Translation of Bean an Ti ar Lar

Trad Irish Music
1

I’ve just picked up this lovely tune. Some English titles I’ve found are The Mistress is Missing, and The Woman of the House on the Floor, or just The Woman of the House (though it is nothing like another tune in O’Neill’s with that title). Does someone who knows Irish have a good translation rather than just an AKA? Just curious, since it seems to be known more by its Irish name anyway.

Thanks,
Bruce

2

You’ll find a bit of history behind the tune at the Fiddler’s Companion:
http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc/

Teri

3

Actually this caused part of my confusion. The tunes referenced in FC in CRE I and II are quite different from the reference for Bulmer and Sharpley Vol. I even though they are mentioned in the same citation. It’s the B&S tune which is performed by Desi Wilkinson and Cran that I learned. The description in FC is ambiguous as to which tune it refers.

Nevertheless, it was the translation I was interested in. FC gives “Woman of the House”, which seems to me to be only part of it.

Thanks,
Bruce

4

You’re right – it’s only part of it.

“Bean” means “woman”; “an tí(ghe)” means “of the house”; and “ar lár” means “on the floor.”

The explanation of what it all means, when put together, is best left to your imagination …

'luck now,
brian_k.

5

Thanks, Brian. Strange title. I’ll try to keep my imagination in check.

Bruce

6

The earliest recording of the tune is that of Dinny Delaney playing the tune on the pipes, recorded at the Feis Cheoil of 1899 [or even 1898] as far as I remember it is on that cylinder recording he shouts out the name of the tune which would would translate as ‘The woman of the house on the floor, working’

7

Oh my! :astonished:

8

Thanks, Peter, for the background on a fine tune. (Sorry for the delayed response, I’ve been away)

Bruce

9

Hmm–another translation I came across was “The Woman of the House Laid Low” (Cran, “Music from the Edge of the World”); I don’t speak Gaelic, but here’s to add to the confusion: ‘orlar’ is the standard word for floor; ‘lar’ means center (just put little accent marks over the A’s and it’ll all be better). I am so, like, way confused…anyone frome the Gaeltacht out there to help me out with this? Thanx.
—N, functionally monolingual