An Cóta Mór Stróicthe (The Big, Torn Coat)
Ennis wrote that two men, one whose surname was Mac Donncha and the other de Búrca, both from east Galway, were in pursuit of the same woman whose surname was Ní Mháille. Having refused a dance to de Búrca, she accepted a dance from Mac Donncha. De Búrca insulted her using a bad name and Mac Donncha took an iron bar and killed him. He spent a year and a day in Leitreach Ard, hiding from the police. The man for whom he worked during this time had the fugitive fined by the police in court after this time. He then went home to Dubh Leitir. He left the ‘big torn coat’ after him, following a week of poitín drinking. The woman he fancied was about to marry another, but when she heard that Mac Donncha had returned she went along with him.
The song was around a hundred years old in the 1940s according to Seáinín Choilmín Mac Donncha. He reminisces about happier times. His mother is heartbroken as her husband has died and her son is roaming the countryside. He says that he will never engage with young women again as he has seen his darling being kissed by another man.
The song is the story as told by Mac Donncha as he wanders the countryside in a sorry state, he is sore and weary from constant walking.
[ from NFC 1280: 251-253]
Note to music transcription:
Ennis wrote in Irish ‘easily’ above the music notation.
An Cóta Mór Stróicthe
Seán ‘ac Dhonnacha as Loch Mór (taobh thoir de Ghailli’) a bhí ar a’ bhfear agus Búrcach a bhí ar a’ bhfear eile (as an áit céanna) agus de Mháilleach an bhean a ra’n bheirt ag faire uirthe. D’iarr an Búrcach an bhean a’damsa i dteach an cheóil. D’eitigh sí annsin an Búrcach. D’iarr Mac Dhonncha ‘nnsin í agus chua’ sí a damsa leis. Ghlaoidh an Búrcach annsin droch-ainim ar an bhean óg agus ní rinne Mac Dhonnacha annsin ach breith ar an iarann ar an mbeaic agus an Búrcach a mharbhú leis an iarann. Rith sé annsin agus lean na gardaí é. Chaith sé lá is bliain ansin i Leitreach Árd. Bhí sé ina bhuachaill ag Seán ‘ac Dhonncha eile annsin ar feadh bliana. Fuair Seán ‘ac Dhonncha as Leitreach Ard, fuair sé freeáilte ansin ón seisiún é nuair a bhí lá ‘s bliain thuas aige. D’imigh sé ‘bhaile ansin agus chua’ sé go Dúbh-Leitir ar a bhealach abhaile dhó agus chaith sé seachtmhain ag ól poitín annsin agus d’fhága sé ‘n ‘Cóta Mór Stróicthí’ déanta ansin ag imtheacht dhó. Nuair chua sé abhaile bhí an bhean a’ guil a’ pósadh agus nuair a chuala sí go rá’ sé ‘stigh thréig sí an fear eile agus chua sí leis féin.
Céad anois atá sé díreach ó rinniú an t-amhrán. Bhí an scéal agus an t-amhrán ag m’athair, beannacht Dé le n’anam.
Tá mo chóta mór stróicthí ó Dhónach ‘s é ‘sileadh liom síos,
An t-é chuirfeadh cóir air, mo bhrón, tá sé ‘ bhfad as mo línn,
Tá táilliúir glan cóir ‘san Áird Mhór mar tá Tomáisín Bán*
Agus cuirfe sé green velveteen air is beilt faoina lár.
Ghluais mé thar sáile le Máilligh ar uair a’ mheán-oidch’
Bhuail mé faoi Bhúrcaigh, dream diúltuíú as flaithis na naoíú,
D’fhág siad le fán mé ‘cuir fáirnéis cá gcodlochainn ‘san oidch’,
Thóig siad ‘mo cheó mé ‘stá tóir orm amach faoi Thráighlí.
Tá m’ioscaidí liúnta ó shíor-shiubhal na móinte seo siar,
Tá mo loirigní gearrtha’s níl áit a’am a leigfinn mo scíth,
Tá mé ‘bhfad ó mo mháthair ‘s níl áit a’am a leigfead mo scíth,
Tá súil le Rí na nGrást’ a’am nach mbeidh fan orm ach tamall ‘s cén bhrígh.
‘S tá céad fear a shíleanns má shaothruíonn sé gine nó dhó,
Nach mbainfe sé píghinn as sin choídhch’ nó go gceannuíghidh sé bó,
Ó’s mise nár chuímhr’ ar a’ gcríonnacht, ‘s nár chaith mé go leór,
Ní cuirfear mé choídhch’ gan bráithlín agus connra faoi’n bhfód.
Céad slán duit a Loch Mór, ‘sé mo bhrón gan mé ‘nocht lé do thaoíú
Is iomú sin bóthar fad’ uaigneach ‘ guil eidir mé’s í
‘S ann a bhíodh ceól a’ainn gach Dónach is gaisce ‘na suibhe,
‘S bhí ‘n jug ar a’mbórd ánn ‘s mo stór go fial fairsing á roínnt.
Tá mo mháithrín tinn tréith-lag, ‘s í go h-aonraic ar chaltha na mbád,
A’ gol ‘s a’ caoíneadh chuil’ oidche ‘s ag éirighe dho’n lá,
Tá ‘comrádaidhe sínte ‘gCill Bhríghde agus leac ar a cheánn,
‘S tá ‘mac ‘fud na tíortha ‘na cheánn siamsa ‘s na raluidhe le mrá.
Fad ‘s bhéas mé beó ‘n-Éirinn, ní thréigfe mé imirt ná ól,
Fad ‘s bhéas mé beó ‘n-Éirinn, ní thréigfe mé cualódar óg,
Dhiún fear a phógfadh mo stór ‘s mé bheith ar a shuídhe,
Nach mbainfinn de’n tsrón, nó ba láidir a charaid ‘sa tslighe.
Dar mo mhilleadh ‘s dar mo bhuaile(?)’s dar mo mhóide ní shuidhfe mé síos,
I gcualódar ban óg, go deó deó ní ghotha mé ‘ríst,
Chonnaic mé mo stór ‘sí dhá pógadh ag fear chois a’ tighe,
Thuit a’ sruth deór liom agus hobair go mbrisfeadh mo chroí.
Nóta le hathscríobh an cheoil:
Scríobh Ennis ‘Go réidh’ le nodaireacht an cheoil.
Cailín Deas Crúite na mBó [The Pretty Girl Milking the Cows]
Ennis wrote that a woman was singing a bawdy song while milking cows. A priest passing by heard the singing and ordered the girl, in reparation, to come to church the following Sunday, wearing a long white sheet, with a piece of a bone of a horse in her mouth and to stand at the church door so that everyone entering the church would spit on her and she agreed to this. A friar lived near her and he sent for her. She went to him and he asked her if she could learn a song quickly. She said she could and did so.
The song exhorts people to repent of their sins and to live a good life. It asks the Virgin Mary for protection and states that the Day of Judgement will arrive. It exhorts people to attend mass.
The girl sang the song at church the following Sunday and the priest said that whoever had taught her the song, taught her well.
[from NFC 1280: 135-137]
Note to music transcription:
Ennis wrote in irish, in brackets ‘(From the same person)’ [Vail Bheairtle Ó Donncha] on the music notation.
Cailín Deas Crúite na mBó
Bean a bhí ann ‘sa tsean-aimsir agus bhí sí a’ bleaghan bó ar chúl sconnsa agus bhí sí ‘góil ‘Cailín D.C. na mBó’ agus bhí an t-amhrán gáirsiúil. Bhí sagart a’ guil a’ bóthar agus sheas sé ‘g éisteacht léi. Nuair a bhí ’n t-órán críochnuighthe ‘ci ghlaoidh sé amach uirthe ‘gus chuir sé ge bhreithiúnas aithrighe uirthi bheith ag a‘ bPobal an chéad Dónach eile, bráithlín gheal a bheith síos go talth’ uirthe, píosa dhe chráimh capaill in-a béal seasa’ ‘ndoras a’ tséipéil go mbuailfeadh chuile dhuine ghothadh isteach nó ‘mach smugairle uirthe agus dúirt sí go mbeadh. Bhí Bráthair in-a chomhnuidhe comhgarach di agus chuir sé fios uirthe agus chua sí go dtí é, agus d’iarrtha sé dhi a’ ra’ sí go maith a’ tóigeáil órán. Dúairt sí go raibh. D’árrtha’ bráthair a’ t-órán agus seo mar a duairt sé:
Éirígí ‘pheacaí ‘gus músclaí agus cuimhrígí ar Eón Mhac na h-Óigh
Ná smaoinígí ar pheacaí na drúise nó ar mhealladh gach cúilfhinnín óg,
Ach blaoigí ar na h-Aingle ghár gcumhdach ‘s ar ár mbáinríoghan bhreagh curtha na nGlór
Ná’r bhreagh dhúinn mar charaid í lá ‘n chúntais
Ná cailín deas cnóidhte na mbó.
Tioca’ mac Muire ghá’r bhféachaint
‘Sa chlann bhocht ag Éansall(?) aniar
Teannaigí lióm is céad fáilte
Gon chathair a gheáll m’athair díb.
An Mhaighdean bhreagh bharramhail ‘tá láidir
Mo ghrá thú ‘s tú áilleacht gach ciall
‘S tú mo chongna’ agus our-láimh na práinne
Ag [Agus? RÓ] molaimuid go h-árd ainm Chríost.
Tioca’n an t-árd-phríonnsa gan aimhreas
Chun breithiúnas a thóirt ar gach naomh
Ní leanaim gá’r cumú ná gá gcúmfar
Nach dtiocaí annsiúd le n-a ghlóir.
Tréicí an fhairrige bhrúidiúil
Agus silthe gach neon-charraig bréan (sic)
‘S nuair a shínfheas a’ t-aingeal an trónfid (trumpet)
Beidh gach anam in-a chomhcholainn fhéin.
Nach truagh liom lucht drannaim agus dróise
Lucht meisceóireacht trúm agus póit
Ag éirighe ar maidin Dé Dóna’
Agus a’ spalpadh na miúne [?mionnaí RÓ] ag tigh’n óil
Ná failígí t-Aifreann ar aon chor
Níl sólás ar a’ saoghal seo níos fearr
Ach molaimíd míle ‘gus céad buachas[?buíochas RÓ]
Leis a’ tÉan-Mhac a d’fhuiling a’ Pháis.
(ó n-athair). Ó Val Bheartla Ó Donnchú
Dubhairt an sagart léithe nuair a tháinic sí ag a’ bPobal an t-órán a rádh agu,s duairt sé ‘pé brí cé mhúin fios do ghroithe dhuit mhúin sé go maith dhuit é, ach beannacht duitse’ deir sé ‘agus mallacht go bhéal do mhúinte’.
Nóta le hathscríobh an cheoil:
Scríobh Ennis ‘(Ón duine céadna)’ le nodaireacht an cheoil, is é sin Vail Bheairtle Ó Donncha.
Sean-nós singer Caitríona Ní Cheannabháin is from an Aird Thoir, Carna, County Galway. Her father was Michael Mháire Ghabha ó Ceannabháin who was a renowned traditional singer and musician as was his mother before him, Máire an Ghabha The singing and music are passing through the generations. Caitríona is chair of the festival which commemorates Michael Mhaire Ghabha. As a young girl Caitríona regularly took part in competitions and festivals. She has won prizes at the annual Oireachtas and at other competitions. She frequently sings at festivals in Ireland and abroad and she also adjudicates at singing competitions. She took part in the film Song of Granite about singer Joe Heaney. She is a frequent contributor to Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4. She is very interested in country music. Caitríona has published two compact discs and has taught sean-nós singing in primary schools in Iorras Aithneach where she lives. She is a lover of Irish traditional culture and of nature, both of which lift her spirits.
Caitríona Ní Cheannabháin, singing 2 songs collected by Séamus Ennis in Conamara from Seáinín Choilmín Mac Donncha and Vail Bheairtle Ó Donncha
Fínis, Carna (1869–1954). His father was married to Bairbre Ní Iarnáin. Seáinín said his forefathers had been in Iorras Aithneach for 400 years and had come from Gleann in western Connacht. He loved songs, stories, dancing and good company. He used to go to Roisín na Mainiach, Maínis and Glinsce for music. Pipers and fiddle players very often visited these places. The custom seems to have come to an end around 1890. He acquired the songs from his father and from a man called ‘Tone an Aircín’, about whom a song was composed. Seáinín was 25 years of age when he married. He was a sailor and had a púcán (small craft) for fishing with dredges, pots and nets. When he met Séamus Ennis, he had started using a curach. He said to Ennis he had given up using the púcán. (See NFC 1280:297-299). He married Máire Ní Chonaola and they had nine children. Máire died in 1945.
In his diary, Ennis mentioned frequent visits to the island of Fínis and to Seáinín Choilmín and his family. Seáinín Choilmín also visited Séamus Ennis at the collector’s lodging house on the mainland. As he wrote in his diary on 29 July 1944: ‘Seáinín [Choilmín Mac Donncha] came this morning from Fínis on his way to the bog. I wrote down an account of ‘Eileanóir, na Ruan’ [‘Eleanor, my Darling’] from him and a short account of his life. I introduced him to the Ediphone and to the pipes and he greatly enjoyed the morning’.
Cora na gCapall, Cill Chiaráin (1898–1981). A brother of Maidhcil, Bheairtle and Winnie. His mother was Bríd Thomáis Phádraig (née Ní Cheannabháin). He got the songs from his mother, father and older neighbours. He worked for a while on the bog in Kildare as part of a scheme run by the Turf Development Board. He won a gold medal in the Oireachtas singing competition in 1951. He composed ‘Seoighigh Inis Bearachain’. A daughter of his sister, Bríd, took care of Vail when his health failed. Vail is buried in Cill Chiaráin graveyard.
Ennis frequently visited Cora na gCapall between 1942 and 1946 and was very fond of Vail and Maidhcil. Following his final visit to them on 17 July 1946, he wrote: ‘Afterwards I went down to Cora na gCapall to Beairtlí Dhonncha’s house and spent the evening there. Vail and Maidhcil both have a great sense of fun, and you would not feel the night passing in their company. I wrote two songs from them in the course of my visit.’
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