Aimhirgín

Attributed to the legendary poet Amairgen Glúngel (Aimhirgín), who is said to have recited it on first setting foot in Ireland, this poem evokes the spirit of a pre–Christian Celtic world in which gods, nature and the elements intermingle and find expression in the words of the ancient sage. Amairgen invokes his mystical powers over the land of Ériu(Ireland) and the natural elements, in effect becoming one with the forces of nature and acting as a unifying force between humans and the earth. His spell calms the fierce wind and angry sea, and his ancient words of wisdom restore peace to the land.

Máire NÍ Annracháin Professor of Modern Irish University College Dublin

Rosc Aimheirgín        (English translation by Máire NÍ Annracháin)

Mé gaoth ar muir		I am a wind at sea
mé tonn díleann		I am a flooding wave
mé glór mara		I am the voice of the ocean
mé damh seacht mbeann		I am a seven pointed stag
mé seabhac den aill		I am a hawk from the cliff
mé dealán gréine		I am a gleam of sunlight
mé áilleacht fáis		I am the beauty of saplings
mé torc ar ghail		I am a raging boar
mé bradán sa linn		I am a salmon in the pool
mé loch ar mhá		I am a lake on a plain
mé suí eagna		I am the seat of wisdom
mé ga faoi bhua ag sa chath		I am a victorious spear slaughtering in battle
mise a adhnas tinfeadh cinn		It is I who ignite inspiration
cé hé a mhíníos clochar sléibhe?		Who explains stony mountains?
cé hé a áirmhíos trátha éasca?		Who counts the phases of the moon?
cé dó is eol cá bhfuineann grian?		Who knows where the sun sets?
gair an draoi go geanaidh briocht díbh		Call the druid that he may sing a charm for you
mise an draoi		I am the druid
Mé gaoth ar muir		I am a wind at sea

Acknowledgements

This commission project was made possible by the generosity of more than eighty individual donors through Irish crowd-funding website Fundit.ie. University College Dublin Choral Scholars would like to express our sincere thanks to these donors for bringing this project to life. The names of the donors are listed below. Finally, the choir would like to thank the team at Fundit.ie and Business to Arts (Ireland), for their help and support in running this crowdfunding campaign.

University College Dublin Choral Scholars would like to offer special thanks to the Embassy of Switzerland in Ireland, who also made a special donation to this project. We are very grateful for this support.

In addition to the names above, there were four anonymous donations made to the Fundit campaign.

recording performed by UCD Choral Scholars University College Dublin
Dublin, Ireland
Desmond Earley, Director

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