MO GILE MEAR (My Nimble Lad/My Spirited Lad). AKA - "Ó, Mo Laoch, Mo Ghile Mear," "Seal do Bhíos im' Mhaighdin Shéimh," "De bharr na gCnoc 's i nImigéin," "Air Bharr na G-Cnoc 's an Ime G-Céin." AKA and see "Will Ye No' Come Back Again?" Irish, Slow March or Air (4/4 time). Ireland, West Kerry. G Major. Standard. One part (Ó Canainn): AB (Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham, Tubridy). A Jacobite song originally composed by Seán Clárach Mac Dónaill (1691-1754), in which Eire laments her love, Bonnie Prince Charlie Stuart, then in exile. The verses have been reworked in the folk process and there is a modern chorus to the song. As "Air Bharr na G-Cnoc 's an Ime G-Céin" it appears in Edward Walsh's Irish Popular Songs (Dublin, 1847).
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Seal da rabhas im' mhaighdean shéimh,
'S anois im' bhaintreach chaite thréith,
Mo chéile ag treabhadh na dtonn go tréan
De bharr na gcnoc is i n-imigcéin.
***
Curfá:
'Sé mo laoch, mo Ghile Mear,
'Sé mo Chaesar, Ghile Mear,
Suan ná séan ní bhfuaireas féin
Ó chuaigh i gcéin mo Ghile Mear.
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For a while I was a gentle maiden
And now a spent worn-out widow
My spouse ploughing the waves strongly
Over the hills and far away.
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Chorus:
He is my hero, my dashing darling
He is my Caesar, dashing darling.
I've had no rest from forebodings
Since he went far away my darling.
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The tune was played at the funeral of Seán Ó Riada, when he was buried in the little church in Cúil Aodha on October 3rd, 1971. Ó Riada is credited with helping to revitalize Irish traditional music in the mid-20th century and was founder of Ceoltóirí Cualann, the group out of which developed the Chieftains.
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Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham (An Pota Stóir: Ceol Seite Corca Duibne/The Set Dance Music of West Kerry), No. 87, pg. 50. Ó Canainn (Traditional Slow Airs), 1995; No. 98, pg. 84 (Appears as "Gile Mear"). Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Book Two), 1999; pg. 4. RCA 62702, Chieftains (& Sting) - "Long Black Veil." Green Linnet, Relativity.
T:Mo Ghile Mear
M:4/4
C:Traditional
B:A Stór 's a Stórín
Z:Transcribed by Martin Wanicki
K:G
%Verse 1 and chorus:
D3DD2DE|G2A2B4|c2BAB2A2|G3ED4|
G3FE2D2|G2GAB3c|d3ed2B2|A3GG4||
%Other Verses:
B2d2d2B2|A2G2G3A|B2d2d2B2|A2G2A3A|
B2d2d2B2|A2G2G2AB|c2BAB3A|G2E2D4||
ROVER, THE [1] (Ho! 'se mo run an t-oigear). Scottish, Strathspey. E Minor. Standard. AB. "Prince Charles seems to be the hero of (this tune), under the denomination of the Rover, whether from the voice of Flora MacDonald or any other of his female admirers, is now uncertain. A number of fine airs owe their origin to the extraordinary exertions of this lady in favouring his escape, and her memorable defence, which implied that she would have done the same for the reigning king if similarly circumstanced. Of these none appear more interesting than the Scots air of 'Charlie, He Is My Darling', which does not belong to this work, but is in the course of publication by Mr. Gow, and is truly enchanting" (Fraser). Fraser (The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the Isles), 1874; No. 139, pg. 56. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 254.
X:1
T:Rover, The
L:1/8
M:C
R:Strathspey
B:The Athole Collection
K:E Minor
B|E<E B>F E2 E>F|E<E B>F D2 D<F|E<E B>F G>AB>e|
d>BA>d F<DD:|
f|b>e b/a/g/f/ b<e e>f|b>e b/a/g/f/ a<d d>f|1 b>e b/a/g/f/ g>ef>e|
d>BA>d F<DD:|2 (3efg (3fga (3gab (3efg|B^c/d/ A>d F<DD||
X:2
T:Rover, The
T:Ho! 'se mo rùn an t-òigear
L:1/8
M:C
S:Fraser Collection
K:E Minor
B|E<E B>F [G,2E2] E>F|E<E B>F D2 D<F|E<E B>F G>AB>e|
d>B A<d F>DDB|E<E B>F [G,2E2] E>F|E<E B>F D2 D>F|
E<E B>F G>AB>e|d>G A<d F>DD||f|b>e b/a/g/f/ a<d d>f|
b>e b/a/g/f/ g>ef>e|d>B A<d F>D D<f|b>e b/a/g/f/ b<ee<f|
b>e b/a/g/f/ a<dd<f|(3efg (3fga (3gab (3efg|B/^c/d A<d FDD||