The Dawning
of the Day (Irish:
Fáinne Gael an Lae)
is an old Irish air composed by
the blind harpist Thomas
Connellan (c.
1640/1645 – 1698)
in
the 17th Century.
Connellan
was born about 1640/1645 at
Cloonmahon, County Sligo. Both
he and his brother, William
Connellan became harpers. Thomas
is famous for the words and
music of Molly MacAlpin,
which is better known today as
"Carolan's Dream".
Turlough O'Carolan, Ireland's
pre-eminent composer of the 17th
and 18th centuries, loved the
song so much that he is stated
as saying that he would have
traded all his own tunes in
order to be the composer of
Molly MacAlpin.
“Fáine
Geal an Lae” literally
translates as ‘the bright ring
of day’, referring to dawn.
It
was one of the tunes played in
competition by 95 year old Irish
harper known variously as Denis
O'Hansey, O’Hampsey, Henson or
Hampson (Donnchadh a Haimpsuigh)
at the last great meeting of the
ancient Irish harpers in July,
1792, at the Belfast Harp
Festival. O'Hampsey lived to the
age of 110. Bunting also states
that blind harper William Carr
(1777-?), originally from County
Armagh, played it at the same
competition.
The
tune was published by Edward
Walsh (1805-1850) in 1847 in
Irish Popular Songs and
later translated into English as
The Dawning of the Day.
The melody of this song was used
by Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh
for his poem,
"On
Raglan Road".
Lyrics
Irish
-
Maidin
moch
do
ghabhas
amach,
Ar
bruach
Locha
Léin;
-
An
Samhradh
teacht's
an
chraobh
len'ais,
-
Is
ionrach
te
ón
ngréin,
-
Ar
thaisteal
dom
trí
bhailte
-
poirt
is
bánta
mine
réidhe,
-
Cé a
gheobhainn
le
máis
ach
an
chúileann
deas,
-
Le
fáinne
geal
an
lae.
-
Ní
raibh
bróg
ná
stoca,
caidhp
ná
clóc;
-
Ar
mo
stóirin
óg
ón
spier,
-
Ach
folt
fionn
órga
sios
go
troigh,
-
Ag
fás
go
barr
an
théir.
-
Bhí
calán
crúite
aici
ina
glaic,
-
'S
ar
dhrúcht
ba
dheas
a
scéimh,
-
Do
rug
barr
gean
ar
Bhéineas
deas,
-
Le
fáinne
geal
an
lae.
-
Do
shuigh
an
bhrideog
sios
le
m'ais,
-
Ar
bhrinse
glas
den
fhéar,
-
Ag
magadh
léi
bhios
dá
maiomh
go
pras,
-
Mar
mhnaoi
nach
scarfainn
léi.
-
'S é
dúirt
í
liomsa,
"imigh
uaim,
-
Is
scaoil
ar
siúl
mé a
réic",
-
Sin
iad
aneas
na
soilse
ag
teacht,
-
Le
fáinne
geal
an
lae.
|
English
-
One
morning
early
I
went
out
-
On
the
shore
of
Lough
Leinn
-
The
leafy
trees
of
summertime,
-
And
the
warm
rays
of
the
sun,
-
As I
wandered
through
the
townlands,
-
And
the
luscious
grassy
plains,
-
Who
should
I
meet
but
a
beautiful
maid,
-
At
the
dawning
of
the
day.
-
No
cap
or
cloak
this
maiden
wore
-
Her
neck
and
feet
were
bare
-
Down
to
the
grass
in
ringlets
fell
-
Her
glossy
golden
hair
-
A
milking
pail
was
in
her
hand
-
She
was
lovely,
young
and
gay
-
Her
beauty
excelled
even
Helen
of
Troy
-
At
the
dawning
of
the
day.
-
On a
mossy
bank
I
sat
me
down
-
With
the
maiden
by
my
side
-
With
gentle
words
I
courted
her
-
And
asked
her
to
be
my
bride
-
She
turned
and
said,
"Please
go
away,"
-
Then
went
on
down
the
way
-
And
the
morning
light
was
shining
bright
-
At
the
dawning
of
the
day.
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