In just 24 hours of being posted on You Tube, this beautifully produced music video went viral. It features talented & not un-handsome musician Stiofán Ó Fearail [Stephen Farrell] & fellow group members of Seo Linn [a Cover Band who perform the majority of their songs As Gaeilge], with students & staff from Coláisete Lurgan singing As Gaeilge [Irish] Avicii's "Wake Me Up".
Whoever produced this has struck Gold. There's no doubt this addictive video will raise the profile of the Irish Language & I suspect be useful for Tourism Ireland promotions too.
Coláisete Lurgan is an independent Irish Language Summer School, just outside of Galway in the Connemara Gaeltacht, West Ireland, where students can only enrol if they refrain from conversing in English for the duration of the course. Total immersion in the language during the course is mandatory.
And according to Lurgan, "learning & singing along to the lyrics of popular songs is a very effective way of improving your Gaeilge". After watching this video, it's not hard to see why.
Released 09 August 2013
Irish Lyrics with English Translation
Fáinne fí i gcoim na hoíche.
Vicious circle in the middle of the night.(Níl) 'tada riamh nach mbíonn thart.
There is nothing ever without an end.
Diabhail fhios a'm cá bhfuil deireadh mo scéil.
I have no clue where the end of my story lies.
Ach táim ar an mbealach ceart.
But I am on the right way.
They tell me not to take risks.
Nach dtagann ciall roimh aois.
That wisdom does not come to the young.
Bhuel 'sé m'aistear é, Ní léir cén fhad a mhairfidh sé.
Well 'it is my journey, who knows how long it’ll last.
'Sé togha ar aon chaoi.
It is brilliant anyway.
Chorus
So Lig mé saor ón suan 'tá orm.
So free me from this slumber of mine.(Tai)speáin dom bóthar éasca cothrom.
Show me the fair and easy road.
Bainfidh mé ceann scríbe amach. 'Sí m'aidhm,
I’ll reach my final destination. That’s my goal.
Cíbe treo átá i ndán.
Whichever way is meant for me.
(Tá) mé ag
iompar úalach mór an tsaoil.
I'm carrying a heavy burden of life.Ach níl a'm ach péire lámh.
But I only have two hands.
Súile troma is an ghrian a' dul faoi.
My eyes are heavy as the sun is going down.
Ach ní chodlaíonn mé go sámh.
But I don’t sleep peacefully.
Bris amach agus tú fós sach óg.
Break out while you’re still young enough.Chinnigh mé le dul in aghaidh.
I’ve decided not to follow.
Seo mo ré. Seasfaidh mé an fód.
This is my time. I will stand my ground.
'S leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh.
And I will go ahead
Lyric Translation by Tuigim
"A country without a language is a country without a soul.” ― Pádraig Pearse
"Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam"
Hi Paddy, your blog looks fun...Not sure where you got this translation though as it's incorrect. "Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam" means "A country without a language is a country without a name". I hope this helps!
ReplyDeletePaddy is correct with his Pádraig Pearse translation.
DeleteAinm = name
Anam = soul
Both are pronounced very similarly but Pearse was 100% referring to 'soul' (anam).
Thanks for your response. I'm learning all the time too. Irish is such a fascinating language which I'd love to tackle one day. [btw, I'm a 'her', not a 'his' :D ]
DeleteHi there 'Anonymous', Thank you for your comments. I do not profess to know the Irish language at all & certainly welcome any comments if my interpretations are incorrect. However, I've check & double check the correct translation of Pádraig Pearse's quote & I'm satisfied that it is correct. All references for the Irish word 'anam' I've found so far tell me that 'anam' means 'soul'. The Irish word for 'name' it appears is 'ainm'. Am I correct or still wrong? I'm happy to take more advice on this one.
ReplyDelete