Sí tuirne Mháire an tuirne is fearr, do shiúil sí roinnt mhaith d’Éirinn Níl cnoc ná gleann dá ndeachaigh sé ann nár fhág sé cuid dá thréithe ann Chaith sé lá in Iúr Cinn Trá i lúb le gleanntáin sléibhte ‘S síógaí mná ar thaobh Chnoic Meadha do sníomh le snáth is cambric
Glossary:
tuirne: spinning wheel
is fearr: the best
shiúil sí: she walked
roinnt mhaith d’Éirinn: a good bit of Ireland
cnoc = hill
gleann = valley
tréith = feature
lá = day
lúb = bend
gleanntáin shléibhe = mountain valley
síog = fairy
mná = women
taobh = side
sníomh = spin
snáth = thread
Translation:
Máire’s spinning-wheel is the best spinning-wheel, it’s walked a good bit of Ireland (e.g. it has travelled widely)
There isn’t a valley or glen it went to, it hasn’t left some of its features there (e.g. there’s no valley or glen it has not left its mark on)
It spent a day in Newry, in the bend of a mountain valley
And fairy-women on the side of Cnoc Meadha used it to spin thread and cambric