Traditional Irish Folksong
An Mhaighdean Mhara (the mermaid)
Type of song - Lament
Tempo - Slow
Metre - 3 (3 beats in each bar)
Form - ABCD
Mood - Sad
Most of the oldest songs and tunes are rural in origin and come from the older Irish language tradition. Unaccompanied vocals are called sean nós ("in the old style") and are considered the ultimate expression of traditional singing. They were usually performed solo Sean-nós singing is highly ornamented and the voice is placed towards the top of the range. A true sean-nós singer will vary the melody of every verse, but not to the point of interfering with the words, which are considered to have as much importance as the melody. Sean nós songs have free metre (no pulse)
Song types include,
Laments (sad songs),
Lullabys,
Work songs,
Love songs,
Macaronic songs (half English half Irish)
Aislings (vision or dream)
Tempo - Slow
Metre - 3 (3 beats in each bar)
Form - ABCD
Mood - Sad
Most of the oldest songs and tunes are rural in origin and come from the older Irish language tradition. Unaccompanied vocals are called sean nós ("in the old style") and are considered the ultimate expression of traditional singing. They were usually performed solo Sean-nós singing is highly ornamented and the voice is placed towards the top of the range. A true sean-nós singer will vary the melody of every verse, but not to the point of interfering with the words, which are considered to have as much importance as the melody. Sean nós songs have free metre (no pulse)
Song types include,
Laments (sad songs),
Lullabys,
Work songs,
Love songs,
Macaronic songs (half English half Irish)
Aislings (vision or dream)
Lyrics
Is cosu/il gur mheath tu/ no/ gur thre/ig tu/ an greann,
Ta/ sneachta ga freasach fa/ bhe/al na mbeann',
Do chu/l bui/ daite 's do bhe/ili/n sa/mh,
Siud chugaibh Mary Chinidh 's i/ ndiaidh an E/irne 'shna/mh
A mha/ithri/n dhi/lis, du/irt Ma/ire Bha/n,
Fa/ Bhruach an chladaigh 's fa/ bhe/al na tra/
Maighdea/n Mhara, mo mha/ithri/n ard,
Siud chugaibh Mary Chinidh 's i/ ndiaidh an E/irne 'shna/mh
Ta/ mise tuirseach agus beidh ga la/
Mo Mha/ire bhroinngheal 's mo Pha/draig ba/n
Ar bharr na dtonna 's fa/ bhe/al na tra/
Siud chugaibh Mary Chinidh 's i/ ndiaidh an E/irne 'shna/mh
Is cosu/il gur mheath tu/ no/ gur thre/ig tu/ an greann,
Ta/ sneachta ga freasach fa/ bhe/al na mbeann',
Do chu/l bui/ daite 's do bhe/ili/n sa/mh,
Siud chugaibh Mary Chinidh 's i/ ndiaidh an E/irne 'shna/mh
A mha/ithri/n dhi/lis, du/irt Ma/ire Bha/n,
Fa/ Bhruach an chladaigh 's fa/ bhe/al na tra/
Maighdea/n Mhara, mo mha/ithri/n ard,
Siud chugaibh Mary Chinidh 's i/ ndiaidh an E/irne 'shna/mh
Ta/ mise tuirseach agus beidh ga la/
Mo Mha/ire bhroinngheal 's mo Pha/draig ba/n
Ar bharr na dtonna 's fa/ bhe/al na tra/
Siud chugaibh Mary Chinidh 's i/ ndiaidh an E/irne 'shna/mh
Chosen Song
Anach Chuain
Anonymous. Modal. Free Metre. Song about a boating tragedy off the coast of Connemara. Type of song - Lament.
This song would also be suitable to your ballads category as it tells a story.
This song would also be suitable to your ballads category as it tells a story.