Éaduard Crofton - Sir Edward Crofton

The Crofton Crest
The Crofton Family Crest

The Croftons came to Ireland in Elizabethan times. Sir Edward Crofton, 1st Baronet of Mote, Co. Roscommon, was so created on July 1, 1661, for his services to King Charles II during the Cromwellian period. In 1675 he was succeeded by his son, Sir Edward Crofton, 2nd Baronet in whose honor this piece was written. According to an entry in an old family prayerbook at Mote, Sir Edward married Katherine St. George, daughter of Sir Oliver St. George in Galway.

1. Sláinte Sir Éadbhaird sí fhéads gach uile dhuine a ól,
Is fearr dhúinn a h-ól le leanntaibh go lionmhar,
Is le fiontaibh go dlúithchheart,
'Si is fiúntaighe, is clúitighe

2. Dhá bhfacas go fóill.
Ní fearr le gach ó í [sic]
Ná go ro-mhoc aag éirghe dhó,
Ag ridire an chinn chródha

3. Ó Mhóta na h-Aghnaidhe ar fad.
Is binn liom le dúracht bheith trácht ar an úrfhlaith,
Go deimhin sin dhúinne i gcorn brandaigh,
Is gurb é é adeir an saoghal uile

 4. Tráth ba mhian leófa dul ar buille,
'Pairlement! fuagraim i an pharlement!'
Ar gach aon aca nach mbeith ól aca
Greann, ceólta nó fior-aitis,

5. Ag a mbeimís ag gluasacht gach lá leis,
Féachaint go mbeimís-ne ar damhaireacht,
Nó ar féidir dhúinn bheith 'n-éagmuis ar gcáirde?
Tráth ghluaisir anois, a uaisle is deise ghlice,
Ar cuairt go dtigidh cuacha an tsamhraidh.

Song Notations

Notations are courtesy of Carolan, the Life and Times of an Irish Harper by Dónal O'Sullivan vol. 1 Celtic Music Edition 1983.

Courtesy of Vivian and Jack Hennessey, IrishPage.com, 2005.
For phonetics consult the pocket dictionary Fóclóir Póca
Replay background music: Sir Edward Crofton
Lyrics in Irish, 5 quatrains, in O'Sullivan v 2 p 16

Filleadh go liosta
Back to Carolan Complete Works List