Nell Ní Chróinín: An Lacha Bacach

The Lame Duck

Here are the lyrics from IrishGaelicTranslator:

A chréatúirín leointe is brón liom do dhreach
Im' choinnibh sa phóirse is tú breoite tinn salach,
Do sciathán ba ró-dheas ag sileadh sa lóib leat,
Is do lapa beag gleoite dar ndóigh ina dhá leath.
Didery aighle dam dodle di am the dam dam...

O poor wounded creature, your countenance does hurt me,
sick and dirty before me on the porch
Your wing, once so lovely, drooping in the mud
and your pretty wee foot, [parted in two, of course?!]

An t-asal is dócha a thóg tú le speach
Is greadadh go deo air ba mhór é a theaspach
Cuirfead bata fuinseoige ag rince sa tóin air
Is ceangal naoi ló air cois teorann le staic.

The donkey ’twas that lifted you up with a kick,
and a thrashing upon him, the gadder,
I’ll set an ash rod dancing on his behind
and I’ll tie him up for nine days to a post out back (lit. ‘out by the limit [of the property]’)

Tar anseo im' dhóid chun go dtomhaisead do chneá
Is ná bí chomh glórach ní ceol do bhác-bhác
Idir bhriseadh 'gus leonadh tá ainnise mhór ort
'S is céasadh san domhsa mo lacha bhacach

Come here in my hand that I may gauge your damage
and don’t be calling out so, your quack-quack is no music
Between the fractures and wounds, you’ve quite a misery on you
and my lame little duck is pained in the [dance?!]

Cad a dhéanfad amáireach is cás liom é mheas
Gan an t-ubh gorm breá mar ba ghnath don bricfeast
Is easnamh don shláinte an bascadh seo 'tá ort
Ach foighne sé 's fearr ar mo lacha bhacach

What’ll I do tomorrow, that’s a great concern of mine,
without my usual lovely blue egg for breakfast?
This mangling of yours is a great stopper in my health,
but I’ll have to be patient for/with my lame duck

Stopfad lochán duit go snámhfair amach
Sé an t-íocluibh is fearr é do lacha bhacach
Beirse i gcionn spáis bhig ag croitheadh sciathán ann
Is roimh tosach an Mharta ag ardú bhác-bhác

I’ll stem a wee pond for you to swim out into,
that’s the best healer for a lame duck
Take a little time there, flapping your wings in it,
and before March comes along, you’ll be quack-quacking again

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There was another verse mentioned in the YouTube comments but she doesn't sing it:

Tar liomsa láithreach thar táirsigh isteach
Is fan ann go soláthraíod duit cláirín is ceairt
Déanfad cliath daongean d'fháscadh ar bhriseadh do chnáimhín
Is snaidhmigh naoi lá é 's beir sásta go maith.