The Barnyards of Delgaty
Gaelic Storm Lyrics


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As I came in by Tara Market
Tara Market for tae fee
I met up wi' a famer child.
The Barnyards o' Delgaty

Chorus:
Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-addy
Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-ee
Lin-tin-lowrin-lowrin-lowrin
The Barnyards of Delgaty

He promised me the ae best pair,
That ever I laid my eyes upon,
When I got to the barnyards,
There was nothin' there but skin and bone!

Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-addy
Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-ee
Lin-tin-lowrin-lowrin-lowrin
The Barnyards of Delgaty

The old grey horse sat on his rump,
The old white mare sat on her whine
When it came to the "Whup" and crack
They shouldn't rise at yokin' time.

Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-addy
Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-ee
Lin-tin-lowrin-lowrin-lowrin
The Barnyards of Delgaty

When I go to the kirk on Sunday
Many's the bonny lass I see
Sittin' by her father's side
And winkin' o'er the pews at me!

Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-addy
Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-ee
Lin-tin-lowrin-lowrin-lowrin
The Barnyards of Delgaty

And I can drink and not get drunk,
I can fight and not be slain
I can sleep with another man's wife
And still be welcome to my ayn.

Now my candle is burnt out
My snotter's fairly on the wane
Fare the well ye Barnyards,
You'll never catch me here again!

Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-addy
Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-ee




Lin-tin-lowrin-lowrin-lowrin
The Barnyards of Delgaty

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gaelic Storm's song "The Barnyards of Delgaty" tell the story of a man who travels to Tara Market in search of a pair of horses promised to be the best he has ever seen. Along the way, he encounters a farmer's child who leads him to the barnyards of Delgaty. However, when the man arrives, he finds only malnourished and weak horses that were promised to be the best. The song describes the disappointment of the man and the sorry state of the barnyards.


Throughout the verses, the chorus is repeated, serving as a collective refrain for the song. The chorus, which includes the phrases "Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-addy" and "Lin-tin-lowrin-lowrin-lowrin," is meant to evoke a sense of Gaelic musical tradition and creates a memorable tune that is easy to recognize. The man also speaks about his experiences in the kirk on Sunday, seeing bonny lasses and even hints at his infidelity by conveying that he can sleep with another man's wife and still be accepted. At the end of the song, the man declares he will never return to the barnyards again and bids them farewell.


Line by Line Meaning

As I came in by Tara Market
I arrived at Tara Market


Tara Market for tae fee
Tara Market charged a fee for entry


I met up wi' a famer child.
I encountered a child of a farmer


The Barnyards o' Delgaty
The location I arrived at is the Barnyards of Delgaty


Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-addy
Nonsense syllables chanted in the chorus


Lin-tin-addy, too-rin-ee
Nonsense syllables chanted in the chorus


Lin-tin-lowrin-lowrin-lowrin
Nonsense syllables chanted in the chorus


The old grey horse sat on his rump,
The gray horse sat on its hindquarters


The old white mare sat on her whine
The white mare sat on its haunches


When it came to the "Whup" and crack
When it came to whipping and cracking a whip


They shouldn't rise at yokin' time.
They wouldn't get up when it was time for work


When I go to the kirk on Sunday
When I attend church on Sunday


Many's the bonny lass I see
I see many beautiful young women


Sittin' by her father's side
Sitting next to their father


And winkin' o'er the pews at me!
Winking at me over the pews


And I can drink and not get drunk,
I have a high tolerance for alcohol


I can fight and not be slain
I am a skilled fighter and do not easily get defeated


I can sleep with another man's wife
I have committed adultery and not been punished


And still be welcome to my ayn.
My actions do not cause me to be ostracized by my own community


Now my candle is burnt out
Now I have come to the end of my life


My snotter's fairly on the wane
My life is coming to a close


Fare the well ye Barnyards,
Goodbye to the Barnyards


You'll never catch me here again!
I will not return to this place




Contributed by Chase G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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