‘Don Oídhche Úd i MBeithil’ was first published as a song in 1966 in An Chóisir Cheoil II, one of a series of pamphlet song-books published by An Claisceadal Cois Life and edited by Seán Óg Ó Tuama (d. 1981). Most of the songs in the various volumes were traditional, though the melodies of some, such as this lovely Christmas carol, were composed by Seán Óg himself.

The poem was written by Aodh “Mac Aingil” Mac Cathmhaoil (1571 – 1626), a distinguished Irish Franciscan theologian, scholar and poet who taught at the University of Salamanca and became Superior of the Irish Franciscan College at Leuven (Louvain), Belgium, before being appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland by Pope Urban VIII.

The song is now part of the Irish tradition and a much-loved carol at Christmas-time.

Two arrangements are provided here: an easy solo harp arrangement and an arrangement for voice or violin with harp accompaniment as played by Máire with her sister, fiddle-player Nollaig Casey, on her album with Chris Newman, Christmas Lights.

Available for download only. Choose the format you would like – A4 or US Letter – at checkout.

Description

‘Don Oídhche Úd i MBeithil’ was first published as a song in 1966 in An Chóisir Cheoil II, one of a series of pamphlet song-books published by An Claisceadal Cois Life and edited by Seán Óg Ó Tuama (d. 1981). Most of the songs in the various volumes were traditional, though the melodies of some, such as this lovely Christmas carol, seem to have been composed by Seán Óg himself. A very modest man, he never liked to lay claim to his compositional work. I asked him about the origin of this and a couple of other songs he had published (‘Deus Meus’ and ‘Hinderó Hóró’) and he was evasive – an answer in itself! His sister-in-law, singer and harper Róisín Ní Shé (d. 2005), later confirmed to me in a conversation about the matter that Seán had indeed composed the melodies of all three songs.

The poem was composed by Aodh “Mac Aingil” Mac Cathmhaoil (1571 – 1626), a distinguished Irish Franciscan theologian, scholar and poet who taught at the University of Salamanca and became Superior of the Irish Franciscan College at Leuven (Louvain), Belgium, before being appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland by Pope Urban VIII.

The song is now part of the Irish tradition and a much-loved carol at Christmas-time.

Two arrangements are provided here: an easy solo harp arrangement and an arrangement for voice or violin with harp accompaniment as played by Máire with her sister, fiddle-player Nollaig Casey, on her album with Chris Newman, Christmas Lights.

Available for download only. Choose the format you would like – A4 or US Letter – at checkout.