| Bhí mise’s mo bhean bheag lá gabháil a' bóthar,
| My little wife and I were on the road one day,
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| 'S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh, the love of my heart,
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| Is cé chásfaidh dúinn ach Gruagach an óir bhuí,
| Who cares for us but the Hair of the yellow gold,
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| Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo my yellow blackbird.
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| D’fhiafair sí domhsa an 'níon domh an óigbhean,
| She asked me the young woman's daughter,
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| 'S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh, the love of my heart,
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| A’s dúirt mé féin gurb í mo bhean phósta í,
| And I said to myself that she is my married wife,
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| Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo my yellow blackbird.
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| D’Tabharfaidh tú domhsa choíche go deo í?
| Will you give it to me forever?
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| 'S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh, the love of my heart,
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| Muna ndéanfaidh tú sin liom dhéanfaidh mé 'n cóir leat,
| If you do not do that to me I will do you justice,
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| Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo my yellow blackbird.
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| Gabh thusa 'na mullaí 'gus mise 'na móinte,
| You take the peaks and I in the moors,
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| S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh love of my heart,
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| S ca bith fear a leanfaidh sí bíodh sí go deo aige,
| And whosoever followeth her shall be with him for ever,
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| Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo my yellow blackbird.
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| Chuaigh seisean 'na mullaí 'gus mise móinte,
| He went 'to the tops' and I to the moors,
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| 'S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh, the love of my heart,
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| 'Gus lean sí an Gruagach, b’aige a bhí 'n óige,
| 'And she followed the Hairdresser, who was his youth,
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| Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo my yellow blackbird.
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| D’fhill mé 'na bhaile go buartha cráite,
| I returned home sadly tormented,
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| 'S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh, the love of my heart,
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| Gus shuigh mé síos ar mo leabaidh trí ráithe,
| And I sat down on my bed for three quarters,
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| Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo my yellow blackbird.
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| D’fhan sí amuigh aige bliain is trí ráithe,
| She stayed out with him for a year and a quarter,
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| 'S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh, the love of my heart,
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| Agus tháinig sí, 'na bhaile, mo Mhallaí gan náire,
| And she came, 'home, my shameless Walls,
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| Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo my yellow blackbird.
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| A ghiolla adaí istigh caidí mar atá tú?
| What do you think?
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| S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh love of my heart,
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| Mar is olc le mo charaid is maith liom mo námhaid,
| As bad as my friend is I like my enemy,
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| Cuach mo lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo my yellow blackbird.
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| Caidé a dhéanfá dá bhfaighinnse bás uait?
| What would you do if I died for you?
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| 'S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh, the love of my heart,
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| Chuirfinn ort cónair dara na gcúig gclár,
| I would give you the second cohort of the five programs,
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| Cuach mon lon dubh buí.
| Cuckoo mon lon black yellow.
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| Caidé inniu agus cuach amárach,
| What's today and tomorrow's cuckoo,
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| S oró grá mo chroí,
| Oh love of my heart,
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| 'Gus cuach bheag eile achan lá go ceann ráithe,
| 'And another little cuckoo every day for a quarter,
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| Cuach mon on dubh buí. | Cuckoo mon on black yellow. |