Rop tu mo baile!
(Note: I have created my own category called “Estel’s Posts.” Henceforth, all the posts I, Estel, write without Kitty will be in this category.)
For some months I have been pining away for Irish lyrics to “Be Thou My Vision.” Specifically the original Old Irish lyrics. Well, last week I happened upon a Modern Irish rendition, and then the next day I found Old Irish words! I also found a partial translation, and a recording.
In case you didn’t know, “Be Thou My Vision” was originally an Irish hymn dating from the 8th century. It had 16 verses, each of which was equivalent to one-half an English verse. So the four verses with which we are most familiar are really eight verses in Old Irish. (There’s a fifth verse that I’ve never heard sung, which is too bad because it’s pretty.) It wasn’t translated into English until the early 20th century, and then a little later it was put to the tune we sing today.
For those who are interested, here’s the link and first verse:
Rop tú mo baile,
a Choimdiu cride:
ní ní nech aile
acht Rí secht nime.
