Tír na nÓg: Niamh agus Oisín

The Legend of Niamh and Oisín and the Land of Eternal Youth

Éist leis an amhrán agus bain taitneamh as an gceol Listen to the song and enjoy the music. Ná bac faoi thuiscint anois. Don't worry about understanding now. 

Ansin, léigh na liricí dátheangacha thíos Then read the bilingual lyrics below

Ar an dara éisteacht, léigh na liricí agus éist leis ag an am céanna

On the second listen, read the lyrics and listen at the same time

Tír na nÓG cumtha ag Colm Mac Séalaigh

Tír na nÓG composed by Colm Mac Séalaigh

1. Fadó fadó in Éirinn roimh theacht don nua-aois,
Long, long ago in Ireland before the coming of the new age

Bhí conaí ann ar an bhFiann, Fionn 's a mhac, Oisín.
The Fianna (warriors) lived there, Fionn and his son, Oisín.

Is iomaí eachtra a bhain leo siúd, is iomaí casadh croí.
Many’s the adventure they had, many a heart was sent spinning.

Ach ní dhéanfar dearmad ar an lá a bhuail Oisín le Niamh.

But never will it be forgotten, the day Oisín met Niamh.

Curfá:  Chorus

Niamh Cinn Óir as Tír na nÓg,
Niamh of the Golden Hair from the Land of Eternal Youth

B’í an bhean ab áille gné a chas ar Oisín Óg.
She was the most beautiful woman young Oisín had ever met.

Mheall sí é le breáthacht, mheall sí é le póg,
She attracted him with beauty, she attracted him with a kiss

Is mheall sí é gan aon agó go Tír na nÓg.

And she attracted him with no bother to The Land of Eternal Youth.

2. Bhí Oisín, lá brea gréine, ag siúl le ciumhais na habhann
Oisín was, one fine sunny day, walking at the edge of the river

‘ Measc blathanna buí, is luachra, taibhsíodh dó an tsamhail,
Amongst yellow flowers and rushes, there appeared to him the vision

Spéirbhean ghléigeal álainn a d’fhag croí an laoich sin fann,
Of a beautiful ‘sky woman (goddess)’ that left the heart of the hero weak

Thug cuireadh dó go Tír na nÓg go síoraí cónaí ann.

An invitation was given to him to live forever in The Land of Eternal Youth.

Curfá: Chorus

3. Tír álainn, tír na hóige, tír dhiamhair aislingí.
A beautiful land, the Land of Eternal Youth, a land of deep dreams.

Trí chéad bliain chaith Oisín ann i ngrá mór le Niamh.
300 years Oisín spent there in love with Niamh.

Ach fonn nár fhág é choíche, is nach bhféadfadh sé a chloí,
But a desire never left him, one that he could not defeat

Dul thar n-ais go hÉirinn go bhfeicfeadh sé í arís.

To go back to Ireland so he would see her (it) again.

Curfá: Chorus

4. “Ná fág an áit seo,” arsa Niamh. “Ná himigh uaim, a chroí.”
“Don’t leave this place,” said Niamh. “Don’t leave me, love.”

“Má fhágann tusa Tír na nÓg, ní fhillfidh tú ariamh.”
“If you leave the Land of Eternal Youth, you’ll never return again.”

Ach d’fhill Oisín ar Éirinn mar bhí fiabhras ina chroí
But Oisín returned to Ireland because there was a fever in his heart

Is fuair sé bás ós comhair an Naoimh. B’shin deireadh lena thriall.

And he died in front of the saint. That was the end of his journey.

Curfá: Chorus

5. Tír na nÓg, ó, Tír na nÓg. Tír uasal na draíochta a bhí ann fadó,
Land of Eternal Youth, oh Land of Etrernal Youth. It was a noble magical land long ago.

Féach thiar ansin í. Thiar ar fhíor na spéire
Look at it now in the west. Westward there on the horizon.

Sin an áit go mba mhaith liom bheith. Sin Tír na nÓg,

That’s the place where I’d like to be. That’s the Land of Eternal Youth.

Tír na nÓg, Tír na nÓg.

An pháirt nach bhfuil san amhrán, áfach, ná gur tháinig Oisín ar ais go hÉirinn, agus bhí ordú daingean air ó Niamh gan tuirling de chapall...

The part which isn't in the song, however, is that Oisín came back to Ireland , and had strict orders from Niamh not to dismount from the horse...

Ach bhain sé triail as carraig a ardú gan léim as an gcapall. But he tried to lift a rock without jumping off the horse.  Agus go tobann, nuair a thit sé ar an talamh, ba sheanfhear é agus ní raibh a chairde fós beo! And suddenly, when he hit the ground, he was an old man and none of his friends were still alive!