Work
Liadain agus Cuirithir
About
This is a choral arrangement of the first half of Taibhreamh Ó Ríada which was written for the group Líadan.
Contents note
Text note
The text is in old Irish, it is an ancient Irish poem of an unknown author dating from around the 9th or 10th Century.
Cen áinius in chaingen dorigenus: an rocharus rocráidius. …
Mé Líadain, rocharussa Cuirithir: is fírithir adfiadar.
Gair bása hi coimthecht mo Chuirithir: frissom ba maith mo gnássa.
Céol caille fomchanad la Cuirithir la fogur fairce flainne.
Doménainn ní cráidfed frim Chuirithir do dálaib cacha ndénainn.
Ní chela! ba hésom mo chrideṡerc, cía nocharainn cách chenae.
Deilm ndegae rotethainn mo chridesae, rofess nícon bíad cenae.
The following translation comes from the webpage
http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/ietexts/iri/iri-5-X.html
Without pleasure (is) the bargain which I have made: what I have loved, I have vexed. […] “I (am) Liadain, I who have loved Cuirithir: it is true exactly as it is told. A short time (only) I was in the company of my Cuirithir: my intercourse with him was good. The music of the woods would sing to me (when) with Cuirithir, together with the voice of the purple sea. I would have thought that there would not result torment to my Cuirithir from all the encounters which I might have arranged. I may not conceal (it)! It was him indeed (who was) my heart’s love, even if I might have loved everybody else besides. The roaring of the blaze has shattered my heart: it is certain that it might not exist without him.”