Down By The Salley Gardens (Irish: Gort na Saileán) is a traditional Irish song. The tune is also known as “An Traigh Mughdhorna”, “The Maids of Mourne Shore” and “The Mourne Shore”. It was used by William Butler Yeats in writing his poem of the same name, wherein he incorporated some lines recalled by a woman from Ballysodare, Co. Sligo, who shared them with her. The “Salley” is thought to be based on the Irish word for willow: saileách.
English
Down by the salley gardens my love and I did meet;
She passed the salley gardens with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;
But I, being young and foolish, with her would not agree.
In a field by the river my love and I did stand,
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand.
She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs;
But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears.
Irish
Is thíos i nGort na Saileán
sea casadh dom mo rún
Ba luath a cos ar féar ann
is ba luaineach a leagan siúil
Sé dúirt sí liom bheith suaimhneach
mar a fhásann duilliúr is bláth
Ach bhí mise óg is uaibhreach
is níor éist mé le guth mo ghrá.
Is thíos cois abhann go déaneamh
sea sheas mé le mo ghrá
Gualainn ar ghualainn le chéile
is leag sí orm lámh
Sé dúirt sí liom bheith suaimhneach
mar a fhásann féar aníos
Ach bhí mise óg is uabhreach
‘stá na deoira anois mo chloí
Is thíos i nGort na Saileán
sea casadh dom mo rún…
