Mrá na hÉireann
The Women of Ireland

 

Tá bean in Éirinn a bhronnfadh séad dom, is mo sháith le n-ól
[taw ban in erinn a vrona sheyd dom, iss mo haw leh nol]
There’s a woman in Erin who’d give me riches and my fill of ale

Is tá bean in Éirinn is ba bhinne léi, mo ráfla ceoil ná seinm théad
[Is taw ban in erinn iss ba vinnya leyee, mo rafla kyol naw shinim heyd]
There’s a woman in Erin who’d prefer my strains to strings being played

Tá bean in Éirinn ‘s níor bhfearr léi beo
[taw ban in erinn sneer var ley byo]
There’s a woman in Erin and nothing would please her more

Mise ag léimnigh nó leagtha i gcre is mo tharr faoi fhód.
[misha egg lymneh no lagga ih grey iss mo har fwee ohd.]
Than to see me burning or in a grave lying cold.

 

Tá bean in Éirinn a bheadh ag éad liom, mura bhfaighfinn ach póg
[taw ban in erinn a veh egg eyd lumm, murra vy-inn akh pog]
There’s a woman in Erin who’d be mad with envy if I was kissed

Ó bhean ar aonach, nach ait an scéala, ‘s mo dháimh féin leo
[O vann air aynakh, nakh atch an shkeyla, smo ghawv heyn lyo]
By another on a fair-day, they have strange ways, but I love them all

Tá bean ab fhearr liom.
[taw ban ab air lyum]
There are women I’ll always adore

Ná cath is céad dhíobh nach bhfagham go deo
[naw cah iss keyd gheev nakh vyham go dyo]
Battalions of women and more

‘S tá cailín spéiriúil ag fear gan Bhearla, dubhghránna crón.
[staw kyleen speyriuil egg fair gunn varla, doov ghrawnna crone.]
And there’s this sensuous beauty and she shackled to an ugly boar.

 

Tá bean a déarfadh dá siúl fhainn léi go bhfaighinn an t-ór
[taw ban a dyeragh daw shyool ann leyee, guh vyinn unn tor]
There’s a woman who promised if I’d wander with her I’d find some gold

‘s tá bean ‘na leine is fearr a méin ná na táinte bó le bean a bhuairfeadh
[staw ban nuh leyna iss far a meyn naw nuh tawntcha bo leh ban a voora]
A woman in night dress with a loveliness worth more than the woman who vexed

Baile an Mhaoir o, is clár Thír Eoghain
[bawlya an weer oh, iss klar heer owen]
Ballymoyer and the plain of Tyrone

‘s ní fheicim leigheas ar mo ghalar féin ach scaird a dh’ól.
[snee eckim lyass air mo ghalar heyn akh scard a ghol.]
And the only cure for my pain is the alehouse.


 
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