Author of the song, Tomás Mac Giolla Brighde (modern spelling Mac Giolla Bríde)died in 2013, aged 90. I mentioned a book shop "in the village"; it was, and may still be, in Middletown - on the main road between an Bun Beag (Bunbeg) and na Doiri Beaga (Derrybeg). That is a stretch of only about a mile (about 1.5 km)and is part of the area of Gaoth Dobhair aka Gweedore. I wonder if the song was part of one of the plays which Tomás wrote.

The machine translations are dire, so I had a go at doing something better.

Remembering the Island/ Lament of the Island/ Longing for the Island

A hundred farewells to the island where I spent my spent my life
Farewell to the cliffs, hills and mountains
Farewell to the harbours - Port a' Chroinn and Port Úr
Farewell to you Gabhla [Gola], farewell forever.

As a new bride, I went to the west town
With Dónal, my partner, we lived comfortably
Of family, we had three boys and a girl [three boys and a girl were bestowed on us]
There were more smiles than sadness in my life.

At the mass rock on Thursday evening
I prayed to Mary to abate the storm
But my husband and my sons were stolen from me
And it's a wake with no corpse, I held on Monday.

My daughter Máire lives out on the mainland
To her I will go with my burden of sorrow
But the desire of my heart [literally "my desire and my heart2] I will see no more -
The little house my husband Dónal built long ago.


"le céile" - means together, so I like the word "partner" but as that is a modern term for one of a couple regardless of gender or marital status, I think "my spouse" is probably a clearer translation of "mo chéile". The same term is used for a wife as for a husband. I believe the word céilidh or céili has the same root, because it means when people gather together socially, whether or not they dance.