FORNOCHT DO CHONAC THÚ
le
Pádraig Mac Piarais
Fornocht do chonac thú,
a áille na háille,
is do dhallas mo shúil
ar eagla go stánfainn.
Do chualas do cheol,
a bhinne na binne,
is do dhúnas mo chluas
ar eagla go gclisfinn.
Do bhlaiseas do bhéal
a mhilse na milse,
is do chruas mo chroí
ar eagla mo mhillte.
Do dhallas mo shúil,
is mo chluas do dhúnas;
do chruas mo chroí,
is mo mhian do mhúchas.
Do thugas mo chúl
ar an aisling do chumas,
's ar an ród so romham
m'aighaidh do thugas.
Do thugas mo ghnúis
ar an ród so romham,
ar an ngníomh do-chim,
's ar an mbás do gheobhad. #
A translation:
Naked I saw thee,
O beauty of beauty,
And I blinded my eyes
For fear I should fail.
I heard thy music,
O melody of melody,
And I closed my ears
For fear I should falter.
I tasted thy mouth,
O sweetness of sweetness,
And I hardened my heart
For fear of my slaying.
I blinded my eyes,
And I closed my ears,
I hardened my heart
And I smothered my desire.
I turned my back
On the vision I had shaped,
And to this road before me
I turned my face.
I have turned my face
To this road before me,
To the deed that I see
And the death I shall die. #
This is the Patrick Pearse poem that Gabriel Byrne recited on the April 30th "Fresh Air" program, hosted by Terry Gross. Thanks to Una Kimbrew, my colleague and classmate with the East Side Irish-American Club's Wednesday night Irish language study group.
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11 comments:
Thank you for posting this. I heard this episode of Fresh Air and was anxious to read the poem all the way through.
I want to echo what Cathy just said, verbatim.
I love Gabriel Byrne, and every time I hear his voice is like being in paradise... Thank you a lot for posting this!!! :D
Who did the translation?
Ahh, I see it was Pearse himself! :D
Ahh, I see it was Pearse himself! :D
A colleague linked me to your site. Thank you for the details.
My website > Belleville Washers
Irish people are being asked to vote for A Poem for The Nation to be announced in a1916 .I'm torn between this one ( which I only learned in Irish and which I love) and The Rebel which makes me think of my Grandfather who took part in The Rising
Irish citizens have been asked to vote for a poem for the nation to be announced in2016 I'm torn between this one ( which ilove and learned only in Irish) and The Rebel which reminds me of my Grandfather who participated in the 1916 rising
Good luck deciding, Eileen!
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