Ag Criost An Siol, Ag Criost and fomhar
With Christ of the seed, with Christ of the harvest
I n-Iothlainn De, go dtugtar Sinn
In the granary of God, may we be taken
Ag Criost an Mhuir, ag Criost an t-iasc
With Christ of the sea, with Christ of the fishes
I lionta De go gcastar sinn,
In the lines of God may we be entwined.
O fhas go h-aois, is o aois go bas
From growth to age and from age to death
Do dha laimh a Chriost anall tharainn
Your two hands o Christ hither draw us.
O bhas go crioch, ni crioch ach athfhas
From death to the end, not the end, but all eternity
I bParrthas na nGrast go rabhaimid
In paradise of the blessed may we reside.
**(This is an old Sean O' Riada air set to words in honor of the pope's visit to
Ireland in September 1979. Paddy was one of the first people to introduce this
song in it's 'Sean-Nos' style to audiences and congregations on both sides of
the Atlantic. It's plaintive, mystical air has been heard at many, many Irish
funerals as well as Irish weddings where the lyrics remind all of the eternal
cycles of growth, age, death, and beyond to the paradise of the blessed.)
About This Song
"Ag Criost An Siol" is a deeply spiritual Gaelic hymn that weaves together agricultural and maritime metaphors to express complete surrender and trust in Christ's guidance throughout life's journey. The lyrics beautifully invoke Christ as the source of both earthly sustenance (seed, harvest, sea, fish) and eternal salvation, asking to be gathered into God's "granary" and "entwined" in divine purpose from birth to death. The Priests deliver this ancient Irish text with their signature classical vocal harmonies, creating a meditative and reverent atmosphere that honors both the Celtic spiritual tradition and contemporary sacred music. The song's cyclical structure-moving from growth to age to death and finally to Christ's eternal embrace-reflects the natural rhythms of life while offering profound comfort about mortality and divine providence. This piece stands as a powerful example of how traditional Gaelic spirituality can be preserved and elevated through classical vocal artistry, making ancient wisdom accessible to modern audiences.
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