“The Drinaun Dun (An Draighnean Donn, The Blackthorn Tree)”
Description
Irish Gaelic. The singer complains of being "captivated" by a young man, whose disappearance has caused her to wander. She shelters under the blackthorn. She tells of her love, wishes she had a boat to follow him, and warns girls to marry when they can
Notes
Not to be confused with "Draigheanan donn" by Robert Dwyer Joyce, a love song about a man who dreams of being home again with "her sweet loving kisses, 'neath the Drinan Donn." (source: _Irish Minstrelsy_ by H Halliday Sparling (1888), p. 301).
Charles Gavan Duffy, editor, The Ballad Poetry of Ireland (1845), pp. 143-144, "The Drinan Dhun" seems like a different translation of the same song. There are lines that are close but if translation were not a complicating factor I would consider these to be separate songs. - BS
Recordings
- Sean Dirrane, "An Droighnean Donn (The Blackthorn)" (on Aran1)
References
- SHenry H206, p. 289, "The Drinaun D[h]un" (1 text, 1 tune)
- O'Conor, p. 63, "Drinane Dhun" (1 text)
- OLochlainn-More, pp. 263-264, "The Drynaun Dun" (1 text)
- cf. Kennedy 32, "An Draighnean Donn" (1 Irish Gaelic text plus translation, 1 tune; it is not clear that the English version of Henry has any relation to Kennedy's Irish text)
- Roud #2363
- BI, HHH206