This was a big year for Irish films at the Oscars with Lenny Abrahamson’s film Room and John Crowley’s Brooklyn nominated for Best Picture. While neither of these films won the Oscar, another Irish director, Benjamin Cleary took home the Academy Award for Best Short Film for his film, Stutterer.
In the film Brooklyn, Iarla Ó Lionáid sang a fragment of the well-known sean nós (old style) song Casadh an tSúgáin (The Twisting of the Hayrope). This version comes from Múscraí – a Gaeltacht area near his birthplace in Cork. It’s a gorgeous, haunting song. We asked our e-Tutor Caroline to share the translated lyrics with us for you to follow while you listen.
Véarsa:
Do casadh cailín deas orm in uaigneas na dtrá,
Ar lúb na coille glaise uair bheag roim lá.
Sin an fhreagar’ ó a thug sí liom go ciúin agus go tláth:
“Tá an saol ‘na gcoladh, bogaimís an súisín bán!”
Cúrfá:
‘S má bhíonn tú liom bí liom, a stóirín mo chroí,
‘S má bhíonn tú liom bí liom os comhair a’ tí,
Má bhíonn tú liom, ‘s gur liom gach órlach ded’ chroí,
‘Sé mo mhíle chnoc nách liom Dé Domhnaigh tú mar mhnaoi!
Verse:
A lovely girl met me in the loneliness of the beach.
At the bend of the green wood one hour before the day.
This was the answer she gave me quietly and gently:
“The world is asleep, let us move the white rug!”
Refrain:
And if you are with me be with me, oh love of my heart,
And if you are with me be with me in front of the house,
If you are with me, and if every inch of your heart is mine,
It’s my great sorrow that you are not mine on Sunday!