The Song’s Story – Trasna na dTonnta

In this lesson, Siobhán explains where the song is said to have originated from and its history. Watch the video to find out!

The song Trasna na dTonnta tells of an Irishman who is returning to Ireland following his travels abroad and also tells of his disillusion with foreign riches and of his hopes to be buried with his ancestors in the West of Ireland.

No matter the origins of Trasna na dTonnta, it is now thought of as a traditional song and has been taught in schools for decades. Learners, both young and old, have found it a very helpful song for learning new vocabulary and forming sentences.

You will learn the whole story as we go through each line of the song with a translation.