,
The bees among the heather.
If northward now you mean to blow,
As you rustle soft above me,
God Speed be with you as you go,
With a kiss for those that love me!
From south I come with velvet breeze,
My work all nature blesses,
I melt the snow and strew the leaves
With flowers and soft caresses.
I’ll help you to dispel your woe,
With joy I’ll take your greeting
And bear it to your loved Mayo
Upon my wings so fleeting.
My Connacht, famed for wine and play,
So leal, so gay, so loving,
Here’s a fond kiss I send today
Borne by the wind in its roving.
These Munster folk are good and kind.
Right royally they treat me
But this land I’d gladly leave behind
With your Connacht pipes to greet me.
"The South Wind", (in Gaelic: "An Gaoth Andheas"), also known as "The Martinmass Wind",<br> "The Southern Breeze", "The Southwind" or "The Wind From The South" is an Irish waltz or slow<br> air in 3/4 time and G major.<br> The tune is taken from a song titled "Oh Wind from the South" that was transcribed from the<br> playing of a harper from County Clare in 1792. The song was printed in Edward Bunting’s 1809<br> Collection of Irish Folk Music.<br> Donal O’Sullivan’s (1893-1973) book, Songs of the Irish, states that the lyrics were originally<br> written in the 1700s, in Gaelic, by Freckled Donal Macnamara (1715–1810) who was homesick for<br> his homeland in County Mayo, Ireland. The text of the song deals with a poet conversing with the<br> wind regarding his longing for his homeland from which he has been banished.<br> There is a story about how the air was learned by the west Clare musicians. The tradition tells<br> about a ghost ship bringing back to Ireland the souls of the Irish exiles, called Wild Geese,<br> and mercenaries who had been killed in battle in foreign wars. As the vessel continued around<br> southwest Cork it was driven up the west coast by a southern breeze and the ghosts of the<br> expatriates could be heard singing this tune, which was picked up by musicians on the coast of<br> Clare who witnessed the event.<br> The lyrics given here are, first, the original Irish Gaelic, second, a literal translation and,<br> third, a more lyrical, rhyming translation.<br> It was printed in O'Neill's Music of Ireland (1850),<br> Brody's The Fiddler's Fakebook,<br> Cobb's Music of Ireland and<br> Mallinson's 100 Vital Irish Session Tunes.<br> It was recorded by The Chieftains on Water from the Well, In China and The Chieftans 3,<br> Archie Fisher on The Man with a Rhyme, <br> Mick Maloney on We Have Met Together and<br> The Green Fields of America on Live in Concert.<br>
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