Tha Mo Ghaol Air Aird a' Chuan
(My Love Is On The High Seas)

Song by Eanraig MacIllebhàin (Henry Whyte) (1852-1913) in 1890s.
A writer who was known as ‘Fionn.’ 

It is a Gaelic translation of
"Jamie’s on the Stormy Sea",
by Bernard Covert 1849


The song tells of a man who one evening encounters a young girl sitting under a tree by the sea singing sadly about her love who is away at sea. She laments and longs for his safe return. The man sits by her and reveals he is her love returned safely from the seas.


Feasgar ciùin an tus a'chèitein
nuair bha 'n ialtag anns na speuran
chualaim rìbhinn òg 's i deurach
seinn fo sgàil nan geugan uain'.

Bha a'ghrian 'sa chuan gu sìoladh
's reult cha d'éirich anns an iarmailt
nuair a sheinn an òigh gu cianail
"Tha mo ghaol air àird a'chuain".

Thòisich dealt na h-oidhch' ri tùirling
's lùb am braon gu caoin na flùrain
Shèid a'ghaoth 'na h-oiteag chùbhraidh
beatha 's ùrachd do gach cluan.

Ghleus an nighneag fonn a h-òrain
sèimh is ciùin mar dhriùchd an Òg-mhìos
'a bha an t-sèisd seo 'g éirigh 'n còmhnaidh
"Tha mo ghaol air àird a'chuain".

Chiar an latha is dheàrrs 'na reultan,
sheòl an rè measg neul nan speuran.
Shuidh an òigh, 'bròn ga lèireadh,
's cha robh dèigh air tàmh no suain.

Theann mi faisg air reult nan òg-bhean
sheinn mu 'gaol air chuan 'bha seòladh.
O bu bhinn a caoidhrean brònach
"Tha mo ghaol air àird a'chuain".

Rinn an ceòl le deòin mo thàladh
dlùth do rìbhinn donn nam blàth-shùil
's i ag ùrnaigh ris an Àrd-Rìgh
"Bìon mo ghràdh 'th' air àird a'chuain".

Bha a cridh' le gaol gu sgàineadh
nuair a ghlac me fhèin air làimh i.
"Siab o dheòir, do ghaol tha sàbhailt,
thill mi slàn bhàrr àird a'chuain".




One fine evening at the beginning of May
when the bats were in the sky
I heard a young girl who was tearful
sing in the shade of the green branches.

The sun was setting on the sea
and no star had risen into the sky
when the maiden sang sadly
"My love is on the high seas".

The night-time dew began to come down
and its drops gently bent the flowers,
The wind blew a flagrant breeze,
life and refreshment to every meadow.

The girl tuned the melody of her song
soft and sweet like the dew in June
and this chorus kept on coming up:
"My love is on the high seas"

The day got dark and the stars shone,
the moon sailed through the clouds of the sky.
The maiden sat, distressed by sorrow,
with no desire for sleep or rest.

I drew close to this wonderful young woman
who was singing about her love who had sailed overseas.
Oh, her sad plaintive call was sweet-sounding:
"My love is on the high seas".

By this music I was willingly drawn
close to the brown-haired girl with warm eyes
as she prayed to the Lord
"protect my love on the high seas".

Her heart was breaking with love
when I took her by the hand
"be away from tears, your love is saved,
I came safely across the high seas"

.