Fear a' Bháta - the Rathlin Version

The following is a Rathlin version of the famous Scottish Gaelic love song, Fear a' Bháta. 

Surely one of the most famous songs in all of Gaeldom and deservedly so.

The following version comes from 'Céad de Cheolta Uladh'. by Énrí.Ó Muireasa, (I have re-edited it slightly to remove a number of unnecessary standardisations).

I seems highly likely to have been collected in Rathlin by the great collector, Belfast man Aoidhmín Mac Gréagóir, who collected a lot of material in the island.

I suspect that this version may seem very Scottish to the ears of revivalist Irish speakers in Ulster today and yet decidedly Irish to speakers of Scottish Gaelic today - but it is Rathlin through and through. 

TG4 have recently broadcast a documentary on the music traditions of Rathlin and naturally, it featured Fear a' Bháta.

Treasa McFaul gives a great rendition, Sorcha Nic Lochlainn gives her expert opinion (in a great TV performance I might add) and Gusty McCurdy gives a great insight in the Island's past.

Here is part one : 

Here is part two : 

Here are the Rathlin Lyrics : 

Fear A Bháta

I

Théid mé suas ar an chnoc is airde

Féach a bhfeic mé fear a bháta

An dtig thú anocht nó an dtig thú amárach?

Muna dtig thú idir is trua atá mé

 Curfá:

 A fhir a bháta is na horó eile

 A fhir a bháta is na horó eile

A fhir a bháta is na horó eile

Mo shoraidh slán leat gach áit a dtéid thú

 II

Tá mo chroíse briste brúite

 Is tric na deora a rith bho mo shúileann

 An dtig thú inniu nó am bídh mé dúil leat?

 Nó an druid mé an doras le osna thuirseach?

Curfá

III

Is tric mé fiosrach do lucht na mbátan

An bhfeic iad thú nó an bhfeil thú sabháilte 

Ach is ann atá chuile haon á ráite 

Gur gorach mise má thug mé grá duit 

 Curfá

IV 

Gheall mo leannán domh gúna den tsíoda,

Gheall é sin agus breacán riabhach,

Fáinne óir ann a bhfeicfinn íomha,Ach is eagal liom go dean é díchuimhne.

Cúrfá

V

Chan fheil baile beag anns am bidh thú,

Nach dean thú gléas a chur do scíos díot

Beir thú lámh ar do leabhar ríofa 

Ag gabháil duanóg is ag buaireamh níon óg.

Cúrfá

VI

Cé go ndúirt iad go rabh tú éadrom,

Cha do laghdaigh siúd mo ghaol ort,

Ba thú mo aisling anns an oíche,

Is anns an mhaidin  bhá mé dhá éineacht.

Cúrfá

VII

Thug mé gaol duit is chan fhéad mé 'athrú

Cha gaol bliana is cha gaol ráithe

Ach gaol ó thoiseacht nuair bha mé 'mo pháiste

Is nach seasc a choíche me gus cloígh' an bás mé.

Curfá

VIII

Tá mo chairdean go tric a ráite 

Go bhféidí mé d'íomhá a chur ar díchuimhne,

Ach tá an comhairle domh chomh diamhair

Is a bheith a stad an trá 's an líonadh.

Curfá

IX

Tá mo chroí-se a dul in airde 

Chan ó fhidleoir, chan ó chláirseoir,

Ach ó stiúrthóir an bháta,

Is mura dtig tú abhaile is trua mar atá mé.

Curfá

X

Bidh mé tuille go tuirseach deorach,

Mar eala bhán is í i ndiaidh a réabhta,

Gológ bháis aici ar lochán féarach,

Is cách uile in diaidh a tréigsin.

Partial Translation

The Boat Man

Chorus

Man of the boat and no one else

Man of the boat and no one else

Man of the boat and no one else

My safe blessing with you everywhere you go

I went up to the highest hill to see

If I could see the man of the boat

Will you come tonight or come tomorrow?

If you do not come between, it's sad I'll be

Chorus

My heart is bruised and broken

And tears flow from my eyes

Will you come today or will I expect you?

Or will I close the door with a tired sigh?

Chorus

I gave you my love, and I cannot change that

Not love for a year, and not just words of love

But love from the beginning, when I was a child

And I will never cease, even when my death bell tolls

Chorus

The most famous version of Fear a' Bháta at the moment is probably the Capercaille version ... 

Here are a version of the Scottish lyrics ...

Gaelic verses

Séist:

Fhir a' bhàta, na hóro eile

Fhir a' bhàta, na hóro eile

Fhir a' bhàta, na hóro eile

Mo shoraidh slàn leat 's gach àit' an déid thu

'S tric mi sealltainn on chnoc as àirde

Dh'fheuch am faic mi fear a' bhàta

An dig thu 'n-diugh na 'n dig thu màireach

'S mar dig thu idir gur truagh a tha mi

Tha mo chridhe-sa briste brùite

'S tric na deòir a ruith o m' shùilean

An dig thu nochd na 'm bi mo dhùil riut

Na 'n dùin mi 'n doras le osna thùrsaich?

'S tric mi faighneachd de luchd nam bàta

Am fac' iad thu na 'm bheil thu sàbhailt

Ach 's ann a tha gach aon dhiubh 'g ràitinn

Gur gòrach mise ma thug mi gràdh dhut

Gheall mo leannan dhomh gùn dhen t-sìoda

Gheall e siud agus breacan rìomhach

Fàinn' òir anns am faicinn ìomhaigh

Ach 's eagal leam gun dèan e dìochuimhn'

Ged a thuirt iad gun robh thu aotrom

Cha do lughdaich siud mo ghaol ort

Bidh tu m' aisling anns an oidhche

Is anns a' mhadainn bidh mi 'gad fhaighneachd

Thug mi gaol dhut 's chan fhaod mi àicheadh

Cha ghaol bliadhna 's cha ghaol ràithe

Ach gaol a thòisich nuair bha mi 'm phàiste

'S nach searg a chaoidh gus an claoidh am bàs mi

Tha mo chàirdean gu tric ag innseadh

Gum feum mi d' aogas a leig' air dìochuimhn'

Ach tha 'n comhairle dhomh cho dìomhain

'S bi tilleadh mara 's i toirt lìonaidh

Bidh mi tuille tùrsach deurach

Mar eala bhàn 's i an dèidh a reubadh

Guileag bàis aic' air lochan feurach

Is càch gu lèir an dèidh a trèigeadh