Gartan Mother's Lullaby

"Gartan Mother's Lullaby" is an old Irish song and poem written by Herbert Hughes and Seosamh Mac Cathmhaoil, first published in Songs of Uladh [Ulster] in 1904. Hughes collected the traditional melody in Donegal the previous year and Campbell wrote the lyrics. The song is a lullaby by a mother, from the parish of Gartan in County Donegal. The song refers to a number of figures in Irish mythology, places in Ireland and words in the Irish language.

Pronunciation

 * Aoibheall, (pronounced "ee-val") commonly known as Aoibhinn the Beautiful, is the queen of the Northern Fairies.
 * The Green Man, (or Fear Glas in Irish) it is said if you see him in the morning, "no ill follows"; but if at night, death or some other terrible misfortune will surely overtake you. He is sometimes called Fear Liath, or the Grey Man.
 * Siabhra (pronounced sheev-rah), is typically a term for wicked or malevolent fairies, but in this instance is used as a generic term for an Irish fairy of any kind.
 * Tearmann, Irish for Termon, a village near Gartan in Donegal.
 * Leanbhan, is an old Irish word for little child. (leanbh is Irish for child +án leanbhán is its diminutive.)

Recordings

 * 2016 - UCD Choral Scholars covered on the album "Invisible Stars"
 * 2016 - Lisa Cuthbert covered on the album Paramour
 * 2011 - Screaming Orphans covered on the album The Jacket's Green
 * 2011 - Deirdre Shannon covered on the album Anamcheol
 * 2010 - Peter Roberts covered on the album Love and the Ferryman
 * 2010 - Fionnuala Sherry covered on the album Songs From Before
 * 2007 -Tracey Rose Brown covered on the album " Songs In The Mist"
 * 2006 - Órla Fallon, covered on the album The Water Is Wide
 * 2002 - Spiral Dance, covered on the album Notes of Being
 * 2002 - Kerstin Blodig, covered on the album Valivann
 * 2000 - Meryl Streep, recorded for the album For Our Children: 10th Anniversary
 * 1992 - Kim Robertson, recorded for the album Tender Shepherd
 * 1991 - Paddy Reilly, on his album The Gold and Silver Days
 * 1977 - Alba, on their album "Alba"
 * 1972 - The Dubliners, on their album Double Dubliners
 * 1969 - The Corries, appears on their album Strings and Things
 * 1963 - The Ian Campbell Folk Group, appears on their album This Is The Ian Campbell Folk Group!
 * 1959 - Deirdre O'Callaghan, appears on their album Folk Songs From Erin
 * 1958 - Mary O'Hara, appears on their album Songs Of Ireland