Thanks to all who responded to my offer of the Irish words that were set to the 
"Derry Air", or - words to strike fear into thestoutest traditional heart - "Danny 
Boy". As I suggested, the effort of learning the Irish words allows you the double 
pleasure of continuing to play the wonderful tune while bypassing the incredibly 
maudlin lyrics.

The song is called "Maidin i mBe'arra" or "Morning in Beare". Unhappily I know not 
much about its origin, although from the reference to Beare I would suspect that 
it might have been written by a Corkonian...? The name of the author is given as 
"Osborn O hAimheirghin", which Englishes to no name that I am familiar with. I'll 
defer to our much-maligned academic brethren on this but would be interested myself 
to know more about the author (or any other Irish speaker whose first name is "Osborn").

NOTE (29 Aug 03): my ignorance has been dispelled via the kindly efforts of Dan Kane,
who supplied me this link, which contains all the info you might want to possess
concerning Osborn Joseph Bergin (in fact a Corkonian, as I had guessed):

<http://www.pgil-eirdata.org/html/pgil_datasets/authors/b/Bergin,OJ/life.htm>

I suspect without any proof that these lyrics may have been part of an effort 
to "popularize" Irish, or at least to make it more accessible to students, 
for example. There are other attempts along that line in the book - the tune 
of the Clancy Brothers' "Gypsy Rover" is given Irish words that have nothing 
to do with the English words we all know. 

Kind of a Gaelic League touch to try and "restore" the Irishness of the songs...? 
Could well be.

There are only two verses in the version of "Maidin i mBe'arra" that I have, 
which is found in a wonderful little book called "Abair Amhra'n" ("Say a Song") 
printed in Belfast (!), that contains in pocket-size format the lyrics of dozens 
of songs in Irish. Unhappily no music is provided  (if it were, the book would 
no longer be pocket-size!) but of course that need not concern us here. 

I have had my copy of the book for years and suspect I got it in Ireland. I believe 
it is still available but again I will defer to Philippe or others who may be more
knowledgeable on that subject than I am.

The format is as follows: 
[a] words in Irish (the single quote after a vowel = a long mark)
[b] phonetic pronunciation (no chop-busting from gaeilgoiri please)
Accented syllable in CAPS. Kh = guttural ch as in Scots "loch" or
German "ich". Gh = same sound but voiced; no English equivalent.
(Wish I could use some symbols from the phonetic 
alphabet but no can do.)  Just keep in mind that Irish vowels are
pronounced more like Italian vowels than English (big help).
A neutral vowel (unaccented) I'll represent with "x".
[c] rough translation (ditto re chop-busting)

Verse 1:
[a]
Is e' mo chai', gan mise maidin aerach
Amuigh i mBe'arra i m' sheaseamh ar an dtra'
Is guth na n-e'an 'o m' tharraing thar na sle'ibhte cois na farraige
Go Ce'im an Aitinn mar a mbi'onn mo ghra'.
Is obann aoibhinn aiteasach do le'imfinn
Do rithfinn saor o' anabhroid an tla'is
Do thabarfainn droim le scamallaibh an tsaoil seo
Da' bhfaighinn mo le'irdho'thain d'amharc ar mo chaoimhshearc ba'n.

[b]
I-SHAY mo khwee gahn MI-sheh MAW-jeen AIR-akh
Ahm-WEE im MAR-ram HAS-sav ahr xn drah
Iss gx na nayn ahm HAR-xng har na SLAY-chx kohsh nx FAR-x-gx
Gx kaym an A-chin mahr x meen mo ghrah
Iss OH-bahn EE-vin AH-cha-sakh dx LAYM-hing
Dx REE-hing sayr o A-nx-vrohd xn tlahsh
Dx HOOR-hing drim lx SCAH-mx-liv xn tweel shx
Dah vahyn mx layr YO-hxn DA-wark xr mx CHWEEV-hyahrk bawn

[c]
It is my sorrow that on this cheerful morning
I am not out in Beare, sitting on the shore
With the voices of birds drawing me over the mountains beside the sea
To Ceim an Aitinn [place name = Pass of the Furze] where my love is.
I would caper about happily, pleasantly,
I would run free from doubts and fears
I'd turn my back on the clouds of this life
If I could ever get my fill of looking at my fair sweetheart!

Verse 2:
[a] 
Is e' mo dhith bheith ceangailte go faonlag
Is neart mo chle'ibh da' thachtadh 'nseo sa tsra'id
An fhad ta' re'im na habhann agus gaoth ghlan na farraige
Ag glaoch is gairm ar an gcroi' seo i m' la'r.
Is milis briomhar leathanbhog an t-aer ann
Is gile o'n gre'in go fairsing ar an mba'n
Is ocho'n, a ri'bhean bhanu'il na gcraobhfholt
Gan sinne araon i measc an aitinn mar do bhi'mis tra'th!

[b]
I-SHAY mo yee vay KANG-xl-chx gx FWEEN-lahg
Iss nyahrt mo khlayv dx HAKH-txn-shx sx troyd
Xn awd tah raym na HOW-xn ahgxs gwee glahn nx FAR-x-gx
X glaykh iss GAR-xm ahr xn gree shxm lahr.
Iss MILL-ish BREE-wxr LA-han-bohg xn tayr own ['ow' as in 'howl', 'cow']
Iss gill ohn grayn gx FAR-shing ar xn mawn
SOH-khohn x REE-van VAN-u-will nx GRAY-vohlt
Gahn shin xr-AYN x mask xn A-chin mahr dx VEE-mish trah!

[c]
It is my sadness to be bound here like a weakling
The power of my spirit drowned here in the streets
While the rivers flow and the pure sea-wind
Calls and summons the very heart of me.
The air there is sweet and fine and free
And bright is the sun that shines on the landscape
But alas, oh gentle queen of the curly hair
That we are not together amidst the furze as once we were!

=======

Have fun and don't get too put off by my home-made pronunciations.
After all, 99.976 percent of the folks you'll be singing this to probably 
don't know Gaelic from gallstones, so drop-dead accuracy is in my
opinion unnecessary. On the other hand, the language deserves respect,
and a sincere effort on your part to do the best you can with the
pronunciation will manifest same.

If you have any questions, comments, etc., you know where to reach
me.