Baile an Róba

Amhrán grá éagmaise ó dhearcadh an fhir an t-amhrán seo agus deirtear gurb é Mícheál Mac Suibhne a chum an t-amhrán san 18ú haois. Tugtar ‘Máirín Seoighe’, bean as Baile an Róba i gCo. Mhaigh Eo, ar an amhrán freisin, agus moltar a háilleacht agus a pearsa san amhrán.

This is song of unrequited love from the male perspective and it is said that it was composed by Mícheál Mac Suibhne in the 18th century. The song is also known as ‘Máirín Seoighe’, a woman from Ballinrobe in Co. Mayo, and the song praises her beauty and character.

Baile an Róba

I mBaile an Róba bhíos seal i mo chónaí

’S tá mé faoi dhólás anois le bliain

Ag cuimhniú i gcónaí ar bhláth na hóige

A grua mar an rós is a béilín binn.

Bím gach Domhnach ag seinm cheoil di

’Súil is go seolfaidh Dia mo bhealach í

Is arís tráthnóna bím go brónach

Nuair a smaoiním ar chomhrá mo chailín fionn.

Bean is fiche a bhí seal i ngrá liom

Ach i lár na sráide níor chuir mé suim

Nó go dtáinig an ainnir a bhí múinte mánla

’S gur thríd an bhfáinne a chuirfinn í.

Bhí culaith gheal uirthi den tsíoda ab áille

’S bhí an mhil dhá fáisceadh as gruaig a cinn

’S gurb í mo ghrása an mhaighdean mhánla

A d’fhág mé cráite le mo shaol.

Chuaigh mé ’un seanchais le fear de mo chomharsain

Ó, cérbh í an óigbhean a bhí romham sa tslí?

Is dúirt sé liomsa go mba cailín cóir í

Is bean níos deise nach bhfaca sé riamh.

Tá brainse mhór inti d’fhuil na bhFianna

’S den mhianach mór dhá bhfuil sa tír

’S tá cónaí uirthi i mBaile an Róba

Is tá fir na Fódla uilig ina diaidh.

Sheas an ainnir seal beag bídeach

Mar bhí sí caoithiúil gan malraid méin

’S gur ró-dheas é a pearsa is a seasamh díreach

Is a coim chaol deas a bhí ar dhath an fhéir.

Ba í ba deise ’s ba gile gáire

Dhá bhfaca súil aon fhear fós

Is a chúr na toinne agus a bhláth na n-úll

Má dhéanann tú mé a dhiúltú ní bhead i bhfad beo.

Baile an Róba

I spent some time in Ballinrobe

In tribulation for a year

Reminiscing on the flower of youth

Cheeks like roses and lips so dear.

On Sundays I play her music

Hoping God would send her my way

This evening I am so sad

When I think of what my blonde-haired girl had to say.

Five and twenty women loved me briefly

My sights set higher than the middle of the road

Until the arrival of the mannerly grace of the

woman I would put through the ring.

Wearing a suit of finest silk

Dew draped and wrestled from her hair

She was my love this gentle maiden

Until she broke my heart.

I went to seek the counsel of a neighbour

Who was this woman I had met?

He said she was an honest maiden

Who's like he had never seen before.

She carries the blood of a branch of the Fianna

And her calibre is beyond reproach in this land

She lives in the town of Ballinrobe

And all Fódhla's men seek her hand.

The young woman stood a short while

For she was kindly and well disposed

So beautiful her personality was composed

Her waist slender beauty the colour of the grass.

Her laugh was golden brightness

No man had ever seen

Like the cusp of a wave and the scent of the apple

If you reject me I will not live long.

Translation: Dairena Ní Chinnéide