Artist: The Cranberries
Released on: Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? – 25th Anniversary Edition
Duration: 4:09

LYRICS

Suite ar chathaoir mhaorga ag
Smaoineamh anois ar a laethanta saoire
Blianta crua curtha síos
Seanathair, a sheanathair
Croí sin an a sheanmháthair
Saol le chéile le do chéile
Blianta caite ón am sin
Nócha trí bliain, nócha trí bliain

A Íosa
Cad etá le rá
A Íosa
Go dtaga do riocht
A Íosa
Cad éta le rá
A Íosa
Go dtaga do riocht

Suite ar an gcathaoir shoilseach
D’fhéach sé orm, cád é a dheir mé
Na laethanta crua curtha síos
Seanathair, a sheanathair
Croí sin an a sheanmháthair
Saol le chéile le do chéile
Blianta caite ón am sin
Nócha trí bliain, nócha trí bliain

A Íosa
Cad etá le rá
A Íosa
Go dtaga do riocht
A Íosa
Cad etá le rá
A Íosa
Go dtaga do riocht

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Sitting on a lordly/majestic chair
Thinking back on his holidays
Difficult years put down
Grandad, oh Grandad
Grandmother’s heart
Life together with your wife
Years spent from that time
Ninety three years, Ninety three years

Oh Jesus
What is there to say
Oh Jesus
Thy kingdom come
Oh Jesus
What is there to say
Oh Jesus
Thy kingdom come

Sitting on a glittering chair
He looked at me, what did I say
The tough years put down
Grandad, oh Grandad
Grandmother’s heart
Life together with your wife
Years spent since then
Ninety three years, Ninety three years

Oh Jesus
What is there to say
Oh Jesus
Thy kingdom come
Oh Jesus
What is there to say
Oh Jesus
Thy kingdom come

PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION

Sitter er-a car-hear wer-ga
Smee-noff arnish lenta seera
Bleeanta cru-a cur-ha sheese
Shana-hear, a yhana-hear
Cree shin an ar yhanmo-hear
Syal la khayla leh doh khayla
Bleeanta car-ter oh nom shin
Nokha tree blee-an, nokha tree blee-an

A E-esa
Card aytar leh rah
A E-esa
Guh daga deh rochkt
A E-esa
Card aytar leh rah
A E-esa
Guh daga deh rochkt

Sitter er-a car-hear oilsha
Dechk shay orum, card er year meh
No lenta cru-a cur-ha sheese
Shana-hear, a yhana-hear
Cree shin an ar yhanmo-hear
Syal la khayla leh doh khayla
Bleeanta car-ter oh nom shin
Nokha tree blee-an, nokha tree blee-an

A E-esa
Card aytar leh rah
A E-esa
Guh daga deh rochkt
A E-esa
Card aytar leh rah
A E-esa
Guh daga deh rochkt

CREDIT INFORMATION

MEANING

Íosa = Jesus
In an interview published in NME on 16 November 1991 Dolores explained that the song is, “dedicated to her dead grandad”

NOTES

The Cranberries one and only track written in Irish.
The song is also known as “A Íosa” as it was the way it was referred to on the band 1990s setlists.
Before 2018, the song was only known live in concert, thanks to bootleg recordings!
3 live versions of this song are known to exist recorded twice in Limerick at The Parkway in 1991 and once in London at The Underworld still in 1991.
The studio version of the song that features on “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? 25th Anniversary Edition” was available for the first time ever on clashmusic.com on 27 September 2018 and officially released as Single on 28 September 2018.
Thanks to doloresoriordanspain.com/Sanela Nesensohn/Bitesize Irish Gaelic for the lyrics as well as Caroline, Kevin and Dr Aileen Dillane for their help. Special thanks to Sue Shearer and Dearbhail O’Mahoney for the phonetic transcription!