It was meant to be
~E~
When I was a kid my mom and dad would sit around on a Sunday reading the paper and listening to the radio or to records. They would often play the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, so I grew up with Irish folk music. One song I always liked was "Oro Se Do Bheatha Abhaile", which was sung in Gaelic so I never understood the words. Picture a 6-year-old singing along in gibberish! Here, listen to Sinead O'Connor's version.
Somewhere along the line as an adult I learned about Grainne Ni Mhaille, an Irish pirate queen who lived and pirated on the west coast of Ireland. She caught my imagination, although I could never find out much about her. Over time she must have caught other people's imaginations as well, since now a Google search will actually have more than 4 or 5 hits and there's a current Broadway play about her.
When I gave birth to a daughter, Grainne (grawn-ya) was my first choice of names, but for personal reasons I chose the English version, Grace. This child of mine needed a strong name. A few years later as I was listening to "Oro Se Do Bheatha Abhaile" I suddenly realized they were singing about Grainne Ni Mhaille! It was a neat moment, and seemed to bring parts of my life full circle. Here are the lyrics in English:
Here's to circles!
When I was a kid my mom and dad would sit around on a Sunday reading the paper and listening to the radio or to records. They would often play the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, so I grew up with Irish folk music. One song I always liked was "Oro Se Do Bheatha Abhaile", which was sung in Gaelic so I never understood the words. Picture a 6-year-old singing along in gibberish! Here, listen to Sinead O'Connor's version.
Somewhere along the line as an adult I learned about Grainne Ni Mhaille, an Irish pirate queen who lived and pirated on the west coast of Ireland. She caught my imagination, although I could never find out much about her. Over time she must have caught other people's imaginations as well, since now a Google search will actually have more than 4 or 5 hits and there's a current Broadway play about her.
When I gave birth to a daughter, Grainne (grawn-ya) was my first choice of names, but for personal reasons I chose the English version, Grace. This child of mine needed a strong name. A few years later as I was listening to "Oro Se Do Bheatha Abhaile" I suddenly realized they were singing about Grainne Ni Mhaille! It was a neat moment, and seemed to bring parts of my life full circle. Here are the lyrics in English:
- Oh-ro You're welcome home,
- Oh-ro You're welcome home,
- Oh-ro You're welcome home...
- Now that summer's coming!
- Welcome oh woman who was so afflicted,
- It was our ruin that you were in bondage,
- Our fine land in the possession of thieves...
- And you sold to the foreigners!
-
- Chorus
- Grainne Mhaol is coming over the sea,
- Armed warriors along with her as her guard,
- They are Irishmen, not foreigners nor Spanish...
- And they will rout the foreigners!
-
- Chorus
- May it please the God of Miracles that we may see,
- Although we only live a week after it,
- Grainne Mhaol and a thousand warriors...
- Dispersing the foreigners!
- Chorus
Here's to circles!
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