Peadar Ó Doirnín lived in Forkhill in south Armagh, Ireland and is buried in Urnaí graveyard nearby in County Louth.
[1] It was the editor of an anthology of his poems (1969), Dr. Breandan Ó Buachalla who gave the lyrics its title 'Mná na hÉireann'.
Tá bean in Éirinn a phronnfadh séad domh is mo sháith le n-ól Is tá bean in Éirinn is ba bhinne léithe mo ráfla ceoil Ná seinm théad; atá bean in Éirinn is níorbh fhearr léi beo Mise ag léimnigh[1] nó leagtha i gcré is mo thárr[2] faoi fhód
Tá bean in Éirinn a bheadh ag éad liom mur' bhfaighfinn ach póg Ó bhean ar aonach, nach ait an scéala, is mo dháimh féin leo; Tá bean ab fhearr liom nó cath is céad dhíobh nach bhfagham go deo Is tá cailín spéiriúil ag fear gan Bhéarla, dubhghránna cróin.
Who forcibly spread her two legs apart.It is accepted that most singers who have recorded this song did not fully understand the lyrics due to inaccurate translations, the exclusion of verses in previous recordings or the lack of understanding of the nuances and metaphorical usage of Irish language terminology.
This is the translation performed by Kate Bush on the album Common Ground – Voices of Modern Irish Music.