Dún do shúil, a lullaby from the irish sea

Dún do shúil, (“Close Your Eyes”) is a lullaby in Irish Gaelic in which a mother cradles her hungry child telling him that Dad has gone a-fishing and that he will bring some fresh food. Perhaps dating back to the age of the great famine because of the disease of the potatoes; or it could simply be the beginning of summer (which according to Gaelic custom begins with Beltane) the worst period for those who live on the fruits of the earth, because the provisions accumulated for the winter are almost finish.

Dún do shúil, (“Close Your Eyes”) in italiano “Chiudi gli occhi”) è una ninna nanna in gaelico irlandese in cui la mamma rabbonisce il bambino affamato dicendogli che papà e andato a pesca e che porterà del cibo fresco.
Forse risalente all’epoca della grande carestia a causa della malattia delle patate; oppure potrebbe essere semplicemente l’inizio dell’estate (che secondo le consuetudine gaelica incomincia con Beltane)
Leggi in italiano  

Irish tune #651 in Forde Collection, 1909
harp score
tin whistle

Anam An Amhráin

In the video animation for the “Anam an Amhráin” series (Sónta productions & Cartoon Saloon 2009) based on drawings by Ornelie Prioul & Alice Dieudonne, the song becomes waves of the sea and the child dreams of his father with his little boat that magically navigates among the hills and the stars ..


Dún do shúil, a rún mo chroí
A chuid den tsaol, ‘s a ghrá liom
Dún do shúil, a rún mo chroí
Agus gheobhair feirín amárach
I
Tá do dheaid ag teacht gan mhoill ón chnoc
Agus cearca fraoich ar láimh leis
Agus codlaidh go ciúin ‘do luí sa choid
Agus gheobhair feirín amárach
II
Tá an samhradh ag teacht le grian is le teas
Agus duilliúr ghlas ar phrátaí
Tá an ghaoth ag teacht go fial aneas
Agus gheobhaimid iasc amárach

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh: she has a pure and angelic voice perfect for this song

English translation
Close your eyes, O love of my heart
My everything and my love
Close your eyes, O love of my heart
And you will get a reward tomorrow
I
Your dad is coming from the hills
With game and grouse in plenty
So close your eyes, my love, my joy
And you will get a reward tomorrow
II
The summer sun shines bright and warm
And potato stalks grow greener
A bracing breeze blows from the south
And we will have fish tomorrow

Altan – Local Ground 2005
Maura O’Connell 1992
Jen Doorly 2006
Aine Minogue 2012
Hannah Flowers 2018

Close Your Eyes

Close your eyes, my love, my own
My precious child, mo stóirín
Dún do shúil, a rún mo chroí
Is gheobhair feirín amárach

The summer’s come with warmth and sun
The grainy leaves are growing
Softly sleep while watch I keep
The breezes gently blowing

Your father comes across the land
With gifts for you and for me
Ducks and eggs in either hand
And freshest fish from Tra Li

Dún do shúil, a rún mo chroí
A chuid den tsaol, ‘s a ghrá liom
Dún do shúil, a rún mo chroí
Agus gheobhair feirín amárach

Meav Ni Mhaolchatha 2006
2002 Band – Celtic Fairy Drem 2020

LINKS
http://songsinirish.com/p/dun-do-shuil-lyrics.html
http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/meav/close.htm
http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/altan/dun.htm
https://aineminogue.com/track/758162/dun-do-shuil

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Pubblicato da Cattia Salto

Amministratore e folklorista di Terre Celtiche Blog. Ha iniziato a divulgare i suoi studi e ricerche sulla musica, le danze e le tradizioni d'Europa nel web, dapprima in maniera sporadica e poi sempre più sistematicamente sul finire del anni 90

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