I was curious about this song (from Wandering Home) and found a site where you can request translations (www.irishgaelictranslator.com). I'm not sure it was a good idea, as poetry and song lyrics are notoriously difficult to translate and retain any of the rythm and feel. But in case anyone else was curious about content, here was what they came up with:

Dun do shuil a run mo chroi
A chuid den tsaol is a ghra liom
Dun do Shuil a run mo chroi
Is gheobhair feirin amarch

Close your eyes, O love of my heart
My everything and my love
Close your eyes, O love of my heart
And you'll get a reward tomorrow.

Beidh do dhear ag tiocht
gan mhoill on g'cnoc
Agus cearca fraoch ina lamh leis
O codhladh go cuin a run mo run
Agus gheobhair feirin amarach

Your brother will be soon coming from the hills
With grouse in his hands
O sleep peacefully my darling of darlings
And you'll get a reward tomorrow.

Dun do shuil a run mo chroi
Dun do shuil a run mo chroi
Agus gheobhair feirin amarach

Close your eyes, O love of my heart
Close your eyes, O love of my heart
And you'll get a reward tomorrow

to an ghaoth ag tiocht go firinneach
Agus duilluir glas ar phratai
Ta an Samhradh ag triall le grian is teas
Is gheobhaimid iasc amarach

The wind is truly coming
And green leaves on the potatoes
The summer is going with sun and heat
And we'll get a fish tomorrow.

Dun do shuil a run mo chroi
A dhuid den tsaol is a ghra liom
Dun do shuil a run mo chroi
Is gheobhair feirin amarach

Close your eyes, O love of my heart
My everything and my love
Close your eyes, O love of my heart
And you'll get a reward tomorrow.

That is very interesting. I wonder where the brother is coming home from. I find that kind of stuff interesting. You know, like who wrote it, what were they goin through. Thanks for taking the time to research that and post it.

Hello all. I'm glad you all are interested in this song. As often happens, the meaning got a bit skewed in the translation. The father, not the brother, was coming over the hill with some wild fowl. The inference that I have always drawn, was that this was written during the time of the famine and that the mother was soothing the child with the promise that the father would be able to find some food for them to eat. The very fact that the promise of a meal and not a toy is used creates a very vivid picture for me. I find it heartbreaking, especially given that somewhere in the world today a mother is soothing her starving child with a promise of a present of some found food. Some probably nearer home than we care to think.