# An Bonnán Buí

"An Bonnán Buí" (pronounced; "The yellow bittern") is a classic poem in Irish by the poet Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna. In addition to the conventional end-rhyme, it uses internal rhyme ("A bhonnán bhuí, is é mo léan do luí / Is do chnámha sínte tar éis do ghrinn") – in the Irish language all the italicised elements have the same /iː/ sound, a technique characteristic of Gaelic poetry of the era.
The poem is in the form of a lament for a bittern that died of thirst, but is also a tongue in cheek defence by the poet of his own drinking habit. It has been translated into English by, among others, James Stephens, Thomas MacDonagh, Thomas Kinsella, and Seamus Heaney. The Irish words have been used as lyrics by the band Clannad on their album Crann Ull (as Bunan Bui) and the English words (MacDonagh version) on Cathie Ryan's album The Music Of What Happens (1998), and also on Al O'Donnell's album "Ramble Away" (2008). Anne Brigg's song "Bonambuie", from her album Sing a Song for You, is based on the MacDonagh version, though using something close to the original Irish title.
Len Graham has also recorded a version translated by Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin which poet Paul Muldoon regarded as the closest to the original in translation and rhyming scheme and also the most singable.
The Yellow Bittern is also the name of a 1917 play about the death of Mac Giolla Ghunna by Daniel Corkery.
The version by Thomas MacDonagh is especially notable because in addition to keeping close to the original wording, MacDonagh attempts with considerable success to replicate in English the internal rhyme technique ("His bones are thrown on a naked stone / Where he lived alone like a hermit monk."), and the surreal humour of the Irish version.
Below is the edited version published in A Hidden Ulster -people, songs and traditions of Oriel (Four Courts Press) 2003 and the most recently restored variant of the air found in Oriel. The translation is by singer Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin

## Words (Irish original)

   AN BONNÁN BUÍ A bhonnáin bhuí, ’sé mo léan do luí
   Is do chnámha sínte in éis do ghrinn; Chan easpa bí ach(t) diobháil dí
   A d’fhág ’do luí thú ar chúl do chinn; Is measa liom féin ná scrios na Traoi
   Tú bheith ’do luí ar leacaibh lom, Is nach dtearn tú díth nó dola istír;
   Nárbh fhearr leat fíon ná uisce poll.   Tá mo cheann tinn is níl atharach ann
   Óir d’éirigh a lán den trioblóid domh; Mo cháirde cruinn gan áit gan roinn
   Nach ndéanann siad díon nó foscadh domh; Do bhéilín binn a bhí a’ síorthabhairt grinn
   Is b’aite liom do chomhrá carthannach; A’ murab é an díth céille bheinn féin saibhir, Ach(t) ghlac mé de roghain an bhoichtineacht.
   A bhonnáin álainn, ’sé mo mhíle crá Do chorp ar lár in éis do ghrinn, Is gur iomaí lá a chluinfinn do ghrág Do luí ar an láib ar chúl do chinn. ’Sé mo thuirse mhór is mo mhíle brón Tú bheith sínte ’mbrón i measc na dtom, Is na luchógaí móra a’ triall ’un do thórraimh A’ déanamh spóirse is féasta ann.
   Chuaidh mé ’n a’ tórramh is mé tuirseach, brónach ’Gus buidéal beorach le mo thaobh; Ar nós go n-ólfadh sé deoch nó dhó A fhliuchfadh a bhéal is a chorp istigh. Ach(t) hóm bóm bó ’sé mo mhíle brón A’n deoir chan ólann sé a choíche ’ríst. Bhí an buidéal ólta a's mé ar leathchois leonta A’ pilleadh ó thórramh an bhonnáin bhuí.
   Chan iad bhur n-éanlaith atá mé ag éagnaigh, An lon, an chéirseach nó ’n chorr ghlas; Ach(t) a’ bonnán buí a bhí lán de chroí Gur cosúil liom féin é i nós is i ndath. Bhíodh sé go síoraí ag ól na dí ’Gus deirtear go mbím ar a’ nós sin seal; Chan fheil a’n deoir ’á bhfaighfinn nach leigfinn síos, Ar chéasta go bhfaighfinn bás den tart.
   ’Sé d’iarr mo stór orm stadadh den ól Nó nach mbeinn anseo ach(t) seal beag gearr. Ach(t) dúirt mé léithe gur ársaigh sí bréag
   Is gurbh fhaide do mo shaol an deoch úd fháil. An bhfeiceann sibh éan a’ phíobáin réidh A chuaidh in éag den tart ar ball? Is, a chomharsnaigh chléibh, fliuchaigí mbur mbéal Óir chan fhaigheann sibh braon i ndiaidh mbur mbáis.

## Translations

* Version by Thomas MacDonagh
* Version by Thomas Kinsella
* Updated version by Seamus Heaney

## Sources

Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, A Hidden Ulster - people, songs and traditions of Oriel. Four Courts Press 2003.
* Robert Welch (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Irish Literature. Oxford: the Clarendon Press, 1996.