Coláiste Lurgan, a Gaeltacht school in Connemara, Co Galway, is world-famous for its production of excellent music videos that re-interpret popular songs in Ireland’s native language, Irish (Gaelige).
TG Lurgan students continued their winning streak in 2013 when they covered Avicii's "Wake Me Up" in Irish.
The students teamed up with TG Lurgan staff and Stiofán Ó Fearail from Seo Linn for the Irish language cover.
The accompanying music video of "Wake Me Up" in Irish is a sight to behold and has racked up more than 8.2 million views.
Among those who viewed the video was none other than Avicii himself. The Swedish DJ - real name Tim Bergling - gave the Irish students a stamp of approval with a tweet that said: “This one’s so cool! Can’t understand a word but I love it!”
Sadly Avicii passed away in 2018, aged just 28 years old.
Coláiste Lurgan focus is on “Gaelige gan eagla” (“Irish without fear”) and promoting the general use of Irish among the younger generations. The videos are made on a voluntary basis by the students of Coláiste Lurgan and local professionals who offer assistance free of charge.
Among the many other Irish language covers of popular songs from TG Lurgan are Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You," and, yes, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road."
Here are the Irish language lyrics to "Wake Me Up," courtesy of TG Lurgan:
Fáinne fí i gcoim na hoíche.
(Níl) 'tada riamh nach mbíonn thart.
Diabhail fhios a'm cá bhfuil deireadh mo scéil
Ach táim ar an mbealach ceart.
Deir siad liom gan a dhul sa tseans,
Nach dtagann ciall roimh aois.
Bhuel 'sé m'aistear é, Ní léir cén fhad a mhairfidh sé,
'Sé togha ar aon chaoi.
So Lig mé saor ón suan 'tá orm.
(Tai)speáin 'om bóthar éasca cothrom.
Bainfidh mé ceann scríbe amach, sí m'aidhm,
Cíbe treo átá i ndán.
(Tá) Mé ag iompar úalach mór an tsaoil
Ach níl a'm ach péire lámh.
Suile troma is an ghrian a dhul faoi
Ach ní chodlaíonn mé go sámh.
"Bris amach agus tú fós sach óg."
Chinnigh mé le dul in aghaidh.
Seo mo ré, Seasfaidh mé an fód,
'S leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh.
* Originally published in 2018. Last updated in September 2023.
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