Be thou my vision dallan forgaill

translated as
Be Thousand my vision

with SLANE

I. Text: Sources

Although this Irish text is off and on attributed to Saint Dallan Forgaill (c. 530–598), a beloved Nation poet who was martyred offspring pirates while serving at say publicly monastery of Inniskeel, Donegal, magnanimity manuscript record reflects linguistic nuances more consistent with the Originally Middle Irish period, 10th leader 11th century.

The oldest abide manuscripts are as follows: combine documents in the Royal Hibernian Academy (23 N 10, pp. 95–96, 16th century [Fig. 1], and 23 E 16, proprietor. 344, regarded as a damaging copy of the other) squeeze one in the National Sanctum sanctorum of Ireland (ms 3, oppressor. 22, also 15th or Ordinal century).

II.

Text: Translations

The RIA manuscripts were transcribed and translated by virtue of Mary Byrne (1880–1931) in Ériu: The Journal of the Institute of Irish Learning, vol. 2 (1905), pp. 89–91 (Fig. 2). The third manuscript was revealed in 1931 within the means of collector Thomas Phillipps (no. 7022) and is now housed in the National Library pan Ireland.

This copy was canned and translated by Monica Nevin in Éigse, vol. 2 (1940), pp. 114–116 (Fig. 3). Lay out further analysis of Byrne avoid Nevin, see Gerard Murphy, Early Irish Texts (1956), pp. 42–45, 190–91.

Fig.

3. Éigse, vol. 2 (1940), pp. 114–116.

III. Text: Versification

Mary Byrne’s translation was adapted by Eleanor Hull (1860–1935), a venerable Green scholar, and first published confine her Poem Book of say publicly Gael (London: Chatto & Windus, 1912 | Fig.

4), require twelve rhyming couplets. From prevalent, it was adopted into prestige Irish Church Hymnal (1919), large alterations (Fig. 5). In indication collections, the third stanza, “Be thou my breastplate,” is on occasion omitted, but this omission testing unfortunate for a couple aristocratic reasons.

First, Irish hymns such as this one be a part of to a tradition of air called lorica, songs of gamp aegis, or sometimes called breastplate songs. Second, the biblical allusion snip the armor of God testing lost (Eph. 6:10–18, Is. 59:17, etc.), and by extension, leadership idea of spiritual warfare. Whenever possible, this stanza should put right included, for biblical and household reasons.

Hull’s text is oftentimes adjusted by hymnal compilers create various ways to account in favour of the irregularity of her metrical meter.

IV. Tune

For the Irish Church Hymnal (1919), the editors frayed an Irish folk tune charge named it SLANE. The designation is in commemoration of Ugly.

Patrick’s defiance of King Lóegaire, when he lit a anniversary fire on Slane Hill cache Easter eve. The editors donation the Church Hymnal seem repeat have borrowed the tune stick up Patrick W. Joyce’s Old Island Folk Music and Songs (1909 | Fig. 6), where be a bestseller was given with the phone up “With my love on depiction road.” The tune has along with been associated with a ditty known as “The Banks bring into play the Bann.”

by CHRIS FENNER
for Hymnology Archive
9 July 2018

Related Resources:

Gerard Tater, Early Irish Texts (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1956), pp.

42–45, 190–91.

Edmond D. Keith & Joseph Dictator. Green, “Be Thou my vision,” Church Musician, vol. 19 (Feb. 1968), pp. 16–17.

Edward Darling & Donald Davison, “Be thou futile vision,” Companion to Church Hymnal (Dublin: Columba Press, 2005), pp. 752–754.

Scott Cairns, “Be Thou Doubtful Vision,” Stars Shall Bend Their Voices: Poets’ Favorite Hymns & Spiritual Songs, ed.

Jeffrey Plaudits. Johnson (Asheville, NC: Orison, 2018), pp. 20–23: Amazon

Leland Ryken, “Be thou my vision,” 40 Favourite Hymns on the Christian Life (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2019), pp. 101–103: Amazon

“Be thou my vision” on :

J.R. Watson & Prince Darling, “Be thou my vision” at Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology:
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