'I love the song that I learned as a child about County Antrim'

'I love the song that I learned as a child about County Antrim'

Mary describes her love of Co. Antrim where she was born and where she spent her childhood. She remembers songs about Co. Antrim which describe its beauty.

Mary Dynan

Trinity College Dublin

1950

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Mary Dynan

Childhood and Early Life

Life Story

Co. Antrim

1950's

People of Antrim love their county and have written songs in its praise. The story goes that a man from Glendun was thinking of emigrating and he wrote a song in which he imagined what it would be like to be away. He made himself so sad that he decided to stay at home. This is the first verseDa mbeinn fein in Airdi Cuain, 'naice'n tsleibhe ud'ta i bfad uaim. B' annamh liom gan dul ar cuairt, go Gleann na Cuach Dia Domhnaigh. Agus och, och Eire lig is o, Eire lonndubh agus o, 'Se mo chroi ta trom agus bronach.(If I were in Carnlough, near that mountain which is now far away from me, I would love to visit the Cuckoo Glen on Sunday, but och, Ireland, my jewel is distant and it is my heart that is heavy and full of sadness.)I love the song that I learned as a child about County Antrim. It is by Seosamh Mac Cathmhoill who also wrote the song about the ninepenny fiddle. His other song My Lagan Love is better known, but not as much loved by me. This song conjures up the spirit of County Antrim much better than the one about the Green Glens which appeared in the 1950'sThe blue hills of Antrim I see in my dreamsThe high hils of Antrim, the glens and the streams In sunshine and shadow, in weal or in woeThe sweet vision haunts me whereever I go

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)