Mary Black - Mo Ghile Mear

      This song, performed by Mary Black, is an Irish tribute to the "Great Pretender", Bonnie Prince Charlie, the descendant of Mary Stewart, Queen of Scots who had sought to sit on the throne of Britian. To put an end to religious persecution in Scotland, occupied Ireland, Wales, and England his loyal followers of the Jacobite movement fought for him to take possession of the crown. The Jacobite rebellion (1745) was put down and hundreds of thousands died in battle under unsurmountable odds. Under secrecy, the prince fled to the continent and died in exile. "Mo Ghile Mear" was written by Seán Clárach Mac Dhomhnaill (c. 1691-1757). This Spadecaller video dramatizes the Gaelic lyrics with the paintings of D'Arcy Bacon, Caravaggio, Mary Cassatt, Gustave Courbet, Julien Dupre, Winslow Homer, and J.M.W. Turner.

He is my hero, my dashing darling

He is my caesar, dashing darling.

I've had no rest from forebodings

Since he went far away my darling.

Every day I am constantly sad

Weeping bitterly and shedding tears

Because our lively lad has left us

And no news from him is heard alas.

The cuckoo sings not pleasantly at noon

And the sound of hounds is not heard in nut-filled woods,

Nor summer morning in misty glen

Since he went away from me, my lively boy.

Noble, proud young horseman

Warrior unsaddened, of most pleasant countenace

A swift-moving hand, quick in a fight,

Slaying the enemy and smiting the strong.

Let a strain be played on musical harps

And let many quarts be filled

With high spirit without fault or mist

For life and health to toast my lion.

Dashing darling for a while under sorrow

And all ireland under black cloaks

Rest or pleasure I did not get

Since he went far away my dashing darling.

For a while I was a gentle maiden

And now a spent worn-out widow

My spouse ploughing the waves strongly

Over the hills and far away.

  Original lyrics:

'Se mo laoch mo ghile mear

'Se mo chaesar, ghile mear

Ni fhuaras fein aon suan ar sean

O chuaigh i gcein mo ghile mear

  

Bimse buan ar buairt gach lo

Ag gui go crua 's ag tuar na ndeor

Mar scaoileadh uainn an buachaill beo

'S na riomhtar tuairisc uaidh, mo bhron

  

Ni haoibhinn cuach ba suairc ar ndeoin

Taid fiorchaoin uasal ar uaithne sport 

Taid saoite suaite i mhuairt 's i mbron 

O scaoileadh uainn an buachaill beo

  

Nil seis go suairc ar chruachruit ceoil 

Ta an eigse i ngruaim gan uaim na meabhair 

Taid beathaithe buan ar buairt gach lo 

O thearnaigh uainn an buachaill beo 

  

Ni mhaoifad fein ce he mo stor 

Ta insint sceal ina dhiaigh go leor 

Ach guim chuigh m'aon mhic de na gcomhacht 

Go dteigh mo laoch gan baol beo

      History and music has always been a gaelic & celtic oral tradition.