DESCRIPTION:
'One Morning in June' - Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola

Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola is an Irish singer and songwriter. She is deeply rooted in the 'sean nós' (unaccompanied) singing style of her home on Inis Oírr (Inisheer), one of the Aran Islands which is closer to County Clare than to County Galway. She is a graduate of Celtic Studies from Trinity College Dublin.

Her début album 'An Raicín Álainn' (pronounced Un Rackeen Awe-ling), was launched in 2002 at the Festival Interceltique in Lorient, Brittany. It was selected by Hot Press music magazine as one of the best folk albums of 2002. It was described by Roots magazine as "one of the most sumptous traditional albums to have emerged for some time."

'One Morning in June'

This is what is called a 'macaronic' song - one line in Gaelic and one line in English. It's not a translation; it's just the the way the song was originally made. The man and the girl are talking to one another; it is usually the man who speaks in English.
(scroll down for an English only text)

One morning in June agus mé ag dul ag spaisteoireacht

Casadh liom cailín ba ró-dheas a gnaoi,

She was so handsome gur thit mé i ngrá léithe

Is d'fhága sí arraing i gceartlár mo chroí.

I asked her her name agus cad é an ruaig bheannaithe

Chas ins an áit thú, a ghrá ghil mo chroí?

My heart it'll break if you don't come along with me,

Slán agus beannacht le buaireamh an tsaoil.

Ó cailín deas óg mé ó cheantar na farraige

Tógaidh go cneasta mé i dtosach mo shaoil,

I being so airy is é 'sea ba chleachtach liom

That made my own parents and me disagree.

A chuisle 's a stór, dá n'éistfeá liom tamall beag

I'll tell you story a b'ait le do chroí;

That I'm a young man who's totally in love with you,

Surely my heart is from roguery free.

Oh go, you bold rogue and you're trying to flatter me

B'fhearr éan ins dá láimh ná éan ar an gcraoibh

I've neither wheat, potatoes or anything

Ná fiú an phluid leaba bheadh tharainn san oíche.

Ó ceannóidh mé tae agus gléasfad in aice sin

Gúna English cotton den fhaisiún atá daor;

So powder your hair, love, and come away 'long with me,

Slán agus beannacht le buaireamh an tsaoil.

There's an alehouse nearby, agus beidh muid go maidin ann,

If you're satisfied, a ghrá ghil mo chroí,

Early next morning, we'll send for a clergyman

Beidh muidne ceangailte i nganfhios don tsaol.

Ó beidh muid ag ól fad 's a mhairfeas an t-airgead,

Then we will take the road home with all speed;

When the reckoning is paid, who cares for a landlady?

Slán is beannacht le buaireamh an tsaoil.

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Translation (as literal as possible):

One morning in June as I went a-walking

I met a young maiden whose looks they were grand,

She was so handsome that I fell in love with her

And she left a pang in my heart's core.

I asked her her name or what blessed chance was it

Sent you to this place, o bright love of my heart?

My heart it will break if you don't come along with me,

Farewell and a blessing to the troubles of life!

Sure I'm a young girl from nearby the sea

Brought up to be nice from the day I was born,

But I being so airy, and that being my nature

It made my own parents and me disagree.

My heart and my darling, if you'll listen to me a while

I'll tell you a tale that will gladden your heart:

That I'm a young man who's totally in love with you

Surely my heart is from roguery free.

Oh, go, you bold rogue and you're trying to flatter me

A bird in two hands is better than one on the tree

I've neither wheat, potatoes or anything

Or even a blanket to cover our bed.

I will buy tea and I'll make ready

A gown of English cotton in a costly style;

So powder your hair love, and come away along with me

Farewell and a blessing to the troubles of life!'

There's an alehouse nearby, and we'll be there till the morning,

If you're satisfied, bright love of my heart,

Early next morning, we'll send for a clergyman

We shall be married and no one will know.

We'll go drinking for as long as the money lasts;

Then we will take the road home with all speed;

When the reckoning is paid, who cares for a landlady?

Farewell and a blessing to the troubles of life!