Ceacht 5: Foghlaim Gaeilge le 'Claisceadal cois Baile'
- Colmcille Press
- Nov 10, 2025
- 2 min read
An Chúileann ~ The Fair Maiden
Ag ceiliúradh foghlama na Gaeilge trí sheanamhráin, curtha in eagar ag Risteard Mac Gabhann
Ceann de na hamhráin is cáiliúla i gceolchiste na Gaeilge agus creidtear gur
Muiris Ó Dubhagáin, fi le as an Bhinn Bhorb i gContae Th ír Eoghain a chum
é sa 17ú Céad. Is ó ‘cúl’ agus ‘fi onn’ a thagann an téarma ‘cúileann’ agus seans
go dtagraíonn sé do stíl ghruaige mná a bhí faiseanta san am, díreach mar a
thagrófaí inniu don ‘chailín le stíl ghruaige punc’.
One of the most celebrated and widely known Irish songs, which is commonly
attributed to Muiris Ó Dubhagáin, a poet from Benburb, Co. Tyrone, who
lived in the 17th century. The term cúileann is derived from cúl (head of hair)
and fionn (blond), and may refer to a distinctive hairstyle of the time, just as
a woman nowadays might be referred to as ‘the one with the punk hairstyle’.
Téacs an amhráin agus an t-aistriúchán/Text of the song and translation
An bhfaca tú an Chúileann ‘s í ag siúl ar na bóithre,
Did you see the Fair One walking on the roads,
Maidin gheal drúchta ‘s gan smúit ar a bróga?
On a bright dew-fi lled day and her shoes spotless?
‘S iomaí ógánach súilghlas ag tnúth lena pósadh,
Many a green-eyed lad is hoping to marry her,
Ach ní bhfaighidh siad mo rúnsa ar an gcuntas* is dóigh leo. [ *Abair ‘cúntas’]
But they’ll not get my love as they imagine.
An bhfaca tú mo bhábán lá breá ‘s í ina haonar,
Did you see my babe one fi ne day alone,
A cúl dualach drithleannach go slinneán síos léi?
Her gleaming hair in tresses down to her shoulders?
Mil ar an ógbhean is rós breá ina héadan,
A lass sweet as honey and a fi ne rose on her brow,
‘S is dóigh le gach spreasán gur leannán leis féin í.
And every good-for-nothing thinks she is his darling.
An bhfaca tú mo spéirbhean ‘s í taobh leis an toinn, [tonn]
Did you see my dream girl sitting beside the sea,
Fáinní óir ar a méara ‘s í ag réiteach a cinn?
Gold rings on her fi ngers combing her hair?
‘S é dúirt an Paorach, a bhí ina mhaor ar an loing, [long]
Said Mister Power, who was steward of the ship,
Go mb’fhearr leis aige féin í ná Éire gan roinn.
That he’d rather have her than to have Ireland without division.
Leagan eile iontach ó Siobhán Armstrong anseo:
