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from Edward Bunting, Ancient Music of Ireland (Dublin 1840)

Irish cumha spoken by Gráinne Yeats
Scottish Gaelic cumha spoken by Tony Dilworth

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Cumhadh - Lamentation

Originally meaning 'grief, sorrow', cumha (or cumhaidh) generally means 'loneliness, parting sorrow' in modern Irish. On p.19 Bunting gives Cumhadth, 'lamentation time', relating it to Larghetto, and on p.32 Cumhadh, 'Lamentation for the dead'. In tune titles, especially in Scotland, cumha can mean 'a lament': in Scottish Gaelic its normal meaning is 'mourning, lamentation' (Cox, Brìgh nam Facal, cumha²).

Colm Ó Baoill 2002