Peigín Leitir Móir

"Peigín Leitir Móir" is a popular Irish folk song.

The original verses of the song were written in Irish by Máirtín Ó Clochartaigh and Pádraic Ó Maille of Leitir Caladh (a townland to the north of Leitir Mór, County Galway) around the turn of the 20th century.^[1] It was published in the review An Claidheamh Soluis in 1911. However, new verses were added at various times and places as the song gained popularity in Irish-speaking districts.

In general, the song extols the beauty of a woman called Peigín, and tells how she attracts not only the poet but men from different districts.

The song is also played as a polka, without lyrics, by traditional musicians.

Some verses that are commonly sung nowadays include the following:

Éirigh suas a Pheigín

Agus seas ar bharr an aird

Comhair do chuid bullán

Agus féach a' bhuil siad ann

Refrain (chorus)

Is Ó gairim gairim í

Agus gairim í mo stór

Míle grá le m'anam í

'S í Peigín Leitir Móir

Tá Bríd agam 's tá Cáit agam

Sí Peig an bhean is fearr

Pe'r bith fear a gheobhas í

Nach air a bheas an t-ádh

Chuir me scéala siar chuici

Go gceannóinn di bád mor

'S é 'n scéala 'chuir si aniar chugam

Go ndéanfadh leathbhád seoil

Tá iascairí na Gaillimhe

Ag teach anoir le cóir

Le solas gealaí gile

Nó go bhfeicidís an tseoid

Recordings

• The Dubliners, In Concert (1965), A Time To Remember (2009)
• Na Casaidigh (1994)
• Orthodox Celts, The Celts Strike Again (1997)
• Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin (2008)^[2]
• John Spillane, Irish Songs We Learned at School (2008)
• Seán Ó Riada
• Ceoltóirí Chualann

References