That said, I've also heard the song described as an aisling, in which the beautiful woman represents Ireland.

Redwolf

Thank you for the suggestion! I hope to be able to listen to them all soon

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A lot of songs, especially aisling songs (as Redwolf has pointed out), that seem to be about women are actually the personification of Ireland. Ireland in mythical lore is often personified by women and in order for the fír-fhlaith (rightful- sovereign) of Ireland to become king he had to firstly consolidate his power by sleeping with a woman at the feis. The woman represented the land and sovereignty. Uí Néill claim to kinship is tied up with Níall sleeping with a hag in order to drink water at a well, his other brother refused and upon the act of intercourse the hag changed into a beautiful women and he gained the right to kingship.

The pet name for ireland was often an tseanabhean bhocht.

Here are two songs written about the locality where I live around:

A Chomaraigh Aoibhinn Ó- O sweet Comeraghs (mountain range near carraig na siúire) in Waterford/ Tipperary, sung by Karen Casey and Dúthaigh Geal Déise song by Ciarán Ó Gealbháín and Áine Ó Ceallaigh about the déise region in Waterford/ Tipperary

Comaraigh Aoibhinn Ó: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctJiPEUTXAw- around 1:06, accompanied by lyrics.

Dúthaigh Geal Déise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHNryp7xx7k

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Yes. Another song personifying Ireland as a woman is Tommy Makem's "Four Green Fields" though it's in English.

Such a lovely song, beautiful voice and musically very nicely arranged. Pity about the mispronounced ch's.

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

ya pronouciation of the ch is a pitty alright. Sign of the times most learners pronounce buachaill like bukill and bean like ban, lae like lay and donn like down. Thats the English influence shining through. No problems with pronouciation in Dúthaigh Geal Déise though, I assure you .

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Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

That's great, cause I was actually going to use personification

isn't "donn" pronounced roughly like "down" in Munster?
Btw, pronouncing ch as k isn't what I'd call a sign of the times, it's rather laziness (from the learners or from their teachers, or both). Pronouncing a broad ch isn't the most difficult thing on earth, even French people manage to do it (and believe me, most are hopeless at pronouncing foreign sounds!). And slender ch does exist in standard English (in "huge", "Hugh", etc) more or less...

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Yes I thought donn was pronounced a bit like down - and bean and sean, how would you pronounce those? - and buachaill isn't that - boo-ah-c'hil ?