The Bonny Cuckoo / An tsaoi bheag is an tSaoi mhór

The Bonny Cuckoo

My bonny cuckoo, I tell thee trueThat through the groves I’ll rove with you;I’ll rove with you until the next spring,And then my cuckoo shall sweetly singCuckoo, cuckoo, untill the next spring,And then my cuckoo shall sweetly sing.The ash and the hazel shall mourning sayMy bonny cuckoo, don’t go away;Don’t go away but tarry here, And make the season last all the year.

  • Bunting 1809: 96.
  • An tSaoi Bheag is an tSaoi Mhór

    Imreas mórtharlaigh aidir na ríogha, ‘d’fhás ón chnoc saoithe;‘S é dubhairt an tSaoi mhór go m’fear í féin dhó, go mór ‘n tSaoi-chnoc. raibh riamh chó uasal linn, a gcéim dár ordaigh a dtuaidh gcill;Beir uain do chaint, níl suairceas ann, cuinne do chos is do lámh uain’.

    Trá do chruinnigheadar ‘s ansinbhidh an bhualladh teann, ‘measg na machairidhnunn ‘s anall.Níl duine dár tharlaigh ariamh ón mbinn, nár chaill a chean san ár so.

    Pairlidh! Pairlidh! Fáiltighim dhíobh, sin agaimh a’ namhuid ó Charn Chlann Aoidh,Ó bhinn Ach Chluain na sluaite díobh, is a chaired grádach, bídh páirteach etc’.

  • RIA MS 23 A 1: 13 (See Nicholas Carolan, 2010, p.92)
  • The Little Fairy Hill and the Great Fairy Hill.

    A great row occurred between the queens, arising from the two fairy hills; The great fairy hill said that she was the better, twice as good as the little fairy hill. ‘You never were as noble as we were, in status laid down by state or church; Get away from us with your talk, there is nothing to enjoy in it, keep your foot and your hand away from us’. When they gathered at the spot, there was fierce striking amongst the plains, forwards and backwards. There is no one at all who came down from the peak who didn’t lose his head in this slaughter. ‘Parley! Parley! I welcome you, there coming towards you is the enemy from Carn Chlann Aodh, From the peak of Ach Chluain there come crowds of them, and my loving friends, let you stand together etc.’.

    (Translation from Nicholas Carolan, 2010, p.92)

    Nicholas Carolan also suggests a song setting for this song of the following:

    The Bonny Cuckoo

    My bonny cuckoo, I tell thee trueThat through the groves I’ll rove with you;I’ll rove with you until the next spring,And then my cuckoo shall sweetly singCuckoo, cuckoo, until the next spring,And then my cuckoo shall sweetly sing.The ash and the hazel shall mourning sayMy bonny cuckoo, don’t go away;Don’t go away but tarry here,And make the season last all the year.

  • Bunting 1809: 96 (Nicholas Carolan, 2010, p.92)