Éiníní

Éiníní is an Irish lullaby. Like many folk songs, variations exist, but one version has lyrics as follows, compiled by Seán Og and Manus O Baoill:

curfá (chorus) 
Éiníní, éiníní, codalaígí codalaígí
Éiníní, éiníní, codalaígí codalaígí 
Codalaígí, codalaígí cois an chlaí amuigh
Cois an chlaí amuigh codalaígí, codalaígí
Cois an chlaí amuigh, cois an chlaí amuigh
An londubh is an fiach dubh,
téigí a chodladh, téigí a chodladh 
an chéirseach is an préachán, 
téigí a chodladh, téigí a chodladh
An spideog is an fhuiseog 
téigí a chodladh, téigí a chodladh 
an dreoilín is an smóilín,
téigí a chodladh, téigí a chodladh

On the Mudcat Café site at Mudcat, one author "Áine" notes that her grandmother sung a different chorus:

Ínionaí, Ínionaí, codalaígí codalaígí
Ínionaí, Ínionaí, codalaígí codalaígí
Codalaígí, codalaígí, cois an chlé mo, cois an chlé mo
Codalaígí, codalaígí, socair sásta, socair sásta

Translation

The rough English translation of this song:

Little one, little one, sleep, sleep,
Little one, little one, sleep, sleep.
Sleep, sleep, beside my bosom, beside my bosom,
Sleep, sleep, peacefully serene, peacefully serene.

Recordings

  • Charlene Adzima on The Initiation
  • Soundtrack to the movie The Secret of Roan Inish
  • William Coulter on Narada's Celtic Legacy