Na Ceannabháin Bhána

Na Ceannabháin Bhána "The Fair Canavans" is a song in slip jig time from Carna in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. It was collected by Séamus Ennis from Colm Ó Caoidheáin who is thought to have written it for his two fairhaired (bán) grandchildren whose surname was Canavan / Ó Ceannabháin. The title of this piece of music when played without lyrics has been mistranslated as The White Cotton Flowers or The Fair Cotton Flowers due to the similarity to the Irish word for bog cotton ie Ceannbhán to the surname Ó Ceannabháin which actually derives from the earlier Ó Ceanndhubháin (a branch of the Uí Bhriúin Seola) meaning the descendent of Ceanndhubhán "blackheaded" ie "blackhaired".

Irish Lyrics

Goirim fhéin, goirim fhéin, goirim fhéin
Goirim fhéin Micil 's Máire
Goirim fhéin, goirim fhéin, goirim fhéin
Siúd iad na Ceannabháin Bhána
Goirim fhéin, goirim fhéin, goirim fhéin
Goirim fhéin Micil 's Máire
Goirim fhéin, goirim fhéin, goirim fhéin
Siúd iad na Ceannabháin Bhána

Cuirfidh mé, cuirfidh mé, cuirfidh mé
Cuirfidh mé suas chuig Sadhbh Sheáin thú
Cuirfidh mé, cuirfidh mé, cuirfidh mé
'S cuirfidh sí buairthín sa ngleann ort
Cuirfidh mé, cuirfidh mé, cuirfidh mé
Cuirfidh mé suas chuig Sadhbh Sheáin thú
Cuirfidh mé, cuirfidh mé, cuirfidh mé
'S cuirfidh sí buairthín sa ngleann ort

English Translation

I myself applaud, I myself applaud, I myself applaud
I myself applaud Micil and Máire
I myself applaud, I myself applaud, I myself applaud
The little fair Canavans
I myself applaud, I myself applaud, I myself applaud
I myself applaud Micil and Máire
I myself applaud, I myself applaud, I myself applaud
The little fair Canavans

I'll send you, I'll send you, I'll send you
I'll send you up to Sadhbh Sheáin's
I'll send you, I'll send you, I'll send you
And she will put a spancel on you in the glen
I'll send you, I'll send you, I'll send you
I'll send you up to Sadhbh Sheáin's
I'll send you, I'll send you, I'll send you
And she will put a spancel on you in the glen