Donnachú Bán
| TYPE | 3 - Complex Melody |
| TOPIC | Lament |
| TUNE STRUCTURE | A4 B4 |
| VERSE STRUCTURE | 6v 4l |
| TIME SIGNATURE | 44 |
| KEY SIGNATURE | ♯♯ |
| TONAL CENTRE | C |
| INCIPIT | GGGF♯EEEDEEDB, |
| GENRE | Amhrán Mór |
| TEXT SOURCE | Bunting Notebooks. Special Collections, QUB Library. MS 4.10 no.60 |
| TUNE SOURCE | Bunting Notebooks. Special Collections, QUB Library. MS 4.6 (1796-1809) no.103 |
| FIRST LINE | Dhonachuigh bhain a dhreathair dhilir |
| NOTATED INCIPIT |
Donnachu BánA Dhonachuigh Bhain a dhreathair dhilisIs maith a ta fhios agum gud a bhain diom thúOl a chopain agus siubhan na haoidhcheAgus mac maolalochain a thug tnuth a chroidhe dhuitSe an creach mhaidne nach mo bheanaltra bhi meAgus donachu ban a bheith air mo chig agumDo shiubhlain si leatsa na seacht rioghachtaSni thiobhruinn ein coidhce go contaigh an righ thuTug misi leis go bruach a lochaAgus a darna leim go lan a droicheidA tritibh leim go bun na croicheGo bhfuaras fein mo bhratair sinteA mhathair a mhathair eirigh do seasamhTa do mhac muirneach a tigheacht do bhaileNi on a bposadh no ona bhanaisAch a ccomhra clar agus e go daingionIs ciuin is ciuin is ciun an aoidhche Agus ni ciuine na mna da chaointeDa chionn a chlár falumh is a túrlar lionta Agus donachu ban na bradan sinteA mhil i maolchlochain nar roibh seán ortNar rabh da clan mhac a breith ar a cheileNach roibh do chlann inghion ag iarraidh spre otha bhuain donachu ban dhiom a buinneoin ghle ghealTranscription by Edel Ní Churraoin.
Donnachu BánFair Donnacha, loyal brother, I well know what took you from meDrinking of the goblet and walking the nightAnd the son of Maolalochain who gave you his heart’s desireIt is torment that I was not a nurseAnd that I did not have fair Donnacha in my careI would walk the seven kingdoms with youAnd would not give up ever until the king [?] you.I went with him to the bank of the lakeAnd his second jump to the bridgeHis third jump to the foot of the mountainTill I found my own brother laid out. Mother, mother, arise and standYour beloved son is returning homeNot from marriage or his weddingBut a coffin and him stiff.Quiet, quiet, quiet is the nightBut not the keening ladiesOver his empty table and full floorAnd Fair Dennis the life/soul goneSon of Barren ground that you may never be happyThat your family of sons may never find a partnerThat your daughters never ask you for a dowryWho took Fair Dennis from me, my bright scion.Translation by Edel Ní Churraoin.