Bánchnoic Éireann Ógh (1745-1758?)
Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Conmara, likely composed in Newfoundland
Composed by Donnchadha Ruadh Mac Conmara, likely during his time living in St. John’s in the 1740s. Cyril J. Bryne states: “he says of Ireland ‘Her barest rock is greener to me than this rude land’ — a lament frequently uttered by those taking their first look at Newfoundland, popularly referred to as ‘the Rock’!”(1)
Tomás Ó Criomhthain, writing in 1919 from the Great Blasket Island, Co. Ciarraí, recalled:
“Thugas m’aghaidh an lá seo ar lantán a bhfuil mar ainm air Rinn Chuas na Rón… An chéad rud a bhí os mo choinne amach ná ainm agus sloinne buachaillí agus cailíní gearrtha sa talamh báin le tamall roimhe sin. Iad uile imithe go dtí an Talamh Úr… mhúscail an fhuaim Ghaelach mé, dar liom, chomh breá agus a chuala riamh. Í ag teacht orm le míobhán gaoithe agus lucht a déanta tamall uaim fós… An t-amhrán a bhí ar siúl acu, níor cheann gan eolas uaimse é, Bánchnoic Éireann Ó. Níorbh fhada a bhí an ghuth sa chluais agam an t-am a raibh mo mhachnamh gan mhoill ag cur de go Talamh an Éisc mar a raibh an Gael cróga ina shuí a chuir an t-amhrán le chéile ag machnamh ar a thír dhúchais tar éis a fágtha dó.”(2)
“I turned that day towards the commonage that is called Rinn Chuas na Rón… The first thing that was out in front of me were the first and last names of young men and women that had been cut into the white ground for a while. Them all departed to the New World… The sound of Irish awoke me, which I thought was as fine [a sound] as I had ever heard. It was coming to me on the slight breeze and those who were making it were still some distance from me… The song that they had going, it wasn’t one unknown to me, Bánchnoic Éireann Ó. It wasn’t long that I had the voice in my ears when my thoughts were put without delay to Newfoundland were the brave Gael was situated who put the song together while reflecting on his native land after leaving it.”
Bánchnoic Éireann Ó is a fervent longing for home that unites Gaels on both sides of the Atlantic, echoing across the ocean as a response to the countless families in Ireland torn apart by emigration.
Beir beannacht óm chroí go tír na hÉireann
Bánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Chun a mhaireann de shíolra Ír as Éibhir
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
An áit úd ‘nar b’ aoibhinn binn ghuth éan
Mar shámhchruit chaoin ag caoineadh Gael -
‘Sé mo chás a bheith míle míle i gcéin
Ó bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Take a blessing from my heart to the land Ireland
And the fair hills of holy Ireland!
And to all that survive of Ir and Eibhear’s tribe
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
That land where the beautiful sweet birdsongs are
As a gentle harp lamenting the Gael -
It is my case to be a thousand miles away
From the fair hills of holy Ireland!
Bíonn barr bog slim ar chaoinchnoic Éireann.
Bánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
‘S is fearr ná’n tír seo díth gach sléibhe ann
Bánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Dob ard a coillte ‘s ba díreach, réidh
‘S a mbláth mar aol ar mhaoilinn géag
Tá grá ag mo chroí im’ intinn féin
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Smooth, soft soil is on the gentle hills of Ireland.
The fair hills of holy Ireland!
Her barest rock is greener to me than this rude land
The fair hills of holy Ireland!
Her woods are tall, straight and ready
And their pure white flowers on the tops of the branches
Love is had by my heart and in my own mind
For the fair hills of holy Ireland!
Tá gasra líonmhar i dtír na hÉireann
Bánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
As feara-choin ghroí a chloífeadh céadta
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
M’fhad tuirse croí is mo chuimhne scéil!
Iad ag Gallaphoic síos faoi ghreim, mo léan!
‘S a mbailte á roinn faoi chíos go daor!
Bánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Numerous are the youths in the land of Ireland,
The fair hills of holy Ireland!
And strapping men who would defeat hundreds
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
My long-tired heart and my remembrance!
They by the English bound, my sorrow!
And their homes divided and taxed dearly,
The fair hills of holy Ireland!
Is fairsing ‘s is mór iad cruacha na hÉireann
Bánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
A cuid meala ‘gus uachtair ag gluaiseacht ‘na slaoda
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Rachaidh mé ar cuairt nó is luath mo shaol
Don talamh bheag suairc, as dual do Ghaeil
‘S go mb’fhearr liom na duais dá uaisleacht é
Bheith ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Broad and great are the hills of Ireland
The fair hills of holy Ireland!
Her honey and cream flowing in trails
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
I will go to visit before the end of my life
To the little agreeable land, inheritance of the Gael -
And I would prefer more than the noblest prize
To be on the fair hills of holy Ireland!
Ní fheicim a gcóraid ag gabháil sa taobh seo
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Is ni fheicim a mbólacht á dtreorú chun féir ann
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Ach bárca á seoladh le forneart gaoth
Agus farraigí móra go deo lena dtaobh
Go bhfágathar fós mé im’ chúige féin
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
I don’t see their herds going this way
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
And I don’t see their cattle being guided to graze there
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
But ships being driven by violent winds
And great seas forever at their sides
May I be left in my own province yet
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
Scaipeann an drúcht ar gheamhar agus féar ann
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
‘S tagann na húlla cumhra ar ghéaga
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Biolar agus samhadh ‘na gleannta ceo
‘Sna srutha san tsamhradh ag labhairt ar nóin -
Uisce na Siúire ag brúcht ‘na shlógh
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
The dew spreads on the corn and grass there
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
The fragrant apples come on the branches
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
Watercress and sorrel in the misty glens,
And the streams in summer babbling at noon -
The waves of the Suir banking and plunging
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
Is oscailte, fáilteach an áit sin Éire,
Bánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Agus toradh na sláinte i mbarr na déise
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
Ba bhinne liom ná méara ar théada ceoil
Seinm agus géimreadh a lao ‘sa mbó -
Taithneamh na gréine orthu, aosta as óg,
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann óigh’!
It is open, welcoming that place of Ireland,
The fair hills of holy Ireland!
And the product of health in the soil of the Decies
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
Sweeter to me than fingers on musical strings would be
The singing and lowing of the calves and cows
The brightness of the golden sun, ancient and young
On the fair hills of holy Ireland!
Adapted from: Doyle, Danny. 2015. Míle Míle i gCéin: The Irish Language in Canada. Borealis Press: Ottawa.
For citation, please use: Mac Conmara, Donnchadh. 18th C. “Bánchnoic Éireann Ógh.” Ó Dubhghaill, Dónall. 2024. Na Gaeil san Áit Ró-Fhuar. Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir: www.gaeilge.ca.
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Bryne, Cyril J. “Poet at the end of the Old Gaelic world and at the edge of the New World.” An Nasc. 16.Summer (2004).
Ó Criomhthain, Tomás. Allagar na hInise.
