From the recording Whisperings
One of those songs I learned in school and is wonderful. I taught some songs as gaeilge via zoom during lockdown and this was one of them. The young lad singing is wooing a girl and not getting very far in the process as it seems there's an older man with money in the picture. He's trying his best with his wit and lies but gets a bit bitter towards the the end when he realizes this aint happening.
Lyrics
Bhéarsa 1
Buachaill ón Éirne mé
Booakil own Air-nyeh may
I'm a boy from the Erne
's bhréagfainn féin cailín deas óg.
S vraig hing fane colleen jas ouge
and I could charm a nice young girl.
Ní iarrfainn bó spré léithe
Nee ear-hing bow spray leh-hee
I would not ask a cow as a dowry from her
tá mé féin saibhir go leor.
Taw may fane sever guh lyor
as I am rich enough myself.
'S liom Corcaigh 'á mhéid é,
Slum kurkey Awe vade ay (he)
I own Cork, as big as it is,
dhá thaobh a' ghleanna 's Tír Eoghain.
Gaw heave a glana s tear own
two sides of the glen, and Tyrone.
'S mura n-athraí mé béasaí
S murra nyathry may bay see
And if I don’t change my manners
's mé n' t-oidhr' ar Chontae Mhaigh Eo.
‘S May in tire err kunday wee yo
I'm the heir of County Mayo.
Bhéarsa 2
Rachaidh mé 'márach
Rocky may more-rock
I will go tomorrow
á dhéanamh leanna fán choill
Awe yaynuv lanna fawn quill
to make ale in the wood
gan gráinnín braich ar bith liom
Gone grawneen brawk err bih lyum
without a pinch of gruel with me
Ach duilliúr na gcraobh
Ock dill your nah grave
But leaves of the branches
mar éideadh leapa os mo chionn
Mar aydeh lap ohs muh kyun
as bedclothes over my head
'S óró sheacht m'anam déag thú
S or row hyacht monam dayg hoo
And O! My seventeenth soul
's tú 'féachaint orm anall.
Stoo faykint urrum an owl
and you looking across at me
Bhéarsa 3
Buachailleacht bó, mo lao,
Booakil oct bow(ooh) muh low
A cowherd, my pet,
nár chleacht mise ariamh
Nor klocked misha reeve
I've never practiced before
Ach ag imirt 's ag 'ól
Ock egg immurts egg ole
But playing and drinking
's le hógmhná deasa fá shliabh
Sleh houge-vraw jasa faw hleave
and (being) with nice young women on the mountain
ní móide gur chaill mé mo chiall
Knee mowjeh gurr kyle may muh keel
it's not as though I lost my senses
A's ní mó liom do phóg
Ass knee mow lyum duh fogue
And your kiss is no more to me
ná'n bhróg atá'r caitheamh le bliain.
Naw on vrogue ataw err kahiv leh bleein
now than a shoe worn for a year.
Bhéarsa 4
A chuisle 's a stór
A kwishleh a store
My darling and my love
ná pós an seanduine liath
Naw Poe s on shandinne leeya
don't marry the grey old man
Ach pós a' fear óg, mo lao,
Ock Poe-s afar oh-ooh-g, muh lyow
But marry a young man, my pet,
mur' maire sé ach bliain
Murmara shay ock bleein
if he only lives but a year
Nó beidh tú go fóill
No bye two guh foe-ill
Or you will be still
gan Ó nó Mac os do chionn
Gan oh no mac ose duh kyun
Without a descendant to succeed you
A shilfeadh a'n deor
A hillhock a nyor
Who would shed their tears
tráthnóna nó'r maidin go trom.
Traw-no-na no er mod-in guh trum
heavily at eve or at morn