Éamann an Cnoic - Ned of the Hill


Galway Mountain Lake and Hill

Following the defeat of the Irish at the hands of Cromwell's forces, a number of the Irish soldiers of the struggle continued what would today be termed "guerrilla warfare" against the English. These men were known as "raparees."

"Cé hé sin amuigh
Go bhfuil faor ar a ghuth
A' reaba mo dhoruis dunta?"
"Mise Éamann a' Chnoic
Tá baidhte fuar fliuch
O shior-shuil sleihbte is gleannta"
"A lao ghil's a chuid
Cad do dheannfainn-se dhuit
Mara gcuirfinn ort beinn dom ghúna?
'S go mbeidh púdar dubh
Is go mbeimis araon muchta"

"Oh who is without
That with passionate shout
Keeps beating my bolted door?"
"I am Ned of the Hill
Forspent wet and chill
From long trudging marsh and moor"
"My love, fond and true
What else could I do
But shield you from wind and from weather?
When the shots fall like hail
They us both shall assail
And mayhap we shall die together."

"Is fada mise amuigh
Faoi shneachta is faoi shioc
Is gan danacht agam ar einne
Mo bhranar gan cur
Mo sheisreach gar sgur
Is gan iad agam ar aon chor
Níl caraid agam
(Is danaid liom san)
Do ghlacfadh me moch na déanach
Is go gcaithfe me dul
Thar fairrge soir
O's ann na fuil mo ghaolta"
"Through forest and through snow
Tired and hunted I go
In fear both from friend and from neighbor
My horses run wild
My acres untilled
And they all of them lost to my labor
But it grieves me far more
Than the loss of my store
That there's none who would shield me from danger
So my fate it must be
To fare eastward o'er sea
And languish amid the stranger"

Background music: Éamann an Chnoic midi.
Courtesy of IrishPage.com
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