An Cailin Rua

Nach doiligh domhsa mo chailín a mholadh
Ní hé amháin mar bhí sí rua
Bhí sí mar gha gréine ag dul in éadan na ngloiní
Is bhí scéimh mhná na Finne le mo chailín rua.

[Chorus:]
Thug mé lion í ó bhaile go baile
Ó Gheaftaí Dhoire go Baile Átha Luain
Chun fhuil aon mhíle dár shiúil mé ar an fad sin
Nach dtug mé deoch leanna do mo chailín rua.

B'fhearr liom í ná bó is ná bearrach
Nó a bhfuil de loingis ag tarraingt chun cuain
B'fhearr liom arís na cíos Chluain Meala
Go mbeinn is mo chailín i mBaile Átha Luain.

[Chorus]

Chuir mé mo chailín go margadh Shligigh
Ba é sin féin an margadh bhí daor
Bhí scilling agus punt ar an mheánpheicín ime
Is go dtug mé sin le fuinneamh do mo chailín rua.

[Chorus]

Chuaigh sí siar agus bróga breac' uirthi
Ribíní glasuaithne teannta ar a gruaig
D'éalaigh sí uaimse le buachaill an tsiopa
Is a Rí nár dheas í, mo chailín rua.

[Chorus]

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[English Translation:]

Isn't it hard for me to praise my red-haired girl
Not only because of her red hair
She was like a ray of sun reflected through glass
And she had the beauty of the Finne women.

[Chorus:]
I took her from town to town
From the gates of Derry to Athlone
There's not a mile of the way I traveled
That I didn't give my red-haired girl a drink of ale.

I prefer her to any cow or heifer
Or all the long ships drawing into the harbor
I would rather than have all the rent of Clonmel
To be in Athlone with my red-haired girl.

[Chorus]

I sent my girl to the Sligo market
That was the market that was expensive
A weight of butter cost one guinea,
And I gave it willingly to my red-haired girl.

[Chorus]

She went west wearing striped shoes
Her hair tied up with the greenest ribbons
She left me for a shop-boy
God, wasn't she lovely, my red-haired girl.

[Chorus]