Hi - Dia daoibh and Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh !

I have another query on this sean-nós song.

Mhionnóinn naoi n-uaire ar leabhar mór an Bhairéadaigh,
Nach scarfainn go deo le Sadhbh Ní Bhruinnealla.

I’d swear nine times on Barrett’s book,
that I’d never part
with Sadhbh Ní Bhruinnealla.

What is the Barrett's book (leabhar mór an Bhairéadaigh) being referred to ?

And if you also dont mind - I dont get this verse at all !

Fear maith i mbád mé togha fear iomraimh,
Fear sluaisid’ is láí ar dhá cheann an iomaire.

I’m a good boatman, a fine oarsman,
skillful with shovel or loy
on either end of the ridge.

What does it mean ?


grma !

Níl a fhios agam.
Riocard Bairéad, b'fhéidir? (údar "Preab san ól" agus amhráin eile, ach "leabhar mór"?).
shovel and loy/spate, ridge - So, he's a good farm labourer, too?

When I was young it was normal for poor people to work the land and also fish. Subsistence farming, where people planted their own potatoes, raised a few calves to sell at the market, dig turf for their own use or for selling, harvest shellfish for own use or selling, harvest seaweed, and also fish mostly for own use and leftover could be sold locally. Very few people were profession fishermen, not unless they had big boats. People did what they were able too, it was their only income. People still do it today too, but less so as now they have government support, and the younger generation isn't interested .

Máistir báid mhóir mé
a' gabháil ród na Gaillimhe,
D'fhliuchfainn naoi bhfód
is ní thóigfinn aon fharraige.

It seems this particular man delivered turf on his boat.
He could stack it nine layers without taking on water.
Conamara people delivered by boat to Árainn and Clare specially, where they didn’t have their own turf.
So this man probably dug his own turf then sold it, it was seasonal work. And he also was probably a small farmer.

grma Bríd Ive just seen your message only 1.5 years after you posted it lol