The Spring

For SATB Chorus.

Jointly commissioned by the National Chamber Choir and the Cork International Choral Festival for the seminar 'from composition to performance, the seminar on choral music'.

This work was premièred at the Cork International Choral Festival on 2nd May 2008 by the National Chamber Choir of Ireland conducted by Bo Holten.

Text: Acallam na Senórach (12th century)After the battles of Commar, Gabair, and Ollarba, the Fían was destroyed. The survivors scatteredacross Ireland and, by the time our story begins, only two of the nobles of this ancient Fíanwerestill alive: Oisín and Caílte. Sixteen of the Fían warriors travelled with them across the wooded andflower-covered slopes of the Fews.

Patrick was reciting his office. Then, his priests, seeing Caílte and his men approaching, wereseized with fear and horror at the sight of these warriors of an earlier age. Then Patrick, apostle tothe Irish, arose and sprinkled holy water on these great men, for a thousand legions of demons hadbeen above their heads. The great men then sat down.

‘Well, my friend, there is something I would ask you,’ said Patrick to Caílte. ‘Find us a well of purewater close by, so that we might baptize the peoples.’ Caílte took Patrick by the hand and togetherthey went over the ramparts of the fortress. Just nine steps from the portal they saw a lovely crystalclearspring. Then Caílte recited these lines:

A thoibur Trágha dhá bhan

àlaind do bhilar barrhglan.

ó ro tréigedh do chnuas ort

nír’ léiced fás dot fochlocht,

Is uait dochuadar in Fiann

dar’ marbad Coinchend coimfial,

dar’ cuiredh ár Feinde Find.

isin mhadain ós Maolghlind.

A(r) marbadh chon ocus fer

ar n-athchuma laoch