A version of the song collected from oral tradition by Irish scholar Patrick Lynch in Mayo in June 1802, for Edward Bunting's Collection, in which none of Lynch's two hundred collected and translated songs were ever published by Bunting.


Patrick Lynch Irish Gaelic fair copy (neatly re-written) in:
The Edward Bunting Collection in Special Collections & Archives, Queen's University Belfast
MS 4/10 Manuscript collection of Irish songs in Gaelic by Patrick Lynch
MS 4.10.101, page 101, 1802

Patrick Lynch Irish Gaelic fair copy: Bruach na Carraice Báine

Bruach na Carraice Báine

B'fearr liom no Éire mhór
No saibhrios Rígh na Spáine
No a bh'feice de or bhuidh le mo ló
Go mbéinnse ag ól do sláinte

Tusa agus mise bheith pósta
Le lán toil hathara is máthara
A mhaighdion óg is mílse póg
Ale taobh na Carraice Báine

A chiúin bhean óg na ngruaidh mar rós
Is truagh gan mise leat pósta
Gan gruaim gan bhrón an nidh ar a domhan
Ach siubhul go suigheamhúil ag cóiste

Rún gach duine si an stáid bhean
A cúl trom dualach fáineach
An rioghuin óg is milse póg
Le taobh na Carraice Báine


(verse 3 line 4)
suigheamhúil = cuideachtúil = Companionable, sociable.



A translation by Patrick Lynch is probable in one of his manuscripts that are not as yet available to view at Queen’s University Belfast Digital Collections

Late in his life, the blind harper Arthur O’Neill (1737-1816) dictated his memoirs to Thomas Hughes, a clerk employed by Edward Bunting as secretary, who wrote down O’Neill’s words as he spoke them, between 1808 and 1813. The resulting manuscripts survived amongst the personal papers of Edward Bunting, and these are now preserved in the Library of Queen’s University Belfast. The manuscript contains copies of Lynch's song English translations written by Thomas Hughes.

Thomas Hughes written copy of translation in:
MS 4/14/1 Memoirs of Arthur O'Neill (1737-1816), and words of songs
MS4.14.1 117, 118, page 59

Thomas Hughes written copy of translation: The side of the White Rock


The Side of the White Rock

I would rather, than all of Ireland
And the riches of the king of Spain
Or all the yellow gold that I shall see in my days
That I were drinking your health

That you and I were married
With full consent of father and mother
My young virgin of the sweetest kiss
At the side of the White Rock

My gentle young maid whose cheeks are like the rose
It is a pity I am not married to you
Without sorrow or grief or any trouble on earth
But going sociably in a coach

My stately gain is the delight of all men
Her heavy tresses down her back in ringlets
This is the young lady of the sweetest kiss
At the side of the White Rock


(verse 4 line 1 literal translation)
Every man's love is a stately woman

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