Karan cover pic

An Buachaillín Bán

(Trad. Arr. Karan Casey)


Tá mo chroíse go tláth lag
Is i lár mo chuid saothair
Ta-gann lán tocht im chléibhse
Cé nár mhéin liom é rá
Tá an díbirt i ndán dom
Ó bháin bheannaibh Éireann
Is fá-nach mo shaolsa
is déarach mo chás

Is cuimhin liom an tráth
Úd a ghrá ghil na nae 'stigh
Thugas grá searc is géilleadh
Dod chaomh roisc thar chách
A Rí ghil na nárann
Dob fhearr liom go néagfainn
I láthair mo ghaolta
Is mo bhuachaillín bán

Tá críoch Inis Failbhe
Go lán fad' i ndaor bhroid
Go cráite 'sgo céasta
I ngéibhinn na namhad
Nó an fíor nach foláir duit
Go brách bheith go déarach
A oileáinín bhig mhaorga
Na naomh is na mbard

Ó guímse go hard
Ar an tArd Athair Naofa
Chun ár agus léirscrios
A dhéanamh ar Sheán
Do dhíbir na táinte
Thar sáile 'na gcéadta
Is chuir fán orm féinig
Óm' bhuachaillín bán

Translation
And my efforts are weakened
A grief too deep for words
Fills my breast
For I am to be banished
From the fair hills of Erin
Aimless my life then
And tragic my fate

I recall, my soul's delight
In days gone by
My love surrendered
To your bewitching gaze
Merciful God
I would far rather perish
Here with my own folk
And my fair-haired boy

The fair land of Erin
Lies in bondage so brutal
The sad, tormented
Prisoner of her foes
Is it her fate then
To be forever weeping
That proud little isle
Of the saint and the bard?

I should this my prayer
To great God our Father
Let death and destruction
Be the fate of John
Who banished so many
Across the great water
And parted forever
My fair lad and me