Fill, fill a rún ó - Irish LYRICS + Translation

This lament is supposedly sung by an Irish mother whose son, a Catholic priest, has turned to the Protestant faith.
Performed by Mary McLaughlin and William Coulter
Album: Celtic Requiem (1998)

[@sunmarie9070]

This is surprisingly sad. My heart hurts. For those of you who are confused on why religion really matters, think of the time period. Back then, it was more like if a Capulet joined with the Montagues, or if your son defected to the British side during the civil war. My point is, it's not really about the religion. Back then, Protestants just did not talk to or associate with Catholics, and vice versa. It was so strong that they eventually went to war. So this song is not about how sad it is that a woman slightly disagrees with her son on a moral level. She is permanently losing her precious son, never to see him again, even in the after life. That happened to thousands of families in real life and that is why it's sad.

[@Donald590]

This made me shiver in sadness.

[@themaggattack]

It was a tragic and complex matter, indeed. She truly was heart broken over her son's immortal soul. Religion was forced upon people. It confused, divided, and controlled people. Yet, despite how paramount it seemed, religion wasn't even the main cause of the wars fought during this 800 year time period. The wars leading up to and including the Irish War of Independance, were really about freedom from imperialist oppression. (As for American history: I do believe it's the Revolutionary War you'd be referring to. The Civil War had nothing to do with the British.)

[@avalynch5]

@@themaggattack they're talking about the Irish civil war, not the American one

[@robinisnotkawaii3341]

@@themaggattack We are talking about our civil war. In Ireland.

[@clayfada2384]

SunMarie You seem to be making up your history as you go along.There was never a civil war in ireland based on religion.There was the northern ireland troubles but that was long after the period of this song which was more an irish british conflict than a religious one.The colonised were catholic and gaelic speaking and the colonisers were english and prothestant.So when a catholic priest became a prothestant he would not only be seen as an apostate to the religion ,but also to his nation and language and thats where the tension lies.basically its native versus invader its not a civil war situation.

[@carrieannbaatz7182]

My ancestors are Irish. Some of them went through starvation during the potato famine. There has been a lot of violence and estrangement in my family. I listen to this song regularly, and feel connected to my ancestors. It’s a call for us to return to each other. Return to wholeness. Return to our Center, the God who is now bringing us back together.

[@noamfinnegan8663]

Manufacturing consent... Potato famine, wow, you honestly think that describes the time of 1845-1851 That's the British name for it. Here's two more both in Irish Gaelic An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger) Popular with the Catholic church and the Irish state. Greedy hands tied to England. An T-ar Mór (The Great Killing) The name used by those living in a hell which was completely avoidable. My Great grandfather lived on the side of a mountain in West Cork with 11 other families and when the killing had passed they were two families. 72 people dead or gone forever. Sad but true 💚☘️💚☘️💚☘️💚 We're all one even those who are gone before us.

[@Freezinggreece2]

@@noamfinnegan8663 so sad what the English destroyed. And some still defend the actions like they did a good thing....

[@FenixintheDark]

​@@noamfinnegan8663 Agreed... it was a holocaust, not a famine. That said, American's are taught the sanitized version. It takes a deeper dive into the history to learn that there was plenty of food on the island of Ireland, but that it was all being shipped off to England, and the potato (a non-native species to Ireland) was all they were allowed to keep. It being a non-native plant, it was just a matter of time before some mold or germ it never had any experience of caused it to fail. We are also not taught that Ireland lost approximately 2/3ds of the populace (1/3 to death, 1/3 to emigration), which Psychologists say leaves an indelible mark on the psyche of the people for generations to come. Yes, it's feasible to find it, but not obvious. My ancestors left Ireland during the Irish Holocaust, which is how my family is here in the USA. I happened upon a group on Facebook where I learned about the Irish Holocaust, and I am grateful for the knowledge. I'd like for those in my country to learn more (especially those of Irish descent), but it's a big place here, and the info just is not out there being taught and shared, so while I completely understand the ire (there being an indelible mark on the psyche of the people for generations to come), maybe you can find it in your heart to more gently correct folks?

[@BIBLE-a-s-m-r]

@@FenixintheDarkyour story touches my heart. Baineann do scéal le mo chroí. Glór don Athair ❤

[@EandEmilia]

I'm English Irish also, my family also were apart of the potato famine, my dad's grandad according to him barely survived but then once they could afford to live and buy extra food they always bought extra, they shared their family recipe with me on how to make coddle the way they made it whilst in Ireland and I feel so proud to know that of everyone they passed that story and recipe to they passed it to me. I'm going back to Ireland on my 18th this year so to be able to meet my family I'm so excited

[@bouse23]

My great great grandfather was protestant. he married a Catholic and converted his family never spoke to him again.

[@yzzy7267]

I don't know why, but I immediately smelled flowers. This reminds me of ones that are local to my country that is used for welcoming ceremonies and sometimes, funerals too.

[@meganhasreturnedtorome4971]

I'm a big fan of Anúna's version of this song too, with Éabha McMahon. A beautiful song.

[@markduffield8110]

I agree

[@robertdigout5008]

Just checked out the Anuna version of this song and I agree that it is so beautiful. I'm now a big fan of both and am going to investigate them further. Thanks!

[@the_stoner_llama]

They're both good I just prefer this one because I feel like the instrumentalist shine through a bit better without detracting from the vocalist

[@buttercupbubbles2781]

This song touched my heart. I tried not to cry. **sniff sniff**

[@jordanweir7187]

awesome, weirdly before I had read the description and realised what the songs meaning was, it felt like a sequel to siuil a ruin to me

[@ladyviola2685]

You too? Wow, I thought I was the only one! O.O

[@meridaskywalker7816]

Same! I even laernt what the word 'run' means in Gaelic from 'Siul a run'. And I thought this is a very sad love song, something more like 'Aileinn Duinn'

[@konikonitrainerwill5969]

Ok I wasnt the only one

[@imrukiitoaoffire1908]

@@meridaskywalker7816 It kinda is a very sad sort of a love song, just not the sorta love you were expecting.

[@meridaskywalker7816]

@@imrukiitoaoffire1908 True

[@Ciara1594]

In Ireland they say about someone who has apostatized that they have "Taken The Soup". Meaning the Protestants would give food ect to the Irish if they renounced their Faith. Sadly, many did, hence the Lament. 😞

[@iayyam]

Is that the origins of this song?

[@Skyebright1]

@@iayyam yes it’s about a Catholic priest or Father who has become a Protestant minister

[@iayyam]

@@Skyebright1 thank you

[@johnhayes8557]

It was Father O'Donnell of the Erris Colony, like his kinsman Daniel, the both abjured and served the English

[@Theodyn9900]

Beautiful version. I first heard a version of this song back in 90's, on the Celts Rise Again CD my grand father gave to me.

[@onelonelyfrenchfry5680]

I'm so sad that they stopped posting

[@oscarosullivan4513]

I wonder what happened to her

[@robertdigout5008]

Sad maybe, but so beautifully sung. I have to check out the artist, Mary McLaughlin. Such a heavenly voice! Thank you for making it available,

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

Good to see it still survives! 👍 I was getting worried that it would be forgotten in my lifetime.

[@alis.b.4631]

The song or Irish?

[@anselmareich3549]

I like how this is a religious lamento that I can relate to, despite being agnostic. First I wondered who the hell Peadar and Pól are, then I realised she's referring to St. Peter and St. Paul. I'm stupid. *facepalm* Edit: Excuse me, what is that I have to read in the responses?! Can you please not get into a heated discussion over faith and non-faith and their respective definition? The last thing I want is a religious discourse! I just meant to say back then, that I can understand the mother's grief, despite not being of faith. I was stating my opinion on this folk song! So PLEASE calm down, you all. PLEASE. Agnosticism and atheism are often misunderstood or confused for each other. So just to make this clear: Atheism means "without/no god", while agnosticism means "without knowledge". Agnosticism is the position that the existence of godlike beings can neither be proven nor refuted. An atheist is someone, who doesn't believe the existence of godlike beings or can get little to nothing out of the principles of a theistic religion. However, that does not mean that an atheist can't be spiritual or otherwise religious in any way; there are enough religions without gods, that don't involve theistic principles. Their attitude is simply that the work and existence of a god can't be scientifically proven and thus there is no point in believing in such entities. I am an agnostic, which means that I don't completely deny the existence of godlike beings. The existence of something as metaphysical as God can't be scientifically confirmed, but it can't be sufficiently refuted either. The whole principle is just beyond our grasp. Maybe gods exist, maybe not. There is no real evidence for either. And just like with atheism, there are many facets in agnosticism. There are agnostics who can believe to a certain extent, but can never be truly certain of the existence of their god. You will find that there are more theistic agnostics than there are agnostic atheists. Everything is possible, that's the beauty of agnosticism. That's it. Sorry for my rambling, I just wanted to establish this. Also, source: My neighbour is a religion teacher and I have a shit ton of dictionaries. That and some research on the internet that wasn't Wikipedia.

[@sunmarie9070]

Is it weird that I didn't get that either until I read your comment? Whoops lol

[@themaggattack]

The fact that you didn't know right away is good. It means you haven't been brainwashed too badly by religion. I can feel for the mother's sadness that her child left his folks for the riches of the Protestant oppressors. However, she was so oppressed that she didn't even dare to realize that Catholicism was sure as hell oppressive, too. The REAL moral of the story: don't be a minister OR Priest. Be FREE! (I'm lucky to live in times when they won't boil me in oil for such a heretical statement.) In any case, this really is a beautiful song.

[@TheIfifi]

Agnostic is a knowledge claim. Not a claim of belief. It does not relate not relate to religion. Theists are religious. Atheists are exactly not that. You can be an agnostic or gnostic theist or atheist.

[@SoftBreadSoftware]

​@@TheIfifi Deists are not religious. There are non-deist religious, and non-religious deists. From some sects of Buddhism to Pantheism. Agnostic is a non-claim, literally meaning "I don't know." Atheism, however you spin it, is a claim of faith by all means of the definition and all necessities of modality. As hubris as the claim of theism.

[@TheIfifi]

@@SoftBreadSoftware atheism means not theist. its not the assertion that there are no gods. It just means not theist. THAT IS IT. Theist literally means god believer. So how can you NOT be religious? Youve seriously missunderstood what atheism means. Since it is not a claim. Its a rather common mistake though. Agnosticism is about knowledge. Not faith. So an agnostic atheist is an atheist who does not know but is not convinced there is a god. Agnostic theist believes there is a god. But does not know. Gnostic atheist knows there is no god. Gnostic theist knows there is a god. I am an agnostic atheist. I do not believe in a god but I acknowledge that I cant know for certain.

[@joelechat59]

I can't imagine a pain worse than loosing a child. This song delivers all the sadness we could imagine

[@KendraLeeStenberg]

Hauntingly beautiful 😍

[@hobertlee7598]

Just Beautiful,

[@lynnjohnson9727]

I pray that I never have reason to sing this song

[@nikskycart]

Breathtaking

[@cathalodiubhain5739]

Wow ceol uaigneach...........Go hiontach are fad ar fad...

[@youcantstealmybeans2370]

For a second I thought I saw the tear move

[@meridaskywalker7816]

Same 😶

[@savagesavie1701]

Me, a protestant: *Laughs in nervous*

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Maybe he wanted some action

[@MaryChrisMaryCdiliapo]

💖ヽ🦋♡｀♪ Irish > English Fill, fill a rún ó Fill, a rún is ná himigh uaim Fill orm a chuisle is a stór Agus chífidh tú an glóir má fhillean tú Shiúil mise thall is abhus I Mhóta Ghráinne Óige a rugadh mé Is ní fhaca mé iontas go fóill Mar an Sagart Ó Dónaill ina mhinistir Fill, fill a rún ó Fill, a rún is ná himigh uaim Má fhilleann tú inniu nó go deo Fill insan Ord in ar oileadh tú Dhiúltaigh tú Peadar is Pól Mar gheall ar an ór is an airgead Dhiúltaigh tú Banríon na Glóire Agus d'iompaigh tú i gcóta an mhinistir Fill, fill a rún ó Fill, a rún is ná himigh uaim Fill orm a chuisle is a stór Agus chífidh tú an glóir má fhillean tú 💖ヽ🦋♡｀♪ Come back, come back my love Come back my love and don't leave me Return to me my darling and my treasure And you will see the glory if you come back I walked around and about In Móta Ghráinne Óige* I was born in And yet I never saw such a wonder As the priest O'Donnell as a Minister Come back, come back my love Come back my love and don't leave me If you come back tomorrow or ever Return to the (religious) Order you were trained in You foresook Peter and Paul On account of gold and silver You foresook the Queen of Glory And you turned to the coat of a minister Come back, come back my love Come back my love and don't leave me Return to me my darling and my treasure And you will see the glory if you come back * Naam van een stad. Fil, Fil a Run O> Come back, come back my love

[@tomkiely7274]

I have always thought that this song is allegorical. The singer laments the priest's turncoating into a well heeled Protestant minister )("priest") and seeks his return to R,C. Church,heartbroken. This is a fantastic site. Any updates,?

[@kurtenjoyer9353]

me listening to this song as protestant: :,D jokes aside, beautiful song, i wish i could sing and talk in this beautiful language

[@prof.reuniclus21]

lol as an atheist listening to this I think I’m probably worse off. Also, Irish is such an amazing language!!

[@dididoo]

Do french Bretons understand this song? Can they understand Irish Gaelic? I'm mesmerized by this language. I'd love to be able to understand.

[@alis.b.4631]

i doubt it. they're pretty different from each other.

[@isaac_aren]

Breton and Irish are are opposite ends of the Celtic spectrum. Irish is Gaelic while Breton is Brittonic. Breton is also heavily influenced by French when compared to Irish vs. English. Cornish would be the closest to Breton but there is still a huge difference

[@Skyebright1]

I think Welsh is more similar to Breton

[@muhsinyorgun]

İ didn't read your name good, İ thought it says M. Night Shyamalan 😁

[@m.mairenishuilleabhain6298]

sounds artsy 😎

[@oscarosullivan4513]

@@m.mairenishuilleabhain6298 Did you stop posting as you ran out of songs to upload

[@Oegyeindraws]

As a protestant Irish from Catholic ancestors, I'd like to point out the mother isn't calling the child a heathen enough XD

[@konikonitrainerwill5969]

How much would the mother normally be calling her kid a heathen?

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Maybe he wanted some action

[@hssrrss3380]

This melody is similar to An hini a garan a song from my beloved Bretagne

[@Skyebright1]

Breton is also a Celtic language, so probably the music came before the lyrics

[@cheesethekoala8756]

My grandfather was training as a priest when he was younger and was totally excited about it but then he decided to screw it and run away because the religion no longer made sense for him once he started studying it. Thought that was relevant maybe it’s like his mother singing to him.

[@joebaumgart1146]

My grandfather was Irish Jewish. My Grandmother was Irish Catholic. My mother is agnostic.

[@user-tc4oy6su8x]

Oh bridgid! All these labels That separate! Our family Split like an apple! With a wall of fear And ignorance Between us Oh bridgid Help us craft a bridge That connects back Our love Our hearts Are torn Ripped Stomped! For why dear god For why To help anorher die So anorher may cry ..it makes all good sense the ignorant Cry Our apple is split And not even Shared as if the banker Might care Our apple is torn And ripped And shred And now we know Its color is red

[@user-uz1mx2fl8z]

😭

[@tiaamerica6330]

God, this song is so depressing...

[@margarethess6583]

Tía América welcome to Irish music

[@Skyebright1]

The Gaels- all their wars are merry and all their songs sad

[@Nick-uv9ln]

What language is this? It's very beautiful

[@al-le1kk]

irish

[@bouse23]

Irish also known as gaelic

[@madsw33n3y9]

Am I the only one looking for other traditional dirges, but unfortunately can’t get over how hard this song goes for all the wrong reasons

[@cookiemonsteronadiet1311]

Is the picture that one scene from Derry Girls where the dog pissed on the statue of Mary?

[@lapislazuli8259]

not ofcourse

[@darkdaughter5472]

Galanta

[@mayashabbaz9926]

When was this song written?

[@sunab2959]

すこ of すこ

[@chiefwhitenoise5227]

Civilization runs on religion. Society runs on civilization.

[@skeptic781]

Her son was based

[@thomasmcculey7942]

In America the concept of sacred has been lost. In Ireland not long ago Catholicism was considered sacred. It was better to die of starvation then to convert to a man-made religion.Some did convert to Protesticism. They were known as "soupers".

[@oscarosullivan4513]

There are protestants in the Republic of Ireland whose family arrived in the 17th,18th,19th century. Luther did not set out to schism Christianity.

[@Skyebright1]

Taking the soup, getting food for becoming Protestants

[@bradrushing5959]

I am a follower of Christ, but I am not Roman Catholic . However, I identify with this mother's lament as I think of my youngest, who has turned away from the things of the Lord and follows after the world. I, too, lament for her soul. It is never too late for as long as she lives. I pray for this prodigal to return to The Father. ~ Heather ~

[@bradrushing5959]

@oscarosullivan4513 I think that's important to understand. Luther did not set out to divide the church. His motive was reformation. He hoped the established church would see the error of its ways. repent and change. They would not. So, we have this division of Roman Catholics and Protestants. ~ Heather ~

[@jmj5388]

@@bradrushing5959Luther meant well, but it was not his place to singularly reform the Church. Reform in an organization the size of the Roman Catholic Church takes time, but changes WERE made, notably clarification on the granting of indulgences. Luther had multiple physical and psychiatric ailments, including OCD and a fecal fetish; not a man to be in charge of anything, let alone anyone’s religious formation.

[@Andaer11]

Whos the actual artist

[@legonlavia]

that's not how Irish is pronounced, maybe she signs nice, but the pronunciation is as bad as it could be

[@Skyebright1]

Cara Dillon’s version is quite good

[@bootneckbonz]

Beautiful song. Although the narrative is slightly dismaying. A professional brainwashing liar adding "For Thine Is The Kingdom" to the "Lord's Prayer" is hardly something worth writing a ballad about.

[@erikseavey9445]

I don't like how they spell words. Why even bother using the Latin alphabet. Nice language but needs a lot of work on its written form.

[@lapislazuli8259]

it doesn't

[@LilFrg]

Irish and Scootish have their own phonetic rules, if you know those it is not hard to read.

[@lclear25]

It's you that needs working on boy.

[@geronimorex3608]

Congrats. You get the gold medal for ignorance