ENNIS FLEADH NUA - Comhaltas Archive

To list to th e music that once used to beSo cheerily played by my young activefingers,In myoid co ttage home in Ardfert bythe sea.To far distant climes many friends havedeparted,And others lie cold in their small six-bythree.I'm weary, I'm sad, I am nigh brokenhearted,I can meet them no more in Ardfert bythe sea.Ah! soon I must be with the grassgrowing 0 'er me,So silen t and cold and asleep peacefully;With my friends who have gone to theirgraves long before me,In that ancient old ruin in Ardfert bythe sea.SHORT AND SWEETAs a child I have roamedAs a child I have roamed amidst sunshineand [lowers,All the channs of nature admiring,They are fading, they're gone, all thosebright happy hours,From this life I am sadly retiring.I loved to wander and romp at my ease,Through those rich coloured, gay bloomingmeadows;And to roam with my friends by thehawthorn trees,And play 'neath their blossomy shadowsAh! then I was young and amused bythose joys,And as year after year was advanclng,I longed for the friendship of girls andboys,And to join with th em singing anddancingSo started my youthful and airy career,And in a few years you could find me,Along with the boys amidst pleasuresand cheer,Leaving sunshine and blossoms behindme.And night after night amidst music andsong,With myoid 'music box' as my treasureNo task seemed too heavy, no journeytoo long,I squandered my life for su ch pleasure.MI' parents oft told me I'd somedayregretMy wild and my foolish careering;Bu t I scoffed at their warning, I think ofit yet,I continued and gave them no hearing.And so I have earned my lingering lot,Now I lie on my bed sick and sore.I'm feeble and sore from the pleasures Isought,Though my age it is scarce thirty-four.I must now bid farewell to those gayhappy days,And those kind gentle friends of mychildhood,That gathered with me in the frolics andplays,That we held day by day in the wildwood.And a last long farewell to the friends Iknew,As I wandered to gambles and dances;And also to cailins - who weren't a few,Who gave me their shy loving glances.And so to the end of my life and mysong,I have come with contentment and glee;For I'm just as happy as the days theyare long,And I want you to weep not for me.• LE CAOIN-CHEADCoiste Chontae ChiarraiAN NUACHTOIR CEOLMHARSa ghriangraf ta N6irin NiGhrlidaigh, Rath Eo , Co. na Mfdhe agusHenry J. O'Dwyer, Cathaoirleach EBSagus Aengus Fanning, Eagarthoir"Sunday Independent." BhuaighNoirfn an gradam EBS/Sunday Independent"Young Journalist of the Year".Sf Noirfn an duine is oige riamh a bhuaighan gradam seo agus bhi nfos mo nacuig cead istigh ar an gcomortas. Donchomortas rinne si agallarnh le Ivan Beshoff(104 bhliain)- R6iseach a chonaionni mBaile Atha Cliath anois - inaraibh cur sfos ar an saol sa Ruis agus inEirinn ag tus na h-aoise seo.Is fidleir deas traidisiunta i Noirin aghreastalaionn maraon le cuid eile daciann, ar rang cheoil Antoin MhicGhabhann. Seineann si chomh maithi mBanna Cheoil bg Naomh Padraig.Is 0 Ghort a' Choirce, Tir Chonall,do mbathair Noirin agus 0 Louisbourg,Co. Mhaigheo, da h-athar a chasann anbosca cheoil. Rugadh agus togadhNoirfn Nf Ghradaigh i Chicago, ait ach6naigh an clann sui ar thangadarabhaile i 1973.Se an duais a bhfuair sf na ob air Samhraidhmar nuachtoir leis an " SundayIndependent" .AUSTRALIAN MARRIAGEDuring March 1987 one of Sydney'straditional musicians got marriedJimmyMullarkey from Sligo and Margaret Conlanfrom Kildare were married inLewisham Catholic Church. The receptionand subsequent session was held inBirkenhead Point. The session went oninto the small hours. Present at the sessionwere three musicians recently outfrom Ireland: Eilish O'Connor fromDundalk ; Padraig McDonagh fromArtane, Dublin; and Jim Connors fromGort who lived for some years in Sydneybefore returning to Gort five yearsago . The Sydney traditional musicscene has improved greatly by the additionof three such proficient musicians.Eilish and Padraig and local stalwartPhil Murray at present run a session atthe Gaelic Club in Sydney every Fridaynight.CELTIC MAIDENFrom the land of Erin and noble GaelI see the warrior clans of which we hail,o celtic maiden of Scottish bloodRemember ancient chieftains bravelystood.Like the goddess with golden hairSpirit of Epona and face so fair,Of Tuatha De Danann we have sprungDeeds of Gwydion, Bran and Lugh aresung.With our blue eyes set in King Arthur'sshrineWe see the Druid's oak and forest ofpine,My heart is ablaze and with pride it saysI love the maiden dearly.MICK CLIFFORD, 198651