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, is a generic term for an Irish fairy of any kind. In ancient writings the Tuatha de Danann, or little magicians of the Pagan Irish, were called "siabhra" without distinction.
• 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.)

Covers

• 2016 - Lisa Cuthbert covered on the album Paramour
• 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
• 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
• 1977 - Alba, on their album "Alba"
• 1972 - The Dubliners, on their album Double Dubliners
• 1969 - The Corries, appears on their album Strings and Things