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    A smiling Seamus Ennis sitting on a stool playing the pipes.
    Home > Blog

    I gcuimhne ar Shéamus Mac Aonghusa | In memory of Séamus Ennis

    5 Bealtaine/May 1919 – 5 Deireadh Fómhair/October 1982

    Cothrom an lae seo, 40 bliain ó shin, a fuair Séamus Mac Aonghusa bás. Ceoltóir, bailitheoir agus craoltóir a bhí ann, agus d’fhág sé oidhreacht shaibhir ina dhiaidh.

    Chaith Séamus Mac Aonghusa seal ag obair le Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann, ag taisteal timpeall na tíre ag bailiú ceoil, amhrán agus béaloidis. Tá ar bhailigh sé fós le fáil i gCnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann in An Coláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath.

    Chun comóradh a dhéanamh ar an lá, seo blaiseadh beag den saghas oibre a rinne sé. Leagan den amhrán ‘Coinleach Glas an Fhómhair’, a bhailigh sé ó Shíle Ní Ghallchóir (Síle Mhicí) i nGaoth Dobhair, Co. Dhún na nGall, Márta 1943.

    Today marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Séamus Ennis. He was a musician, collector and broadcaster who has left a rich legacy.

    Ennis spent some time working with the Irish Folklore Commission, travelling the country collecting music, songs and stories. The material that he collected is part of the National Folklore Collection in UCD.

    To mark the anniversary, ITMA presents a flavour of the type of work that he undertook. This is a version of the song ‘Coinleach Glas an Fhómair’ that he collected from Síle Ní Ghallchóir (Síle Mhicí) in Gaoth Dobhair, Co. Donegal, 1943.

    Coinleach Glas an Fhómhair

    Aitheantóir: Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann
    CBÉ/NFC 1282:245-246
    National Folklore Collection Identifier

    Ceol an amhráin i lámh Ennis = The music for the song in Ennis' hand

    Scríobh Ennis ar nodaireacht an cheoil ‘(go sínte, binn)’ agus sa Laidin ‘Con anima’ [go croíúil]. Mhínigh sé an dá réiltín : ‘sleamhnú ó C go F ins gach cás’.

    Ag deireadh nodaireacht an cheoil don amhrán seo scríobh sé [deire leis na sé chínn ar bhreacas a gceolta ó Chití Ní Ghallchobhair (21).]

    Ennis wrote in Irish with the music transcription of this song (‘slowly, sweetly)’ and in Latin ‘Con anima’ [in a lively fashion]. He explained the two asterisks as sliding from ‘C’ to ‘F’ in each case.

    Under the music notation for this song he wrote that this was the final song of the six songs he transcribed from the singing of Cití Ní Ghallchobhair (21).

    An chéad leathanach i lámh Ennis = The cover page in Ennis' hand

    Ceól as Gaoith Dóbhair (Márta 1944)

    (Dóbhar Láir)

    Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann
    Conntae: Tír Chonaill Barúntacht:
    Paróiste: Gaoith Dóbhair
    Ainm an Sgríobhnóra: Séamus Mac Aonghusa, Fionnglas Co. Bhaile Átha Cliath
    Do sgríobhas síos :na h-amhráin so Mí Mhárta 1943
    Ó bhéal-aithris Shíghle (Mhicí) Ní Ghallchobhair
    Aos: 82. Gairm-bheatha: Bean tighe
    atá in a chomhnuí i mbaile fearainn: Dóbhar Láir, Tír Chonaill
    a    gus a saoluíodh agus a tógadh i: Machaire Ghlaisce, Gaoith Dóbhair
    Do chuala (sí) na h-amhráin seo 60-80 blian ó shin ó n-a h-athair (Aos an uair sin….) a bhí in a chomhnuí an uair sin i Machaire Ghlaisce.

    Ní amhránaidhe fíor n-a cuid nótaí anois í – níl a ceól cruínn anois.

    Ennis entered information in relation to Síle Mhicí on the standard label issued by the Irish Folklore Commission, Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann. He gives information regarding Síle’s address, occupation, age and date of collecting this and other songs. He also noted that due to her age her singing was no longer exact.

    Focail an amhráin i lámh Ennis = The song words in Ennis' hand

    Fear a bhí ar Chonnlaigh Ghlais an Fhóghmhair, agus chonnaic sé an ghiorrsach seo

    Ennis wrote from Síle that the song is about a man who was on the green stubble fields of autumn and he saw this girl.

    Ar Chonnlaigh Ghlais an Fhóghmhair mo stóirín tráth dhearc uaim
    Ba dheas do chosa ‘mbróga is ba ró-dheas do leagan súl
    Do ghruaidhe ‘s deise ná rósa ‘s do chuirlín ‘bhí tana dlúth
    ‘Sé mo nua gan muid ár bpósú ar bórd luinge ‘triall ‘un siúil.

    Tá buachaillí na h-áite ag athra’ ‘gus ag írí teann
    Is tá lucht na gcocaí árda ‘déanú fáruis le mo chailín donn
    Gluaisí (muid thar sáile) Rí na Spáinne* Féil’ Pádruic nó fá Shamhain úr
    ‘S go gcruachfainn** féar agus fásach agus bheinn ar láimh le mo chailín donn.

    Gura slán do’n bhliain anuraidh, ní raibh tuirs’ orainn ‘na dhéidh ná cumhaidh
    Níor órduigh Rí ná duine fidil a bh’againn ná cláirseach ciúin
    Bhí cuachaín as Béal Muilinn ann, agus cuach bheag eil’ as Conndae’n Dúin
    ‘Sí ‘n ainnir a thug buaidh uilig orthú a’ bhean dú’ bhain dú mo chiall

    * Dubhairt Sighle an dá rud
    ** (?) “cruaithinn” a dubhairt sí.

    Buíochas le Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann agus Ríonach uí Ógáin.

    With thanks to the National Folklore Collection and Ríonach uí Ógáin.

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