Unique Word Count: 88
Music composed by: Traditional
Words written by: Traditional
Lyrics:
Seacht gcéad déag míle fáilte naoi n-uaire agus fiche,
Roimh Mhac Dé na Glóire agus na Maighdine Muire,
A thuirling ina broinn órga ina Dhia agus ina dhuine,
Is gur Oíche Nollag Mór a rugadh Rí ceart na Rithe.
Is ocht lá ina dhéidh sin is ea glaotar Lá Coille air,
I dTeampall na Tríonóide mar a doirteadh an fhuil mhilis,
Dá chur i n-úil dóibh siúd gur scéal é a bhí chuige,
Bheith ag fulag na daorpháise is ag iompar na croise.
Mo ghrá-sa an mhaighdean ghlórmhar, sí Banríon Fhlaithis Dé í,
Do rugadh ina haingeal is do baisteadh ina naomh,
Níor dhein sí riamh peaca, ná ní fheadair cad é,
Nó gur thuirling ina geal-bhroinn chúithi Mac dílis Dé.
Translation:
Seventeen hundred thousand welcomes, twenty-nine times,
For the Son of the God of Glory and the Virgin Mary,
Who descended into her golden womb as both God and man,
For it is on Christmas Night that the true King of Kings was born.
Eight days afterwards is called the Feast of the Circumcision,
In the Temple of the Trinity the sweet blood was spilled,
Letting them all know that this was what awaited him,
To suffer the harsh passion and to carry the cross.
How I love the glorious virgin, she is the Queen of God’s Heavens,
She was born an angel and baptised a saint,
She never committed a sin, she didn’t know what it was,
And so the faithful Son of God descended into her bright womb.
Notes: This traditional Christmas song of West Kerry is mentioned by the renowned storyteller, Peig Sayers, in her book ‘A Scéal Féin‘. The lyrics of the song were sometimes collected as a prayer. This version with 3 verses is the most commonly recorded.
Seacht gCéad Déag Míle Fáilte / Fáilte An Linbh Íosa – Leagan 5 Véarsa
Unique Word Count: 136
Music composed by: Traditional
Words written by: Traditional
Lyrics:
Seacht gcéad déag míle fáilte naoi n-uaire agus fiche,
Roimh Mhac Dé na Glóire agus na Maighdine Muire,
A thuirling ina broinn órga ina Dhia agus ina dhuine,
Is gur Oíche Nollag Mór a rugadh Rí ceart na Rithe.
Is ocht lá ina dhéidh sin is ea glaotar Lá Coille air,
I dTeampall na Tríonóide mar a doirteadh an fhuil mhilis,
Dá chur i n-úil dóibh siúd gur scéal é a bhí chuige,
Bheith ag fulag na daorpháise is ag iompar na croise.
Mo ghrá-sa an mhaighdean ghlórmhar, sí Banríon Fhlaithis Dé í,
Do rugadh ina haingeal is do baisteadh ina naomh,
Níor dhein sí riamh peaca, ná ní fheadair cad é,
Nó gur thuirling ina geal-bhroinn chúithi Mac dílis Dé.
Sé Mac Dé na Glóire mo stór-sa gan dabht,
Lem chroí is le m’anam, is níl ionadh orm ann,
Mar do shil sé an fhuil chéasta dár saoradh ar an gcrann,
An tsleá nimhe trína chroí is an choróin spíon ar a cheann.
A Chríostaithe an tsaoil seo, deinidh bhur n-anam,
Goilidh go cruaidh agus buailidh bhur mbasa,
Ná díolaidh bhur dTiarna ar ór buí ná ar rachmas,
Mar níl sa tsaol so ach sceo beag seachas glóire na bhflaitheas.
Translation:
Seventeen hundred thousand welcomes, twenty-nine times,
For the Son of the God of Glory and the Virgin Mary,
Who descended into her golden womb as both God and man,
For it is on Christmas Night that the true King of Kings was born.
Eight days afterwards is called the Feast of the Circumcision,
In the Temple of the Trinity the sweet blood was spilled,
Letting them all know that this was what awaited him,
To suffer the harsh passion and to carry the cross.
How I love the glorious virgin, she is the Queen of God’s Heavens,
She was born an angel and baptised a saint,
She never committed a sin, she didn’t know what it was,
And so the faithful Son of God descended into her bright womb.
The Son of the God of Glory is my treasure without a doubt,
By my heart and by my soul, and it is no wonder for me,
Because he shed his blood in the passion on the cross to save us,
With the poisoned spear through his heart and the crown of thorns on his head.
Oh Christians of this world, repent for your souls,
Cry bitter tears and beat your breasts,
Do not sell out your Lord for yellow gold or for wealth,
Because this life is only passing mist compared to the glory of the heavens.
Notes: As noted above, this is a traditional song, sung in West Kerry at Christmas. The lyrics of the song were sometimes collected as a prayer. This version with 5 verses was published by the editors of the remarkable CD-ROM published by Fios Feasa, ‘Amhrán Is Fiche Don Nollag‘. It incorporates verses sung by Peig Sayers, and also text from a prayer collected from her fellow Blasket islander Tomás Ó Criomhthainn under the title ‘A Prayer from Long Ago’.