Isle Of My Heart
Tiugainn leamsa 's dèan cabhaig
's
théid sinn thairis a null
Dh' eilean uasal na Gàidhlig
rinn ar n-àrach 'nar cloinn;
Tìr nan treun-fhear is calma
choisinn ainm a measg Ghall,
'S théid sinn comhla a leannain
thìr an rainich a null.
Nì sinn gluasad gu dàna suas
na bràighean 's na caoil;
Gheibh sinn aiseag gu sàbhailt
null gu àite mo ghaoil;
'S nuair a bhuaileas i 'm bàgh ann
chluinn thu Gàidhlig gach taobh
'S gheibh sinn aoigh agus fàilt 'n
eilean bàigheil an fhraoich.
Chì thu muir, chì thu mòinteach,
chi thu mhòine mu'n cuairt,
Chì thu cnuic ghlas is leòidean
air am b' eòlach sinn uair;
Chì thu machraichean còmhnard 's
tha gu leòr dhiubh air tuath
Ann an Nis, àite bòidheach,
's thogadh òg ann mi suas.
Nuair thig sèimheachd an t-samhraidh 's
e 'n taobh thall àit as bòidhch',
Bidh gach struthán le sunnd air 's
aig gach alltán bidh ceòl;
Bidh gach neòinean is flùrán
ri dùsgadh 'nan glòir,
'S thig am feasgar 'gan
crùnadh le ùr-dheal is ceò.
Chì thu Siùmpan tha aosmhor
air aodann nan stuagh,
'S tric tha solus toirt saorsainn
do na laoich tha air chuan;
'S iomadh bàt' bh' air a sgiùrsadh 's
i gun chùrs ri droch uair
Rinn an soills' ud a stiùireadh
steach an cùiltean Loch-a-Tuath.
Chì thu iasgairean tùrail 's fheàrr
air stiùireadh 's cur lìon,
Mach á cladach Phort-nan-Giùran,
b' e sud cliù bh' ac' a riamh;
Sud am baile rinn d' àrach 's
fhuair thu gràdh ann is dìon,
'S chì thu 'n dachaidh a dh'fhàg
thu mar a bha i bho chian.
'S nis aontaich thu rùin leam 's
dèan co-dhunadh air ball,
Leig do shoraidh gun smuairean
le dùthaich nan Gall,
Dol gu fearann ar sìnnsir bha
cho strìtheil 'na cheann,
'S nì sinn tàmhachd 's an tìr sin
gus an sìnear sinn ann.
Translation
Come along with me, make haste,
and we'll go across over there
To the proud Gaelic island where
we were raised as children;
The land of the bravest heroes who
won a reputation amongst foreigners,
And we'll go together, my darling,
over to the land of bracken.
We'll go boldly westwards over
the hills and the straits;
We'll get a ferry safely over
to the place I love;
And when it lands at the harbour
there you'll hear Gaelic all round
And we'll get a welcome and a
hospitable greeting in the friendly
heather island.
You'll see sea, you'll see moorland,
you'll see peat mosses round about,
You'll see green hills and slopes
that we once knew well;
You'll see level coastal plains and plenty
of them are under cultivation
In Ness, a beautiful place, where
I was brought up when young.
When the mildness of summer comes
the other side is a most beautiful place
Each streamlet is joyful and
each little brook has its music
all the daisies and little flowers
waken into their glory
and evening comes to crown
them with fresh dew and mist.
You'll see skillful fishermen, the
best at sailing and at casting nets,
Out from the shore at Port-nan-Giuran,
that's what they were always famous for;
That's the town where you were brought up,
and you got love and protection there,
And you'll see the home that you left,
unchanged since long ago.
You'll see ancient Tiumpan defying
the waves,
Its light often gives deliverance
to brave seamen;
It's many a boat that had been driven off couse
and had lost its way at a bad time
that that light guided into the security of
Broad Bay.
Now agree with me, love, and make
an end straight away,
Make your goodbyes, with no regrets,
to the foreigners' land,
To go to the land of our ancestors who
strived so ardently on its behalf
And we'll stay in that country as long
as we live...
©1999-Raine