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An Draighneán Donn (The Blackthorn Bush)
This is one of the best-known and most widely sung love songs in Irish. Ennis noted that Dinny got this version from his father. The song is an unhappy song as is the case with many of the love songs in Irish. The girl is compared to the blossom of the blackthorn and references to the rowan tree, to the dew and to berries occur throughout. In the final verse in this version the girl addresses Páidí asking him whether it matters to him that she is pregnant.
[NFC 1282:73-74]
An Droighneán Donn. ó Dinny (athair)
Síleann céad acu gur leó fhéin mé nuair ólaim lionn
‘SThéid dhá dtrian síos daoím nuair a smaoitim ar a gcórá liom
Com is míne cích fá dhó ná’n síoda ‘tá ar shliaú Uí Fhloinn
Tá mo ghrá-sa mar bhláth na n-áirní tá’r a’ droighneán donn.
Má thig tú choidhche (ó) tar ‘san oidhche go cúl a’ chlaidhe
Ar maidin nó tráthnóna nuair a bhíos an driúcht ‘n-a luíghe
Cé na’ lóbhairim-sa bím-sa ‘meóbhrú go mór fá mo chroí
‘Stú mo chéad-searc agus ní féidir dú do chumhaidh ‘chur díom.
Fear gan chéill a bheaú a’ dréim leis an chlaidhe ‘tá árd
‘Sa claídhe beag íseal le n-a thaoibh sin ar a leagfait sé a lámh
Cé gur árd a’ cránn caorthainn bí sé searbh as a bhárr
Fásaí sméara ‘gus bláth súgh-craobh ar an chrann is ísle bláth.
Ní bean búclaí ná ribíní d’fhóirfiú dú.
Ach gearr-chailín daithte bheaú dána dú’
Mo léan géar gun mé ‘gus tú, a chráidh mo chroí,
I ngleanntán sléibhe le h-írí gréine ‘san driúcht ‘n-a luighe.
A Phaidí nó na’ misde leat mé bheith tinn
‘S a Phaidí nó na’ misde leat mé bheith trom
A Phaidí ‘n chúil daithte ‘s an bhéilín bhinn
Go dtéi mé ‘dtalú go mbei’ cuimhne ‘gam ar do chórá liom.