From the recordings Trad Linn - Roads of Clare and Amhráin Éasca - Easy Songs
Sung in Irish Gaelic. This song is about the mermaid, Mary Kinney, who under a spell marries a sailor and bears him two children, Mary and Patrick. The spell is broken. She is condemned to parish on land or live in the ocean, watching her family from afar. This is the sad parting conversation with her two children.
Lyrics
Is cosúil gur mheath tú nó gur thréig tú an greann
Tá an sneachta go frasach fá bhéal na trá
Do chúl buí daite is do bhéílín sámh
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh is í i ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
‘A mháithrín mhilis’ duirt Máire bhán
Fá bhruach an chladaigh is fá bhéal na trá
‘Maighdean mhara mo mháithrín ard’
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh is í i ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
Tá mise tuirseach agus beidh go lá
Mo Mháire bhruinneall is mo Phádraig bán
Ar bharr na dtonnta is fá bhéal na trá
Siúd chugaibh Mary Chinidh is í i ndiaidh an Éirne shnámh
It seems that you were wasting away until you abandoned joy.
The snow is heavy around the strand
Your yellow colored hair and gentle mouth
Yonder, Mary Kinney comes to you, after swimming the Atlantic.
‘Oh sweet Mother dear,’ said fair haired Mary
By the edge of the shore and by the strand
‘A mermaid, my noble mother’
Yonder, Mary Kinney comes to you, after swimming the Atlantic.
I am tired and will be until until the day
My fair maiden Mary and my darling Patrick
On top of the waves and by the strand
Yonder, Mary Kinney comes to you, after swimming the Atlantic.