Does anyone know where I can get the lyrics to the song “Maire Mor?” (The one that Dervish sings). I did a couple of searches, but nothing came up.
I’m not familiar with any sites where they have Irish song lyrics, so maybe someone could share some with me? (I think I remember similar threads before)…
Thanks,
Justine
I don’t know the song you speak of but the title looks to me as though it might be an alternative spelling of Mairi Mhor, better known as Mairi Mhor nan Oran (Big Mary of the Songs), perhaps the greatest Scottish Gaelic language singer of the 19th century. She was quite a character and a focal point for Scottish crofter resistance to English and lowland destruction of Gaelic community and culture. (My own family was deeply affected by the highland clearances.) She would, I imagine, be one of the great figures of heroic resistance throughout the Gaelic speaking world.
Catherine Ann MacPhee has recorded a tribute album of Mairi Mhor’s songs which also served as the soundtrack to a TV series on the great woman.
If the Dervish song isn’t about her, then it probably ought to be.
I did a quick check. The Dervish song is in fact Maire Mhor which probably increases the chance that my first guess was right. It could of course be about anyone called Big Mary but, since there is a famous one with a lasting place in Gaelic folklore, I expect I’m right. The sites I looked at didn’t say anything about the inspiration for the song nor did they provide lyrics. But now you have the right spelling you might have better luck.
Thanks Wombat!
I’ll keep looking. I posted the question on Dervish’s website, too, so maybe someone there will know…
J.
Thanks for the spelling correction Wombat !
I think I found it:
http://www.angelfire.com/ri/domhan/clarm05.html
J.
That’s it, although Dervish offers seven verses.
Best as I can tell, in the first verse a fellow is saying that he’s got a woman in Aran Mor and another in Inis Bhearachain, but his love above all is Big Mary. The refrain I think says, “Hey, Big Mary, Big Mary, will you come (with me)?”
Looks like he does like 'em corn-fed.
I tried and failed to download the Dervish track to listen so I don’t know if that’s the Dervish song. My Gaelic isn’t good enough to translate and my grandmother is no longer with us to help. My translation of the title would be close enough for most. Moira might be closer than Mary.
Yeah, I just listened to the Dervish version, and they have one extra verse. It sounds like that verse starts with something like “Ta gra mo chroidh mo storin..”? (Sorry no fadas)
My boyfriend could translate some of the lyrics. He said the second verse of the written lyrics means something like “She’s the color of a red onion and she likes strong English whiskey.” Sounds like quite a woman.
J.
Here you go. No fadas in the liner notes, and some formations that confused me, so here it is fairly close to as it was printed. Oh, and 6 verses it was, not seven. I took that added bit to the third refrain as a verse.
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Maire Mor (after Dervish)
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1: Ta bean a’msa in Arainn Mhor is bean eile in Inis Bhearachain, ach mo gra i Maire Mhor is i an bhean is fearr ar fad acu.
Curfa (refrain):
Is oro Mhaire Mhor Is a Mhaire Mhor a dtiocfaidh tu?
2: Is gra mo chroi mo stoirin O is tu nach ndearfadh tada liom. Is tu chuirfeadh na fatai mora I dtaisc ar leic an teallaigh dhom.
Curfa
3: Ni le faochain na le barnaigh na le blath na scailliun dearga. A mheall mise Maire Mhor Ach le fuisce laidir Shasana!
Curfa
Is oro Mhaire Mhor Is a Mhaire Mhor a dtiocfaidh tu? Mura dtiocfaidh tu mar gheall tu go mbaitear ins sa gcladach thu!
4: A bhfeicfea Maire Mhor i dul sraideannai na Gaillimhe Gan falach ar a braid ach cota mor a’ charrara.
5: Da mbeinne ‘ n Arainn Mhor Is mo bhad seoil bheith faoi lucht agam, nac deas ‘ thornalfainn an rod ach Mair Mhor a bheith faoin deic agam!
Is oro Mhaire Mhor Is a Mhaire Mhor a dtiocfaidh tu?
6: Bhi Yes aici ‘s bhi No aici is ar ndoigh bhi Fwhat not aici is murach lucht a’ Bhearla nach gcuirfinn Dandy cap uirthi.
Curfa
Cheers.
Fwhat? 
Thanks, Nano. I knew I came to the right place. You are a wealth of information!
J.
My pleasure. I edited it to further accurately reflect the lyrics as presented in the liner notes, but was too lazy to render “curfa” in all upper case as printed. I beg forgiveness.
This is a pretty old thread, so I don’t know if anyone’s following it anymore, but in her introduction to the song on Dervish’s “Live at Palma”, Cathy Jordan refers to Big Mary as someone who runs out on the man as soon as the whiskey’s gone. Doesn’t sound like a tribute to the historical Big Mary.