Valentia Harbor

Uilleann Pipes
1

I’ve just finished listening to Peter Laban playing “Valentia Harbor” on 'Clips ‘n Snips’.

Firstly - to Peter, that was an incredible bit of pipering there, thanks very much for sharing that tune.

Secondly - since it’s long been said that slow airs are best played AFTER one knows the words to and can sing the song, I’m wondering if anyone out there knows if “Valentia Harbor” is a song, and if so, what are the words to it? (I’ve done a google search and came up with nothing on it).

Thanks again, Peter.

Brian Cassidy

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[ This Message was edited by: tok on 2003-02-09 18:23 ]

3

Hi Brian,
I see that Peter’s tune is listed as “Valencia Harbour/The Song of the Books” it sounds the same as “Amhran na Leabhar” which in the Waltons book, 110 Irelands Best Slow Airs is listed as also being known as “The Song of the Books” or “Cuan Bheil Inse”. That gives you 4 different titles to search although I’d say the song is in Irish. I’m pretty sure I read that the song was about a teacher whose boat sank while travelling to one of the Islands off the West Coast of Ireland, he survived but his books were lost and the song is a lament for the books. Hopefully someone with a greater knowledge will be able to comment.

Cheers, Mac

4

This one has been up several times, I left the words somewhere on the whistleboard last year, search for Song of the Books.
I wouldn’t recommend learning it from my playing.

[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2003-02-09 20:46 ]

5

Here are the Gaelic words and a brief account; if a translation proves elusive, give a shout…

BC

====
Amhrán na Leabhar
Tomás Rua Ó Súilleabháin (1785-1848)

Go Cuan Bhéil Inse casadh mé
Cois Góilín aoibhinn Dairbhre
Mar a seoltar flít na farraige
Thar sáile i gcéin.
I Portmagee do stadas seal,
Faoi thuairim intinn maitheasa
D’fhonn bheith sealad eatarthu
Mar mháistir léinn.
Is gearr gur chuala an eachtara
Ag cách mo léan!
Gur i mBord Eoghain Fhinn do chailleathas
An t-árthach tréan.
Do phreab mo chroí le hatuirse
I dtaobh loinge an taoisigh chalma
Go mb’fhearrde an tír í 'sheasamh seal
Do ráib an tséin.

Mo chiach, mo chumha is m’atuirse!
Mé im iarsma dubhach ag ainnise
Is mé síoraí 'déanamh marana,
Ar mo chás bhocht féin!
Mo chuid éadaigh chumhdaigh scaipithe,
Bhí déanta cumtha, ceapaithe,
Is do thriaill thar thriúcha Banban
Mar bhláth faoi mo dhéin.
Iad bheith imithe san fharraige
Ar bharr an scéil,
Is a thuilleadh acu sa lasair
Is mé go támhach trém néal;
Ba thrua le cách ar maidin mé
Go buartha, cásmhar, ceasnaithe,
Is an fuacht a chráigh im bhalla mé
Gan snáth ón spéir!

Ní hé sin is mó a chealg me
Ná chráigh mé arís im aigne,
Ach nuair chínn féin fuadar fearthainne
Gach lá faoin spéir;
Neart gaoithe aduaidh is anaithe
Is síon rómhór gan aga ar bith,
Tinte luatha lasrach,
Is scáil na gcaor.
Chrom an uain ar shneachta 'chur
Le gála tréan
Ar feadh deich n-uair gan amharca
Le fáil ar ghréin.
Na doitheanna cruadha peannaide
A líon rómhór den ghalar mé,
D’fhág suim gan suan ar leaba mé
Go tláth i bpéin!

Dá shiúlfainn Éire is Alba
An Fhrainc, an Spáinn is Sasana,
Agus fós arís dá n-abrainn
Gach aird faoin ré,
Ní bhfaighinnse an oiread leabhartha
B’fhearr eolas agus tairbhe
Ná is mó bhí chum mo mhaitheasa
Cé táid ar strae.
Mo chreach! mo chumha ina n-easnamh siúd
Do fágadh mé!
Is mór an cúrsa marana
Agus cás liom é
Mallacht Dé is na hEaglaise
Ar an gcarraig ghránna mhallaithe,
A bháigh an long gan anaithe
Gan ghála, gan ghaoth.

Bhí mórán Éireann leabhartha,
Nár áiríos díbh im labhartha,
Leabhar na Laighneach beannaithe
Ba bhreátha faoin spéir.
An “Feirmeoir” álainn, gasta, deas,
A chuireadh a shíol go blasta ceart,
Thug ruachnoic fraoigh is aitinn ghlais
Go gealbhánta féir.
Scoirim as mo labhartha
Cé chrádar mé,
Is ná cuirfeadsa aon ní ar fharraige
Go brách lem ré;
Moladh le Rí an nAingeal ngeal,
Mo shláinte arís a chasadh orm,
Is an Fhoireann úd ón anaithe
Gan bá 'theacht saor!

“Tomás Rua, schoolteacher and poet had been transferred from Derrynane to Portmagee. He placed his huge and valuable library of books - both printed and in manuscript form, all leather bound - and his clothes on a boat which was travelling from Derrynane Bay to Valentia Harbour. He himself travelled by road. Unfortunately the boat overturned near Carraig Eibhlín Ní Rathaille just outside Derrynane Bay and his priceless library was lost. ‘Amhrán na Leabhar’ also known as ‘Cuan Bhéil Inse’ was his poetic response and is probably his best known song which is also very popular with pipers as a slow air.” (Tim Dennehy)

6

“it sounds the same as ‘Amhran na Leabhar’”

  • MacEachain

…

Hmm. It should sound the same - “Amhran na Leabhar” translates to “Song of the Books”.

Peter, perhaps you’re being a bit too modest? But, may I ask, on whose pipes and pitch did you play that? (I’ll check for the words in the Whistle forum).

And thanks to Bok Choi for the lyrics in the Irish.

7

Sorry guys, I coulda spared us the extra billion lines of text; must’ve posted nearly simultaneously w/Peter and didn’t see his ref to the Whistle board.

Éilís Kennedy has sung a nice version, clip here: http://www.worldzone.net/music/rudall/copp005.html

Good luck with the song!

Choi

8

Have you heard Sean og Potts spine tingling version of this tune on his solo album? It starts off with some plaintive chanter work,then,BAM!,the regulators just come in so dramatically they make the hairs on the back of your neck stand! I heartily recommend this album(but what would I know?).

9

Seamus Ennis plays it in G minor fingering on his album “The Pure Drop”.
Ennis’ ultra-tasteful and tonally colourful interpretation of it in that key is incredibly evocative. It remains one of my favorute piping tracks.

Regards, Harry.