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Altan Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Altan Quizzes, Trivia

Altan Trivia

Altan Trivia Quizzes

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Fun Trivia
2 Altan quizzes and 25 Altan trivia questions.
1.
  Altan Lyrics    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
A quiz on the lyrics of one of my favorite groups. Unless I state otherwise, I give you the lyric and you give me the song it comes from. Altan plays traditional Celtic, so be warned! Most of their lyrics will be in Gaelic!
Average, 15 Qns, SuperRo, Oct 12 03
Average
SuperRo
181 plays
2.
  Altan, From Ireland    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I noticed Altan didn't have a quiz, so I made one. Here are some facts about a very good Irish group.
Tough, 10 Qns, trjumpet, May 16 06
Tough
trjumpet
160 plays

Altan Trivia Questions
1. "Tiocfaidh m'athair a shí ógó, anuas fán tráigh a h-óbó. Is gheobhaidh sé mise 'mo bhradán bhog bháidhte, 'gabháil i tsáile i mBaile Leóil."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: An Bhean Udaí Thall

This is a very old folk song with hazy origins and many different versions circulating (someone told me that one version was included in "Child Ballads"). "An Bhean Udaí Thall" is a call and response type ballad in which The Girl (An Cailin) lures the young Wife (An Bhean) down to the river and drowns her in order to steal her wealthy husband. The Wife begs for her life and her children's lives, but is refused by The Girl. The Wife then brings a curse down upon The Girl. The "shí ógó" here is An Bhean addressing An Cailin - roughly, shí ógó means something like a changeling or an evil fairy, a young girl who is a betrayer and a deceiver. Appropriate enough in this instance.

2. This person is the lead singer for the group.

From Quiz Altan, From Ireland

Answer: Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh

Mairéad over the years has presented traditional music programmes on radio and television, including the classic radio show, "The Long Note" and the television series, "The Pure Drop".

3. "Chuaigh mé chun aonaigh is dhíol mé mo bhó, ar chúig phunta airgid is ar ghiní bhuí óir. Má ólaim an t-airgead is má bhronnaim an t-ór..."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Caide Sin Do'n Te Sin

Translation: "I went to the fair and sold my cow for five pounds of silver and a yellow guinea of gold. If I drink the silver and if I give away the gold, O what is that to anyone else?"

4. Dermot Byrne joined Altan in...?

From Quiz Altan, From Ireland

Answer: 1994

He is also from Donegal, as is Mairéad.

5. "Bhí móran daoine uasal ann, bhí tuatanaigh na h-Alban ann. Bhí 'n maistir scoile is an ministir ann, bhí an laoch Mac Amhlaigh ann."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Donal Agus Morag

This is a wedding song. Donal and Morag are apparently the couple being joined in holy matrimony, as the song later says "Donal, it was Donal, it was Donal who made the wedding..."

6. Ciarán Tourish started on which native Irish instrument?

From Quiz Altan, From Ireland

Answer: whistle

The bodhran is a frame drum.

7. Here's something in English. "All through the first part of the night, we did lie in sport and play."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Blackwaterside

There was a music video out for "Blackwaterside". It's one of their more well-known songs, another update of a traditional ballad.

8. "A mháithair mhín ó! cuir na roithléan go dtí mé. Tá cosa dubha dúbailte ar an dúlamán gaelach."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Dúlamán

Dulaman is actually about a type of Irish seaweed. Clannad also did a version of this song, and I recently learned that there's a Celtic band named Dúlamán.

9. Mark Kelly's earliest inspiration was...?

From Quiz Altan, From Ireland

Answer: rock & jazz

It was the O'Brien family of Coolock whom Mark met on holidays in 1975 in the Connemara Gaeltacht of Tir an Fhia who first sparked Mark's interest in Irish traditional music, from which he was led to the challenges of bringing what he already knew to creating new arrangements for the old music.

10. "Nuair a shilfeas a' fíon, beidh an long ar a' trádh..."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Mo Choill

"Mo Choill" means "My love".

11. Dáithí Sproule plays ... ?

From Quiz Altan, From Ireland

Answer: guitar

He was born and raised in Derry.

12. "And the rocks may melt and the seas may burn if I no more return..."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Ten Thousand Miles

Another traditional song. "Fare you well, my own true love/Farewell for a while/I'm going away, but I'll be back/If I go ten thousand miles."

13. "The Blue Idol" was released in the U.S. in what year?

From Quiz Altan, From Ireland

Answer: 2002 & 02

Dolly Parton guested on the album.

14. This song is about a selkie who has married a human. After many years, she finds her magic sealskin and returns to the sea. Which song am I talking about?

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: An Mhaighdean Mhara

"An Mhaighdean Mhara" translates to "mermaid".

15. "There's no' but care on every hand. In every hour that passes, oh. That signifies the life of man..."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Green Grow The Rushes

The lyrics to this song were actually adapted from a poem of the same name by Robert Burns.

16. The group's first album was...?

From Quiz Altan, From Ireland

Answer: Altan

'In Blue' is an album from The Corrs, another Irish band.

17. "Tá bunadh a' tí 'na luí is tá mise liom féin. Tá na coiligh ag glaoch 's tá 'n saol ina gcodladh ach mé."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Tá Mé I Mo Shuí

The title of this song means "I Am Awake." It's basically about a guy who's losing sleep over a girl.

18. The group plays this type of music:

From Quiz Altan, From Ireland

Answer: Traditional Irish

With Strathspeys, Hornpipes, Songs, and Jigs Altan is doing its part to bring Traditional Irish music back to the fore.

19. "D'oscail sí a beilín 'gus labhair sí Béarla. 'S é duirt sí 'Pray sir, and let me be.'"

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: An Cailín Gaelach

"An Cailín Gaelach" means "The Irish Girl", but in this song, the Irish girl speaks English.

20. "Winter is cold, spring melts the snow."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Time Has Passed

Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh wrote "Time Has Passed" after Frankie Kennedy, her husband and the co-founder of Altan, died of cancer.

21. Which song begins "One evening fair, to take the air...?"

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Blackwaterside

"One evening fair, to take the air, down by Blackwaterside..."

22. "Gabh thusa 'na mullaí 'gus mise 'na móinte, 's oró grá mo chroí, 's ca bith fear a leanfaidh sí bíodh sí go deo aige, cuach mo lon dubh buí."

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: Cuach mo Lon Dubh Buí

"Cuach mo Lon Dubh Buí" is from "The Blue Idol", Altan's most recent album as of August 2002. "The Blue Idol" was released in February of 2002.

23. Which Altan song title translates simply to "She's Your Granny"?

From Quiz Altan Lyrics

Answer: 'Si Do Mhaimeo I

"'Ar Bhruach Na Carraige Baine" translates to "The Brink of the White Rock," "Ceol A'Phiobaire" is "The Music of the Piper", and "An Grianan" refers to the sunshine. Thanks for playing my quiz! I was able to check a lot of my Gaelic spelling and translations of traditional songs at the webpage of Aine Cooke, http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/8998/, so if you're interested in Gaelic, pay her a visit.

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