Words & Music:  Donnchadh Rua MacConmara, 1715-1814
Harmonies:  Skarra Brae, Lizzie O'Brien, Tom Bridges

The painful longing of an exile is the subject of this moving piece in Irish Gaelic. Bánchnoic Éireann Ó was written by Donnchadh MacConmara, and Irishman born early in the 18th century who later emigrated to Newfoundland. He spent most of his long life away from home, and could well lament the lost beauty of the 'fair hills of Erin.' Finally however he returned home where he died in 1814 aged nearly one hundred. (He was very possibly a relative of the poet Francis Macnamara who was aged three when his predecessor passed away.)

Beir beannacht ó mo chroi go tír na h-Éireann,
Bánchnoic Éireann Ó.
Chun a maireann de shíolra Ír agus Éibhir
Ar bhánchnoic Éireann Ó.
An áit úd inarbh aoibhinn binnghuth éan,
Mar shámhchruit chaoin ag caoineadh Gael.
Is é mo chás a bheith míle míle i gcéin
Ó bhánchnoic Éireann Ó.

Bíonn barra bog slím ar chaoinchnoic Éireann.
Bánchnoic Éireann Ó.
'S is fearra na na tír seo díoga gach sléibhe ann,
Bánchnoic Éireann Ó.
Is ard a coillte 's is direach réidh,
'S an blath mar aoil ar mhaoilinn ghéag.
Tá grá i mo chroí 's i m' intinn féin
Do bhánchnoic Éireann Ó.

Bear a blessing from my heart to the land of Erin, Oh the fair hills of Erin! To those of the seed of Ir and Eibhir who still live on the fair hills of Erin. In that place is the delightful sweet-voiced bird, like a pleasant and gentle harp lamenting a Gael. It is my fate to be a thousand miles away from the fair hills of Erin.

Soft and smooth are the summits of Erin's gentle hills, oh the fair hills of Erin!, and better than this land is every mountain slope there in the fair hills of Erin! Her forests are high, they are level and straight, and the blossoms like whitewash on the rounded canopies. Oh, there is such love in my heart and mind for the fair hills of Erin!