Portláirge

Trad | Gaelic

Ó do bhiossa lá i Portláirge
Oh dhu vee-sah law Purth-law-rig-eh
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Bhi fion is punch ar chlár ann
Vee feen iss punch err klawr oun
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Bhi lán á ti de mhnaibh ann
Vee lawn ah tee dhe vnaw-iv oun
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Agus mise ag ól a sláinte
Og-gus mish egg ohl ah slawnteh
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um

Agus d’éaluigh bean ó Rath liom
Og-gus thale-ig ban oh Raw lum
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Agus triúr ó Thiobraid Árann
Og-gus throor oh Hibb-ar-idh Aw-ron
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Ni raibh a muintir sásta
Nee rev ah mween-thar saws-tha
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Ni rabhadar ach leath-shásta
Nee row-dhar ock lah-haws-tha
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um

Ó raghadsa ón Charraig amárach
Oh ride-sah oan Korr-igg am-awr-ock
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Agus tabharfad cailin bréa liom
Og-gus thaur-hadh koll-een brah lum
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Gabhfaimid trid an Bhearnan
Go-meedh treedh on Vaar-nan
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um
Ó thuaidh go Thiobraid Árann
Oh how-ig guh Hibb-ar-idh Awr-on
Fol dow fol dee fol the dad eye um

In Ireland people would gather in the pubs on fair days and market days when their business of the day had ended, to “wet their whistle” and hear a song. A traveling piper, fiddler, singer, or fluter would provide sweet music for pennies, and a farmer could learn a new song or two.

The Clancys grandmother kept one of these pubs and learned quite a few songs, one of which was Portláirge, a local Gaelic song. All the place names mentioned are within twenty miles of her pub.